The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-28 00:00:00

lazy and cowed love of creators comfort and fat ease, and
demonstrated to Austria that the day on which she
shall provoke France and Eog!and to send the fiery
cross among distressed nationalities, the Italians will
cope on equal terms with the Most disciplined coliert4 of
legitimacy. Alarmed at the success of La Marniora, it is
rumoured that Austria is about to leave the Principali-
ties, and that Omar Pacha, with the flower of the Tutk-
i-h army, and flanked by a French and English contin-
gent, will be made room for, there to carry the invasLin
into the Russian frontier by the significant permission of
Germany, so as to force the war to.a conclusion. Bere
is our present stand—these are our future prosfietii—
who that has the spirit of a free man would talk of
patching up a peace ? Who that has the soul of an Eng-
lishman would condescend to negotiation, or degrade the
exalted attitude of his country to the sordid chicane of
paper protocolling and logornachy of obfuscated plenipo-
tentiaries ?

AUSTRIA AND NAPLES.

( Front the Daily News of this day.)

An Austrian fleet has cast anchor in the Bay of
Naples. Two Austrian ships of war—one a steamer—
are riding off Castellamare : and four—two of them
steamers—are in the harbour of Naples. This is the
sequel of the remonstrance addressed by the Austrian
Government to the King of Naples, on the error of his
ways, to which we called attention on the Ilth instant.
The present state of Italy has rendered Austria fidgetty
and apprehensive. Hence it comes that she is increas-
ing her military force in Lombardy and the Venetian
territories, to prevent any rising there, and to be in
readiness to suppress risings in any other Italian State.
And hence it comes that a fleet is sent to tie up the
hands of her crazy protege, the King of Naples, who
seems beent upon provoking insurrections in his terri-
tories. The friendly contalers of the madman who is
now giving free scope to his fantastic humours in the
kingdom of the Two Sicilies, have not arrived a mo-
ment too soon. From insulting and maltreating private
individuals—natives and foreigners—his creatures have
proceeded to provoke collisions with Governments ; and
their first insult of this kind has been directed against
the senior attache of the British embassy at Naples. It
will require all the "soft sawder" of Lord John Russell's
friends at Vienna to prevail upon King Boraba to make
besuch an amends honorable as it will consistent with
the dignity of the British Government to accept.
It is not without cause that the Austrian Government
views with anxiety the present aspect of affairs in Italy.
Such politicians as are not in the habit of allowing the
'newest novelty to efface all remembrance of preceding
events will recollect what was the state of public opinion
in Italy when Pio Nono ascended the Papal throne.
The practical reformers who, at the instigation of
Balbo, Gioberti, and D'Azeglio, had emancipated them-
selves from the secret associations were busily at work,
seeking to effect such ameliorations, social and political,
as were attainable under the existing Governments.
The simultaneous adoption of a more liberal policy by
the Governments of Piedmont, Rome, and Tuscany,
imparted a national character to the isolated efforts of
the practical reformers in these states, and indeed
throughout Italy. The instinct of the people taught
their' truly that so long as foreign influence predomi-
nated in Italy nothing could be accomplished, and
hence the idea of an Italian League, or Confederation.
Insurrections in Lombardy and the Neapolitan domi-
nions accelerated the march of events. Italy found
itself involved in a war with the foreigner before any
confederation of its principal states could be formed, '
and whilst hostilities were actually in progress be- ,
tween Sicily and Naples. The only Italian Govern-
ment that stood true to the cause of Italy was that of
Piedmont, which was betrayed and deserted by the other
Princes of the Penin,ula, and thwarted and hampered
by the bulk of the extreme lib erals. Austria triumphed,
and the cause of Italian unity and independence was for
the time stricken down.

But this reverse has had, at least, the good effect of
materially simplifying the politics of the Peninsula.
They who dreamed of a Federal Italy were divided be-
tween the claims of the Pope and of the King of Sar-
dinia to be President of the Confederation. The course
pursued by Pio Nono—in accordance with the views of
the Sacred College of Cardinals—has put the former out
of the question. The Roman Government, when it
placed itself under the protection of the ultramontane
powers, and declared that the independence and good
government of Italy was as dust in the balance when
weighed against the perpetuation of priestly misrule,
taught every Italian that the continuance of the secular
power of the Popes was incompatible with the liberty
and good government of his country. Again, the false-
hood and chicanery by which the Governments of Rome
Tuscany, Naples, and the minor principalities sacrificed
the cause of Italy rather than run the risk of seeing
Piedmont aggrandised, showed—what had already been
proved by the history of the Germanic Confederation—that
free institutions and national independence are unatt lin-
able under a confederation of princes. A federal republic
under certain social conditions is possible, as we see in Ame-
rica, because all officials, state and federal, are elected by
and responsible to, the people. But in a confederation
of monarchie4, either the central Government must be
nominated by the princes, and become their mere instru-
ment, or it must be nominated by the people, and be
continually thwarted and paralysed by the powers re-
served to themselves by the sovereigns. Lastly, the
miserable failure of the extreme Liberals in Italy, after
Piedmont had been driven from the field, has proved to
all the reasonable and honest adherents of republican
opinions, that mere abstract principles, however plan-
and popular enthusiasm, however pure and de-
voted, are unavailing against the standing armies of the
foreigner, unless there be somewhere the framework of a
disciplined Italian army, into which the new levies of
volunteers and extempore soldiers may be incorporated.
These important lessons have been taken to heart by the
flower of the Italian people—the educated middle and
upper claqies—and will not be forgotten when the time
comes again for asserting Italian unity and independence.
And that time will assuredly come. With the single
exception of Piedmont, the most intolerable misrule
pervades every Italian state; and the Italians know
that but for Austria this misrule would be impossible.
In Lombardy and the Venetian territories Austria
tyrannises directly ; in the Two Sicilies she upholds
the tottering throne of the Bourbons ; in the States
of the Church the near proximity of her armies
and her insidious counsels encourage the combined
arrogance and effeminacy of the dominant priesthood ;
and in Tuscany and the minor dukedoms the nominal
sovereigns are the mere prefects of Austria. It is im-
possible to foresee what form the first renewal of the
struggle for liberty and good government in Italy will
assume, when it will come, or whether it will extend
over the whole of the Peninsula or be confined to a part
of it. But oppressors and oppressed, and foreigners
looking on at a distance, are all equally impressed with
the conviction that come it mu,t, and that ere long.
Hence the sleepless jealousies of Austria. She feels that
the blow is impending, but knows not when or whence
it may reach her. Like other malefactors she startles
at the rustling of every leaf. Now, it is the nomination
• of Garibaldi to the command of a Sardinian vessel ; now
it is the raising of an Italian Legion for the service of
England in Sardinia ; now it is some word dropped in
the English Parliament by a mini.ter or by a private
member. Her prying curiosity is unable to detect the
r Immediate sources of danger; but her incessant suspi-
, cions goad her to acts of oppression, which will of them-
. selves bring about that armed insurrection against her
s alien authority in Italy, of which she stands in constant
s dread.