The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-18 00:00:00

ENGLAND AND _ITALY.

A 1,

letter from Turin, dated April 15, says—However
strongly and inexoral ly warm the gratitude and hard ne-
cessity may, since 18 9, have wedded Italy to the French
alliance, there is no doubt that an irresistible feeling is
springing up, prompting the Italian people to do justice to
the upwright intentions and disinterested sympathies of the
English nation and Government. There are many reasons
why England should he only partially and imperfectly
known in this country. There are not very many Italians
fully conversant with the English language, and, with the
exception of a few political exiles, Italian travellers are
seldom induced to prolong their stay beyond the Chan-
nel to gain a clear insight of British institutions and
of the peculiarities of the Anglo• Saxon character.
On the other hand, English tourists, even when
they settle in some of the cities of the Penin-
sula for any length of time, live pretty much to
themselves, frequenting the Courts or a few houses
of the high nobility, and a certain amount of shyness, or
even mutual repulsion, prevents their familiar intercourse
with what may b© called the sound mass of the people.
Most of the information the Italians gain on the subject of
England and the English is obtained through the not very
fair channel of the French press and literature. Not a few
of the old French prejudices and exaggerations about Eng-
lish oligarchy, about the wretched poverty, the drunken
profligacy, and the brutality of the lower classes, the sell- I
ing of wives in the market-place, the venality of commis-
sions in the army and livings in the church, the hundred
anomalies and monstrosities of the English body politic,
linger still in force among half-educated Itaians. It is
French knowledge secondhand, aggravated, too, by instinc-
tive abhorrence of anything heretical inculcated by tho
priests in early training.
It is very clear, however, that the Italians, who never
meditated a descent upon the British coasts, who have no
Waterloo to revenge, and who labour rather under ignor-
ance than settled animosity, entertain a vague but earnest
admiration of a people whom they see no less peopling than
subduing the earth, and their no leas warm than true in-
stincts inspire them with a strong wish really and inti-
mately to know that England about which they hear and
talk so much, and with which they must needs acknow-
ledge their acquaintance is yet so indistinct.
The short extracts of Lord Palmerston's speech in the
House of Commons on Friday last, which reached Italy on
Sunday evening by telegraph, produced a sensation which
could not be easily described. Early in the morning of
yesterday we had the London morning papers of Saturday,
and beforo evening the substance of the long debate on
Italian affairs which led to the Premier's remarkable
speech was extensively known. The journals of this morn-
ing have already a few scraps of the salient points of that
momentous debate, and I am told the whole short-hand
report of the Times is now being translated, to appear word
for word in the shape of a popular pamphlet.
" Thanks to the noble advocates of the Italian cause in
the Imperial British Parliament I" I hear every one say-
ing :
"Thanks, too, to its ruthless enemies and traducers. Sir
George Bowyer, Mr. B. Cochrane, Mr. Hennessy, and Mr.
Maguire will henceforth rank very high in the list of our
benefactors, for without their provocation so much sym-
pathy could hardly have been elicited from their eloquent
opponents ; Mr. Layard, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Duff, Mr.
Milnes, and Lord Palmerston might hardly have had so
good an opportunity of speaking out, and the House might
have long waited for a chance of so clearly evincing its real
leaning in the question."
The English House of Commons has poured very balm on
the wounds inflicted on Italian feelings by the narrow-minded,
bigoted, jealous, unrighteous diatribes and invee rives launched
in the French Senate and House of Representatives against
an unoffending people, into whose teeth the blood shed at
Magenta and Solferino was thrown with a harshness betray-
ing the intent of turning a blessing into a curse. The cheering
anticipations of two of Queen Vic oria's advisers with respect
to a speedy and happy solution of the tantalising Roman ques-
tion bring kindly comfort to men worried and disheartened by
that dark, fickle, and crooked policy which hints at the re-
call of Guyon, and ends by the removal of Lavalette. No
doubt the Italians are too wise, most of them, to fancy that
England will wage Nvar:against France to bring about by
main force the occupation of their capital. They know well
enough, or they will be clearly told, that the word "hopes"
in English is often merely synonymous with " kind wishes."
They can easily understand what is meant by the " settled
policy" of England—a policy in the wisdom of which they
may be easily made to acquiesce. They are aware, for
their own demagogues of the French school have long been
dinning it into their ears, that England never did, never
will contribute " one man or one shilling " to the triumph
of their cause, but they are not blind to the fact that free
England is the ruler of European opinion, and that a prin-
ciple advocated by the English press, proclaimed in the
British Parliament, is morally sure to prevail in the end.
They have full faith that the real master of the situation
in Italy, he that hesitates between the Pope and Italy—the
Emperer Napoleon—is especially swayed by any voice ris-
ing against him on the other side of the Channel, and bent,
by his own instinct of self-preservation, upon securing the
goodwill of the English nation at any price. It may be
easy for the Pays, the Patrie, or for some Parisian pam-
phleteer to sneer at the "moral support" of England ; but
moral influence is a thousand times stronger than physical
form in the lone run, and the italic-11J feel that when Lo:a
Palmerston predicted the speedy deliverance of their capital
he spoke words that would not fall to the ground, words
that it would not be easy for the leader of 500,000 bayonets
to resist.

