The Express.
London, England, 1856-08-20 00:00:00

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fete exgortoo.

basoanatina amnia at "Ma Illitank" Imam amine papoe.
N-' br at dat Man 116 Ilasvorinaitnist. by Two e/Closk ce tie
Ow a pabilation.

HIGH WATIft AT LONDON BEIDOI.
is Dar— f. 411. 43M........A2111,110014 Mr 642.
reastemew—liamis. Sh. 17a.—Atiaraoca. 11. Mr

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20.

"Am easy solution to the Italian question might
be found," we bear it generally remarked, "if Austria
would only venture on an aggressive war against
Sardinia." And yet are we sum that Austria has not
been for several years, and is not at the present
moment, at open war with Sardinia—a war openly
and deliberately declared by the stronger power
against the weaker P
At the time of the restoration of the Austrian
Government, in August, 1848, no less than
arm hundred thousand political exiles quitted
the Lombardo•Venetian kingdom. Amongst them
were members of the highest and wealthiest fami•
lime ; it may be said, in fact, that under the first
impale of disappointment, fear and hatred of the
Austrians, the whole nobility and gentry emigrated
ea masts. Moot of these belonged to the Moderate or

Constitutional party, and had avocatsd the Praitew,
sr annexation of Milan and Venice to Sardinia. To
Piedmont, thenfors, they betook theronlvss as to
their natural land of refuge; and to Piedmont, also,
however rigorously Austria might lay her taus on
their estates, however unscrupulously she might turn
their palaces into barracks and cavalry stables—to
Piedmont the boat part of their revenues followed
them.

Lombardy was consequently drained of its best
resources, and Piedmont wu enriched by nearly the
whole wealth of the absentee Lombard 'tediums.
Austria, in spite of herself, was soon brought to terms.
She published several decrees of amnesty ; she spared
no promise or menses to bring back the fugitives;
but as love of country sad hatred of the foreign yoke,
combined with mistrust of her interested sad tree-
&emus clemency, rendered her roomy subjects
unwilling to go beck on any terms, alto pat hoe worst
threats into execution, and seised epee the property of
all exiles who should refuse to return to the I.
hardoNsostian dominions within a sheet opened
period. Bs it observed that watered= Seer no
part al the Austrian Penal Code ; so that the present
oeuvre of sequestration wu not resorted to es a
punishment against political offenders, but se a Ineana
of recalling mere 'oblatory emigrants. Same of the
rich Milanese, such as the Lima, were latticed to
comply with these decrees, bat by tar the greatest
member preferred to give up their very homes and
homesteads, mad all they possessed, rather than again
sae their fatherland saddened by the presence of the
bated foreign oppressor.

Not a few of them high-hearted and consistent
exiles, however, bad become Sardinian subjects beg
baton the decree of sequestration bad been Lewd ;
nosw oven before the Austrians 'had whined their
vistory of 1848, and some before the very revolution
of that year. Others again, web se the Boanoona
and the ANCONATI,for many pnandmie owned lands
on both aides of the Ticino, and by virtue of their
property were, as their ancestors bad been before
them, as much denizens of Piedmont an of Lom-
bardy. Not a few of thew are not only Sardinia'
citizens, but also senaton and &petite—nay, even
fill, or have filled, very high eases in the Sar-
dinian Government. However barbarous the
esoduct of the Austrian government Any be
towards her own oebjeote—amounting, in fact, to
the offer of an alternative between the gallows or
the galleys---It might be inexpedient, if justifiable,
es the part of any foreign power to interfere-
Nat, in this case, Austria is actually seising
ea the property of naturalised, and even of
realm Sardinian subjecte—aa clear and flagrant
a violation of international law ea the world
ever witnessed ; and there is no doubt in oar mind
but Piedmont has had for the last three years a
very decided cams bell' against Austria, or, in fact,
that Austria has virtually declared war spinet Bar.
din's, from the moment she laid hands on what, by
sight of &Alaimo domicile, wee actually Sardinian
property. Had the King of Hamm, or the Xing
of °Biwa, seined either on landed, or even move-
able property belonging either to a native, or a
naturalised British citizen, we rather think Lord th.e.-
ammo" would soon have to my a word or two on
the whim".

Unfortunately Piedmont is a small state, and It
little boots one of the grieved pestles to my,
a Ciois affsbalpisuis in. F Yet has net England
solemnly pledged herself to see her Sardinian ally
safe from all emission P And dose it mash matter
whether the aggression took plass before the seWtary
convention of 1853, since Sardinia has been soffseing
and smarting under it daring the whole pried of her
connexion with our Government during the whole
time in which she was shedding her beet blood in
the Crimea in our cause—with most heroic long-
safaris( coasentiog to put up with affront and Wag,
to adjourn all her quarrels with her implacable Aun-
t:lin foe till the groat Benda'
_pietist should be
brought to a satisfactory knee?
It is something, indeed, nattiest to wear oat all
panics, and no less to baffle all comprehension, to
soassies how the place of Paris could be agreed upon
sad sealed without get finding a fitting volatios to
that misstate question of :the Lombard sequastra-
Mess That Sardinia should have joined es in a
geared which did sot crosesen: her any acre than
Spate, or Belgium, or Swedes—that she should some
of a loser of seventy-Ave millions of banes, end el
three thousand of her brave any, without sable,
snythiog foe herself, without improving the am&
tics, nay with the certainty et laving pas*
aggravated the misery, of the rest of Italy—imey
nem hard enough ; but that she should not owes
have by her saorifloes acquired the right and the
power to see hat own subjects righted, is truly'
store than she can endure—more than we ought to
eiders She may tarn to as with the words of
lady Cbtestances reproach to Austria in the play,
and cry oat :

_
0 Ea'lasel—saighty Baglas4 I
Thou "meat ski Wes Lida I
Aid we really fear that what follows might he toe
justly applicable toes.

Be it observed. however, that Piedmont has it
always la her power to bring matters to a aids, and
that het for her west hawk raederatles, she weld
kap slue hare engaged is a strepphs which might
*idly hare led to panel Barepesa hostilities. The
Dimon d Como sad Pavia own Lads I. the liar
Malan territories, and the Midianite.. Clowarmiest
hae repeatedly threateaed to ass It. jut right d tar
prink, mad distribute that climb property, by IMP
et indesalty, assept those of their se -
have sabred bow &aortae erspiestradom
has always um such mowers with a;"
are wield resist any such imam
Medusa' by hole of arras t and me
shards property would lardy, Beath&