The Express.
London, England, 1859-04-22 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 22.

Tut hour is at hand' Proud in the command of
an overgrown army, and Battered by the base sub-
serviseee of European statesmen, the Emperor of
Acetate defies the sentiment of the civilised world.
aid precipitation war. To stamp oat ideas with the
hoof of the war.bores has bees for ages the dearest
delight of the family of Fiusos Josarn; and he is
worthy of hie sacestoes.
Austria hoe rejected the proposal of a Congrese,
oa coorlitioae to which all the other Great Powers,
and also Sardisia, had assented. She dame not slab_
mit the frightful system she has pursued in Italy to
Impieties. Better war—better even defeat and
compelled MlCESoloo—than that horrib:e exposure
and coaderanatiou before Europe. To surrender at
the point of the sword her arbitrary inter-
foresee io the independent States of Italy would be
tolerablo, a soldierly manillas* to the fortune of
war. • reverent ►smye to trite harm; to retire
within bee treaty-frostier is esaseqrsoto of the
deliberations of a Coatroom, would be a slavish
dermas, to TIMM, opinion, sad this fora of ideas.
oath as the Austrian EXPILiOIi will serer (newel to.

After meads spent in bringing the impartial
spiaina sad disinterested statesmanship of &mope
to the solution of Italia' dillealtiee--at a inement
when England. Reema, Prussia, and Fresco had
agreed on the means of preserving peace and doing
isaties—when King %lova Emotes'. had given a
lipid proof of hie readiness to make IlleTifidle for
the penetration of the general peace, Austria, with-
out notice. withdraws her quarrel with Bareliain
from the domain of diplomacy, and insists on settling
it simply with the swore. This is a monstrous
insult to all the neutral Powers, but mast of all to
England. For the mean and grovelling compliance.
of Lord MALVF.PPIiiii —for the flattery of Lord
lizany—for the sacrifices made by the entire Cabi-
net in preferring Austrian favour to the approval of
their own jest and generous countrymen, this is
the fair retain, the righteous retribution.
Coast attest presents an idtisnatisns to the
Court of Turin : Sardinia most disarm, not as taking
part in a general disarmament, by voluntary sgte► I
swot with the Great Powers, and under the regula-
tions of a joist commission, but at the perempta7
order of Austria, and in such manner as her
generals and marshals may dictate. Before all
things she must send away the 16,000volanteers who
have flocked unbidden to her standard from all parts
of Italy. Let her refuse to do this within three
days, and Austri► will declare war.
Austria tam declared war. This ultimatum—te

speak of it fora moment as if it were a bona fide
diplomatic demand, intended far serious oomidrn►-
tioa—ia a monstrous proposal to extend to Piedmont
the same infamous policy which has reduced all the
other States in Italy to subjection to Austria. It is
a demand that the one Constitutional State, which

is the hope and joy of every Italian patriot, shall
strip naked, and prostrate herself at the feet of the
great oppressor of Central and Southern Europe.
We will not insult the Kix° of the noble Twenty-
Ire Thousand who fought at our side in the Crimea
—we will not insult our readen—by discussing this
meek proposition. It will not be accepted ; it
will not be entertained; it is already re-
jected. The Sovereige, the People, the Army an
unanimous. '• I will fight a emend Novara,• mid
VICTUR EMANUEL, a day or two ego, "rather then
sunender the noble Italian youth who have placed
" confiders:rein me."
Count Girt-it's declaration of war follows hard
upon Comet BCoL's recent exposition of Austrian
policy in Italy as pursued for nearly half a century,
and is Its rational consequence. Is the despatch of
the Austrian Foreign Minister, dated February 26,
it is solemnly declared that Italy can never have fres
institutions, but mast always be governed by the
bayonet—that the Princes of Italy have a legitimate
right to deliver their territory to the military peeps&
sion and their subjects to the stripes of Austria,
end that to contest this is to deny their indepea.
dente—that the Papal Government needs reform
in its army, and that if other reforms are needed in
Italy, noes can be undertaken while Piedmont retains
her s!steen. Such is the earn of Count Bonen do-
cliestioa, and be is not expounding an idle them,.
To defend bed governments against peoples easy
of nfferieg, Austria bee successively essepiel awry
State in Italy. Since 1815 her armies lambs= kir
Res years in Naples, for six is Tammy, her six
Modena, fee six in Parma, for teesty-lime la tits
Papal States. There is not sae of the petty rinses
south of the Po who dose not kaow the, however
badly be soy behave, then is a great power at bead
which will iefallibly protect his against the indigo&
tics of kis people. In 1816 Austria boned the King et
NAPLES by treaty to administer his peones at sm.
combs, I. her absolutist peiseipies. At Leyte*
whoa there wee danger that cosetitntissal ro•
re tamest Might strike rest is tie sass
kingdom, Prince Mcirsaxica &shred that
Kies A inasey reefed fo erdeldisA the senolits-
t *Wens, fAe itoperor world MANI MP Urn

Uwe In 1822, the Austrian linister declared, is
the name of his muter, that the tnstitetionsef

►epresewtatioe Government could not and should
not Be established in any sissgle hallow Slater
When the Austrians left the Pontifical States in
1021, the Emrtaoa informed the Cardinal Legate of
Feeli that " All should return, as he had come,msasked,
" tohemerer he thought proper." When, in 1831, the
French Government remonstrated against a renewed
occupation of the Papal Stems, Mrrreaulcu replied
that his muter was determined to intervene, at go
eat qf a onseral war. And now we ask—Who is it
that has amociated freedom with war in Italy ? Who
bet the Power which declare* that only by the
sword shall Italy become free ?
This is the policy of Austria—" dignified, cocci—
" lister," Austria, as Mr. DiAitartz has jest de-
scribed her. And now can anyone doubt what has
impelled the flower of the youth of Italy to the
banner of the Monarch who has exerted himself to
put en end to the oppression of his countrymen?
Blind of heart must he be who does not see that this
is a renewal of the undying struggle between freedom
and tyranny. Every Englishman will follow it with
his sympathies and prayers. Let those who see
lighting for freedom know and feel that our hearts
are in their cause. Let them be assured that, while
we are sternly forbidden by duty to engage so-
tively on their side, the universal judgment of this

free nation condemns their enemies ; and that, come
what may, no sword of England shall be drawn to
prolong Anstrisn tyranny in Italy. Let no one be
deceived by the language of Iliniaters on sufferance,
for the People of this country will confound and
overwhelm any Cabinet that shall due to array the
name and power of England on the aide of de.
aPotiom•