Such are, as I can honestly assure you, and as you will
readily believe, the feelings with which my Italian friends
rise from a perusal of the English Parliamentary debate of
last Friday; and it would do hearty good to any English-
man to see the countenances of these pe ,ple beaming with
a gratitude which no words can convey, to hear them
asserting that "England has fully achieved her own share
in the work of their emancipation—that she has in her turn
fought her own Magenta and Solferino in their behalf."
The Deputy Marliani, of Bologna, will in a few days
leave Turin for London, charged with the negotiation of a
treaty of commerce between the English and the Italian
Governments. M. Marliani, a venerable patriot of the
noblest character, is well known to most of the English
leading statesmen. He lived many years in Spain, where
he was a member of the Cortes, whence he was sent to fill
the office of Spanish diplomatic representative at the Court
of St. James's. He was, more lately, a great favourite with
Count Cavour, who took him into his councils during those
transactions which led to the campaign of Lombardy in
1859. M. Marliani accompanied the great Italian states-
man on his visit to Paris and London at the juncture, and
enjoyed the fullest confidence, not only of the Count, but
also of the most distinguished and influential persons both
in the English Government and in the then Opposition.
The Rattazzi Government undoubtedly continue to show
a disposition to go the right way about the pacification of
the Southern provinces. After appointing General Cosenz
to the Prefecture of Bari, they, as you know, offered the
same office to Bizio in the Basilicata, and it is now added
they harbour a wish to send out General Turr as Prefect at
Naples. It is quite sure that these generals, as being Gari-
baldi's own men, will be received with enthusiasm in those
districts where the name of the Liberator is the object of
actual worship ; and, at the same time, Cosens, Bixio, and
Turr, as well as Sirtori, are equally stanch to the cause of
order and of the Monarchy of Victor Emmanuel. They are
men of tact and energy, and well know how to manage
those Southern populations who ask no better
than to have kind-hearted but strong and effi-
cient rulers over them. The only drawback is
that Bixio is said to hesitate about accepting the
offer that was made to him, and nothing is as yet known
about Turr's intentions. Cosenz has already reached Bari,
and has been welcomed with loud cries of " Viva Vittorio
Emmanuel° I Viva Gariba di !"

Rattaszi himself, who will go to Naples with the King,
is sure of a warm reception, owing to the presumption that
he is on the best terms with Garibaldi, as ho did not vote
for the bill which made over Nice to France, and made the
popular Italian hero a stranger in his own native place.
Garibaldi is expected at Brescia, where preparations are
being made for his arrival. The enthusiasm of all the other
cities of Lombardy will be as nothing to compare with thal
of the bravest and most patriotic of all Italian towns.
Garibaldi will find among those far-famed " Brescian
hearts" feelings congenial to his own.

I see in some of the Italian papers serious charges brought
against the new Ministers—l know not on what grounds
—of favouritism and unfairness in the promotion of civil
and military officers.

We had here a vet), early spring in March, and warm
weather, almost summer-like, in the early days of this
month, but the atmosphere cooled lately in consequence of
long-continued rains, and we had yesterday a very sharp
and heavy fall of snow, a ye' y unusual phenomenon in
North Italy at this time of the year. All the fruit trees
were already in blossom, and the forest trees were mantled
with green. This morning was fine and bright, but wintry
cold before sunrise.

