The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-24 00:00:00

ITALY AS IT IS AND AS IT IS TO BE.

The second and last lecture o❑ this interesting subject, was
delivered on Thursday, at the Literary Institution, Edward
street, Portman square, London, by Professor Saffi. The
learned gentleman devoted this lecture to the causes which had
led to the unsuccessful issue of the Italian revolution in 184 S
and 1849 ; the efforts to destroy the national aspiration by
dynastic ambition ; the conspiracy of despotism, and the in-
fluence of Popery, the faults of the free government at this
epoch. Austrian demonstration towards England and France;
her triumph and Jesuitical re-action in France and Germany ;
the import of this, and what it may mean to England ; and
the Italian cause, as connected with the cause of universal
political and religious freedom in Europe. In speaking of the
social system as it existed in Italy, he maintained that the
positition in which the agricultral community was placed with
reference to the proprietory, was favourable to the develop.
ment of the resources of the country, and calculated to
unite these two classes in efforts to promote the politi-
cal advancement of the country. In looking to
the commercial position of Italy, it was apparent that what
was required was not revolution, but evolution, in order to
enable the country to unfold its resources, by the construction
of railways, the distribution of population, and other measures
calculated to bring into practical operation the commercial
and material ability of the country. Amongst the means that
were in operation to retard the national, political, and social
development was the influence of the Popish priesthood, which
was powerful both in town and country, and which was
exercising its depressing agency on the moral energies
of the country. Ho alluded to the fate of those Roman
Catholic clergymen who had advocated the political
freedom of the country, and which had already become a
pathetic passage in history. Having paid an eloquent tribute
to the ecclesiastical and political martyrs (which was
warmly applauded), he next adverted to the progress of princi-
ples of free trade in Italy, and cited, in illustration, the fact
of Mr. Cobde❑, the " apostle of free trade," having been
received with the greatest enthusiasm when ho visited dif-
ferent parts of the country, both by the commercial
and the aristocratic classes, who adopted his doctrines, and
only required to he placed in favourable circumstances to have
rendered their country, in its commercial development, a
further practical demonstration of the soundness of his prin-
ciples of po'itical economy. He next alluded to the indications
that had been afforded by the revolutions of 1848 and 1849, to
show how strong was the desire of political freedom in Italy,
and that it only required some encouraging circumstances to
unite the States in one great effort to secure their liberties for
which they so ardently thirsted. He supported this position
by reference to the struggle that had been made during the
revolution in question, and which he contended irref❑tably
established the fact, that the desire for freedom was an idea of
the national mind. He concluded by a brief but not incom-
prehensive review of the state of Italy in its aspects of political,
social, and commercial bearing, all of which he asserted were
favourable towards freedom, and resumed his seat amidst loud
applause.