The Express.
London, England, 1859-11-12 00:00:00

ITALY.

TUSCANY.

(TIM OCR SPECIAL C01111111.0714DINT.)

FLORENCE, Nov. 6.

There ia but one thought now occupying the minds
of the Florentines, and it is that of opposing, even
with arms, the restoration of the dethroned Prince.
The decision of the national Assemblies of Central
Italy convoked for to-morrow will have the effect of
rendering still stronger the bonds by which four
millions of people have been united to the
constitutional state of Sardinia. The authority of
Victor Emmanuel will thus be increued by this new
political fact, and his interference in the affairs of
Central Italy will be rendered more and more effi-
cacious by it. The financial question will be also
dwelt upon by the Tuscan ministers to-morrow.
From the official return which they will commu-
nicate to the Chamber, they will show that they are
able to meet the daily increasiag ,expenses of the
state with the regular resources which are within
the lawful reach of the ministers of finance. Should

circumstances require a larger amount of money the
government will ask permission to use the credit
which may easily be obtained from the 40,000,000 of
the state property yet untouched. It is really a con-
soling spectacle which one now witnesses in this
eountry. Here is t population of more than
1,779,000 souls almost entirely animated by the
spirit of union. This is an important fact,
and is in itself the meat eloquent eulogy of the go-
vernment. At the beginning of the liberal move-
ment there was still a strong party which was ready
to support the son of the Duke, had he granted a
liberal constitution. It was the conservative party,
formed by a great number of priests and some few
noblemen of the country. It was not so much af-
fection foe the dynasty of Lorraine as the fear of
seeing the democratic element get the upper band
in the Chamber that made them hostile to
the newly-established liberal government. The
wise and moderate course followed by the Assembly,
however, soon dispersed those unfounded fears ; so
that, except a few friends of Countess Waleweki, and
a few high dignitaries of the ehnrch, there is not
now an intelligent citizen of Tuscany who has
not given his hearty support to the liberal govern-
ment of the country. The lower clergy are now
convinoedthat religious institutions are not incurring
any danger whatever. The reforms introduced by
Avvocato Salvagnoli in the old and illiberal system
of education have met with the general approbation
of all enlightened citizens. The fine arts have shone
forth with fresh splendour, for numerous orders
have been given to the artiste of Florence by the
new national government. Leopold was so mean a
Prince that sculptors and painters could get but
little money out of his pockets, or from the treasury
of the Duchy. Two years ago it was decided that
a marble pedestal for the celebrated porphyry cup of
the Pitti Palace should be ordered of Dare, one of
the ablest sculptors of Florence. Balduseroni
was therefore ordered to ask the price of
the work, but when referred to the Grand
Duke it was found too high. The sculptor
answered that it would be cheaper in bronze, and,
after a great deal of hesitation, the second plan was
adopted. The new rulers of Tuscany have now
done away with sack paltry meanness ; the cup
of the Palazzo Pitti is to have a more expen-
sive marble pedestal. This new impulse given to
' the tine arts has rendered the government very
popular among sculptors, painters, and architects,
who, as you know, are very numerous here, and per-
haps constitute the most influential class of Tuscan
citizens.

In my former letters I told you that the Sardinian
colonel who wag sent here at the beginning of the
war to take the direction of the war department, had
completely failed in organising the Tuscan army. Col.
Decardens was therefore recalled, and Gen. Cadorna
sent to Florence to fill the important office. The
Monitore Toseano of last night gives us a proof of
the new minister's activity by publishing the decree
of organisation henceforth to regulate the formation
of the Tuscan army. The infantry brigades of Pisa,
Siena, Leghorn, and Pistoja, of two regiments each,
will form two new divisions. Two other battalions
of Bersaglieri, the 3rd and 4tb, will be likewuis
organised. The four existing batteries of artillery
will be increased by two more. Each brigade will
have two batteries of 8-pounders and one of 16. The
ducal regiment of dragoons is going to take the
name of Cavalleggieri di Firenze ; the second of
Lucca. The companies of engineers and pioneers,
as well as the commissariat, medical service, and the
other minor services of the army, are also to be or-
ganised on the same system as that now adopted
by Sardinia. With the new organisation the nume-
rical strength of the Tuscan army will be from 30,000
to 40,000 men within a period of four or five months,
and will constitute four splendid divisions dressed
and drilled like those of Piedmont. This is the best
way of accomplishing the formation of a powerful
State to which the future destinies of Italy will be
entrusted.

People here have been greatly pleased with what

some of the Piedmontese papers believe to be the an-
swer given by Victor Emmanuel to the Emperor's
letter :—" If you have your engagements of Villa-
franca so much at heart, I have on my part another
more solemn engagement to perform, that which
springs from the unanimous votes of the populations
of Central Italy." Of course lam not in a position
to know if these are really the words employed by
the King ; but I have reason to believe, on good
authority, than when Louis Napoleon handed over
the famous letter to, General Dabormida, he told
hint what it contained. The gallant general, who is
not a poiitical genius, could not help humbly re-
monstrating that if the bargain of Villafranca was a
sacred one for hie Imperial Majesty, the principle of
the popular suffrage adopted in Central Italy, form-
ing one of the moat important elements of the con-
stitutional and national systems of Sardinia, could
not be disregarded by his honest and patriotic
master.

I wee going to clone my letter when I heard that
the new Sardinian loan had almost all been taken up
by Italian bankers. Five millions have already been
subscribed in Central Italy, twenty in Lombardy,
and the rest in Oenoa and Turin. The organisation
of the Modenese and Parmesan army is proceeding
with astonishing activity and success. On Wednen-

day last Count Bethlen; the Hungarian colonel of
the Parmesan Hussars—a fine regiment—made •

spirited address to his soldiers whilst they were
parading before him for the first time. The new
batteries of artillery are now completed, owing to
the intelligent arrangements made by Colonel
Cltriwasby, an able aide-de-camp of General Bem
during the Hungarian war.

PLUNDERING SHIPWRECKED SAILORB.—We
sorry to soy that plundering km beet earned on to • con-
siderable extent since the late storm. Crowds of people
doodad daily to Bully and Lavernock for this vale purpose.
At Bally, the Mary of Carmarthen, with available cargo,
became • total wreck. I rocanoorry and roomy of every
deseriptlon woe strewn on the beach, and bed It not been for
the tnterisimace of the coast guard and police, not s single
Miele would ban remained. Even on Benday, crowd' of
opouta4e went to the place for the mole purpose.—Carmw then