The report is still prevalent of an intended
Russian loan, but from the best informed quarters nothing
definite has yet transpired regarding it.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS—The following
gentlemen passed their primary examinations in anatomy
and physiology at a meeting of the Court of Examiners on
the 16th inst., and when eligible will be admitted to the
pass examination :—Messrs. Henry
Law Kempthoine,
Robert Meadows, Shepherd Thomas Taylor, James Jones,
George Frederick Heaton Julius, and William Adolphus
Frederick Caudle, students of King's College ; Alfred
Jacques Joseph Besnard, Henry Nelson Edward, Fleet-
wood Buckle, Thomas Hewlett Worger, and Thomas Brewer,
of St. Bartholomew's Hospital; Frederick Long, Harry
Gage Moore, John Jon&a Widiam Cubit:. Lucey,
and Thomas Miles of Guy's Hospital ;. John Ring, Charles
Hinds, Ebenezer Snell, John Ablewhite Smith, and James
Smith Turner, of the Middlesex Hospital; Thomas Evans
eww'in'te:lda' of Leeds ; Herman Boer-
rton. Packer, of the London
and Edmund Nash, University College Thomas Churton
;
hanaadvCahriarollemsanV,inaenedntENd
Hospital; John Ward and loin liason Johnson, of Man-
chester ; David Dunlop Castile and William Cross, of
Liverpool; John Prior Purvis, St. Thomas's Hospital;
and Albert Egerton Hale, of Birmingham,

THE LANBE2II IRAMTVA.F.

Last night a public meeting of the ratepayers
and voters of Lambeth was held in the large room
of the Horns Tavern, Kennington, to oppose the
removal of the tramway fromKennington Park to
I'Vestminster-bridge. Mt. Hugh Wallace was called
to the chair shortly after eight o'clock, when the
room was filled by persons who seemed to take a
lively interest in the matter.
The CHAIRMAN was commencing the proceedings,
when he was interrupted by cries of " You are not
a ratepayer," and great uproar,in the midst of which
IMr. Wallace said he was a ratepayer, and handed
his card to a person who with very violent gesticu-
lation advanced to the platform, and demanded it.
He then proceeded to say that he was a large rate-
payer, and connected with a large firm, whose
place of business was not far from that spot. The
only object he had in taking the chair was to pro-
tect the interests not only of the ratepayers but of
the inhabitants of Lambeth. The question they
were met to discuss was one which affected the in-
terests not only of the inhabitants of Lambeth but
of the Whole of the metropolis, and, indeed, of the
kingdom. (Loud cheers) The question was, tram-
way or no tramway. The vestry of Lambeth had
given Mr. Train leave to construct a tramway for
the general benefit of the public. Rightly or
wrongly, they believed they had a legal right to do
that, and he would say that, as it was not always
they found the vestry on the side of the public,
he hoped that when they were so, they would
receive the unanimous and zealous support of
the inhabitants in any further proceedings that
might be requisite to sustain their rights, and the
rights and interests of the poor which were threat-
eeed by recent proceedings against the tramway by
uninterested parties. He would state that the vans
of his own firm had daily passed over the tramway
with precious goods without the slightest accident
of any kind. That was a public meeting, not a
packed one. Every one should have a fair hearing,
and he hoped that the vestry and Mr. Train would
be supported in their united endeavours to promote
the comfort and the convenience of the inhabitants
at large. (Cheers.) For himself he had no pecuniary
interest in the tramway beyond what any other
traveller got by it, and he took the chair solely from
a sense of public duty. (Cheers.)
Mr. 111‘GmcnntsT said a quibble had been raised
as to the eligibility of the chairman for his position.
Now, he was not a ratepayer of Lambeth, but, as
an inhabitant of tho metropolis, he claimed a right
to speak on a question of domestic economy, the
sanitary reform, and moral reform. If Mr. Train's
tramway was carried out, as it ought to be, to the
downs and wolds of Streatham, Brixton, and Clap-
ham, instead of stopping at Kennington Park, as at
present, one great object of a late representative
of that borough—of carrying the working classes
into healthily-situated dwellings—would have a
beneficial effect upon both their physical and
their moral health. The resolution he had to
propose was, " That this meeting is of opinion
that the vestry had the right to enter into the
contract with Mr. Train, and that they exercised
that right for the interest and convenience of
the parish. Therefore, this meeting pledges itself
to sustain them in the exercise of that right." With
respect to the legal question involved, he would only
say that he deeply regretted the manner in which
Mr. Train had been dealt with by a British jury.
(Hear, hear, and oh, oh !) He regretted that any
jealousies as to that gentleman being a foreigner
should have been excited, and though he did not
suppose that any decision that meeting might come
to would in the slightest degree influence the
judges to whom the legal questions at issue were
referred, yet in this country public opinion was an
influence which every public benefactor might fairly
endeavour to enlist on his side.
Mr. HENRETTE seconded the resolution, and
strongly condemned the hostile animus which had
been exhibited towards Mr. Train, an American,
one of our cousins, who was now more than ever
entitled to our friendship and sympathy. As to the
value of the improvement he had introduced, there
was a very simple method of dealing with those
who had caused that interruption. Those who be-
lieved that Mr. Train's tram carriages were cheap,
comfortable, safe, and convenient, would be good
enough to hold up their :mule_ (Nearly the whole
meeting answered this appeal.) Those who wished
to clamber up to the top of, or get stifled in narrow
and ill-ventilated old-fashioned omnibuses, hold up
their hands. (Two hands were held up in the
midst of shouts of derisive laughter. He thanked
the meeting for that decisive settlement of the ques-
tion, so far as they were concerned, and heartily
seconded the resolution.
The CHAIRMAN, in introducing Mr. Bubb, a
member of the Newington Vestry, to support the
motion, said that they had been careful to exclude
from all participation in the proceedings of that
meeting members of the Lambeth Vestry, as well
as the shareholders in the tramway, or persons int
any way pecuniarily interested. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. BtIDD having briefly spoken,
The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, which Was
carried with the same two dissentients, amidst
loud cheers.
Mr. FRANKLYN moved the second resolution,
which was—" That this meeting is of opinion that
vestrymen should not be held individually respon-
sible for acts done by them in their corporate capa-
city, and under their common seal, as such a respon-
sibility would deter respectable citizens from acting
as vestrymen, and would be destructive to the rights
and authority of all corporate bodies and local Go-
vernment." He was proud that this question had
been raised in Lambeth, where the great majority
were working men, always ready to come forward
in support cf popular rights. It was of the utmost
importance that the vestry should be sustained in
the course they had taken. They ought to do more..
There was a bill in Parliament proposed by Mr.
Ayrton, the member for another great metropolitan
borough, the object of which was to promote the
general formation of tramways on common roads,
and he earnestly urged that they should petition
Parliament in support of that bill. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Train was here recognised in the body of the
meeting, and, in spite of the opposition of the
chairman, was forced on the platform by the meeting
and greeted with three cheers.
Mr. HEALEY seconded the resolution. The for-
mation of iron roads on the common roads was one
of the deepest interest to the working-classes. They
had upwards of 10,000 miles of iron railway roads,
and he saw no reason why they should not have
10,000 miles of tramways on common roads for
general accommodation.

