The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-21 00:00:00

GERMAN PAPERS.

Rotten, AUGUST 19.
There is no doubt that a plan for reducing the whole of the mill.
tary force of the Papal dominions was in contemplation ; it is said
that it was to be diminished one half. Every body must Terve that,
like many others, this plan, which would have relieved the burdens
of the people, and have allowed of the application of the All'lsS thus
spared to the advantage of the country in general, has been defeated
by circumstances over which the will of the Pope has no control.
It is certain that Leo XII., depending on the spiritual power which
the Government exercises over its subjects, and convinced of the
truth of the principle, that when a Sovereign places cot.tidence in
his people, the latter (as a whole) is never ungrateful, was ready to
make this reduction without any political uneasiness. But it is
said that such urgent remonstrances against this measure were
made to him from abroad, that lie was obliged to camr.ly—that he
may have thought that the crimes of a few wretches of the dregs of
the people might be suppressed by the ordinary proceedings of the
Criminal Courts, without a permanent military force.
It may be easily supposed that discontent is excited h' the re-
forms of his Holiness, who wishes to remove the abuses that prey
on the vitals of the state. especially in the finance departmeid ( lie-
camera postufica), but a late and striking example hats
shown how necessary these reforms arc. Nine clerks in th% Com-
pulisteria had not shown themselves in the office a single day in the
whole month of July (in which it has hitherto been the fishion, on
account of the hot weather, to keep holiday), but at the end of the
month they came to receive thcir talury. Instead of this, however,
they received their discharge, and were told that their absence hay-
ing been considered as a voluntary resignation of their places, they
had already been given to ethers.
With respect to the provinces, his Holiness seems reselved to
take a very rigorous measure, which is theist fore extremely repug-
nant to his feelings, but is unhappily the only one likely to rove
efficacious. lililitary tribunals are to be established there, which
are to decide promptly, and without appeal, in cases of homicide
and Carbonarism. That for Ravenna is already appointed. Under
the superintendence of a Prelate, it will be chit fly directed by Col.
litivinetti, of the Gendarmerie, who has perforined such services
against the banditti of the Cant panne% and Maritima. Very severe
penalties are again denetinezd against the bearing of orals. The
dislike entertained in Ravenna towards the Cardinal Legate seems
not to have abated, though it is said, by a special ordinance, the
Corbonari, condemned a year ago to the galleys, or other punish-
ments, have had half of the penalty remitted. It is said that a
paper was posted up on his palace, with the words—" (jini d{(/cr.
fur nun niCrlitr."
The following is a new instance of the noble and unsuspicious
disposition of him Holiness. Four of the Nzapalttan exiles, who
have sought refuge at Rome, had a dispute with a Roman who
challenged them : they appeared at the place appointed, where they
found, ins,ead of the Roman, half a dozen gendarmes, who ar-
rested them and took them before the police, by which they were
condemned to leave Rome, because, at the Roman affirmed, they
had spoken ill of the Government. They appealed to the Pope,
who pardoned them, merely hint:sing on them eight days' penance.
Unpleasant rept its are received from the kingdom of Naples. It
is not only said that troops of banditti are tanning on the fron-
tiers, and towards the Abruzzi, but the letters speak of great dis-
content, especially in Calabria and Puglia, where the new excise
system was very disagreeable to the people.
We hear of a hortatory letter said to have been addressed by the
Pope, at the Imeance of the French Court, to toe province of Rol-
ion, and which is reported to bear the following title :—" Ad Gal-
las ditaidentes yriesertim Diut•es Pieloviensi qui yulgo anticon-
cordatitne appnllantue, exhortittio." If we may believe persons
who affirm that they haveread this document, a kmd of schism has
broken out among the clergy of the diocese of Vienne, to which
Pithier, belongs, which contists in this, that a great part of them,
viz. all the priests who remained fai:hful to the constitution of the
church existing before the revolution, have withdrawn themselves
from the two concordats of 1301 and 1817, and, aecuitlingly, have
renounced spiritual obedience to the Bishop.