Mr. Train. rH:eitairi.dl.ic
Mr. GILES (a member of the Lambeth vestry)
said, though not directly or indirectly connected
had let
with that meeting, he felt it necessary to correct a
misapprehension which appeared to him to exist.
It was supposed that the jury at Kingston had con-
victed Mr. Train, the foreigner, while they
the vestry ,o 1 scot free. That was not the ease.
Upon
an ex parte statement Mr. Train and twelve of the
vestry were indicted for a conspiracy to obstruct the
highway. He thought that the vestrymen had as
dtoascommrp.laTinraoinf. theu
hismwere o turrniegtarhtyet on the occasion.
plvreoceed further,and
Way in which they
--Le was ashamed of
Before the case was
dciwitica quite ena
gooavoiecnrcsatst
ihtohenet
twoe
their counsel that the
wwheleithaserMrt I Special jurymen said there
Whole of t,
ngugledstiloien
in
was upon
twelve vestrymen, as
It vv
judge gave leave to say
Westminster The question would be tried
in banes he hoped next week, and meantime Mr.
Train had a right
heard in his ow •
•
n defence by a British jury. (Hear,
hear.)
The resolution was passed, with the same two
dissentients.
Mr. WARWICK moved the next resolution, which
was, " That this meeting is of opinion that the
tramway is a great public convenience and advan-
tage, and supplies a deficiency long felt hitherto in
this district, and that every effort should be made
to secure its continuance."
t againustpotnhethme suggestion
The resolution was agreed to by the same over-
whelming majority, and a deputation was appointed
to wait upon the vestry at their next meeting to
communicate the resolutions passsd at the meeting.
Mr. TRAIN then addressed the meeting, in the
midst of tumultuous and enthusiastic cheers, and
the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.