The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-10 00:00:00

RE DUCHIES OF PARMA AND
PLACENTIA.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

„Sirt —lll a :nofniog i_mpel or
'lay: my attention hes been directed to a correspon-
9etin s letter from Milan, containing some very
interesting details on Italy ; and after referring to
the deplorable state of degradation to which the
inhabitants of Parma and Placentia are reduced under
the present form of government ; allusion is made to
the "Ex Empress Maria Louisa's wish to dispose of
these duchies at the present moment to the Duke of
Lue
ca for a million of ducats, provided any good
t) •
amaritan or Israelite in London will advance the
money to purchase her out, in consequence of these
possessions reverting to the Duke of Lucca by the
last treaty of Vienna.
The impossibility of obtaining access to enlightened
;1” ks
°n political or historical subjects, in all parts of
ace Austrian dominions, sufficiently explains any in-
, curacy into which the correspondent at Milan may
aye been led ; for this clause of reservation does not
exist in the treaty of Vienna.
gI am therefore desirous to state that neither by the
de-grant of these possessions with Guastalla to the
uchess of Parma, or in virtue of any treaty during
Y minority in 1815 at Vienna, or 1817 in Paris,
eculd such a result be tolerated, in accordance with
TY hereditary rights as a Sovereign Prince, and the
:44 Ve nations; and I feel convinced that more just
vad satisfactory compensations might be awarded to
,",_e Duke of Lucca, without prejudice to his interests,
urlncroachment on prior claims.
chit will suffice to observe that Guastalla was pur-
-se" of Torelli in the year 1539, by Prince Fer-
rari
ey bi of Gonzaga, son of our ancestor in direct line,
obi.' Fr .
an9ois Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, and Isabella
rec'ste, and this possession was erected into a sove-
f-gn duchy in 1621, by the Emperor of Germany,
and iinand II .n in favour of Ferrante IL, di Gonzaga,
Austriahis descendants. Guastalla was incorporated by
without a shadow of right, with the duchies
Parma and Placentia, during the minority of my
grandfather, Prince Philippe Louis di Gonzaga, aged
1-,°lllY six years, on the death of Gonzaga, Duke of
Guastalla,, in 1746.
thMY protestations against this act are addressed to
e Sovereigns of Europe, on the 26th April, 1843 ;
21st June, 1846 ; and also an important article on
this subject. may be referred to in the Gazette de
Prance of Feb. 3, 1842:
With regard to the duchies of Parma and Pla •
eentia, various resolutions have taken place in these
states.

The Emperor Otho 111., by a diplome dated at
ltome, the 11th June, 996, confirmed Bernard I.
Prince of Gonzaga in his rights as Count Sovereign
of Parma, for him and his descendants. Prince
mnenry de Gonzago (son of Adalbert I. of Gonzaga,
4,Y the grace of God, Count Sovereign of Milan, of
essino, and of Valais, Prince of Lombardy, and
parquis of Gonzaga), married in 1071 Imelda of
e,ireatt, great grand-daughter of Gonzaga, Count of
3. On this marriage, the Emperor Henry IV.
247-,_`'eci Parma into a diplome by diploe dated the
June 1075, in favour of the above-mentioned
brenrY di 'Gonzaga and his descendants in all the
The
of the family.
Marquisate of Parma belonged ; the house of
p:nzagn until the revolution in Italy during the
urteenth century,when Parma became a republic.
In 1545+this the Holy See being in quiet possession of
1,411 e sr!:
State,
nthe Pope, Paul 111., formerly known as
wander di Farneze, disposed of it in favour.of
, Peter Louis Farneze, first Duke of
warms, Placentia, and Castro, who, being unpopular,
tta,.3 assassinated on the 10th of September, 1547, and
favour the
some opposition on the part of the Emperor
pc res had announced his resolution to
/Tante di Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla in 1546, to
tavio p restoraflon of the Gonzagas), his son, Oc-
arneze, who was confirmed in the same rights
and titles on his marriage with Margaret of Austria,
_ natural daughter of Chales V. Parma and its de-
geardiencies were assured to the house of Farneze
neze t" centuries, until the death of Antonio Far-
ast Duke of Parma, the 20th February, 1731.
sa.±_n:e treaty of the Quadruple Alliance, Art. sth,
Tus-
cany The Duchies of Parma, Placentia, and Tus-
11178uacre held. as masculine fiefs of the empire. When
th_ cession of these States shall be open " (which
z,,'Y)ceuld only be on the death of the Duke of Gon-
Guasta.lla, and the Prince Gonzaga Castiglione,
Zan?ntically acknowledged as rightful heirs of the
zals_z.l,e9l they will be given to the eldest son of Eli-
ot.7tn. Farneze, a second wife of Philippe V., King
Art 3d
173 D of the Treaty of Vienna (16th March,
or pi(' says:_" The Emperor accords the succession
rois_lza to Don Carlos, Infanta of Spain, and pro-
itsee'n't to dispose the other States of the empire to
prince t: this arrangement, on. condition that no
a:his tr
States, caring the crown of Spain shall possess these
th„
Posed • Rope Clement XII. not only formally op-
into eaty, but also the entry of the Spaniards
Secenun es° Duchies, declaring that Parma and Pla-
See— were fiefs immediately emanating from the Holy
. and that, in default of the above mentioned male
el,rs he alone had the right to dispose of these Duchies.
The Pope's protestation against the right of inves-
"ture is dated the 30th of December, 1731. The
Prise de possessione, in the name of the Infanta Don
Carlos, was on the 29th October, 1731.
Don Carlos, and his brother Philippe, Infanta Of
Spain, abdicated successively the Duchies of Parma
and Placentia, for the crowns of Spain and Naples,
consequently our rights to these possessions are
Proved, and by succession in the femaleline established
by the following marriages
:-
Ist, Margaret Farneze, daughter of Alexander
Mike of Parma, and Placentia, married in 1581 Vin-
cent di Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua.
2d, Marcella di Malespina, grand-daughter of
Francois Farneze, Duke of Latera, married in 1615
Prince;; Christian Gonzaga di Castiglione and Solfe-
iln my ancestor in direct line.
3d'l) lsabella di Martinengo, grand-daughter of
Remise I Farneze, Duke of Parma and Placentia,
Prince
in 1647 Prince Charles V. di Gonzaga,
rrince of Castiglioni, Solferino, and Medole, my great-
randfather.
4th, Princess Julia Clitteria Caraccoli St. Buono,
grand-daughter of Lavinia di Farneze, and the Mar-
rs Alphonse d'Azalos, married in 1772, Prince
Gonzaga Mantua Castiglione my great-
great-grandfather.
the presence of these facts, it will be perceived that
vves.treaties those laws which bind all interests, and
ico"tieh are the political code of nations, had been for-
ties tee during my minority in 1815, and the minori-
eve:tr,,nly father and grandfather, or retarded when-
that •"e Princes of the house of Gonzaga reclaimed
theirs so solemnly promised to reinstate them in
r, sovereign rights.
eelit.trastalla, Parma, and Placentia, during the last
the belonged to no person definitely ;at one time
s..in,eeror pretends to dispose of them to Spain, and
orn disposes of them to the Emperor. And in virtue
not
right do these Princes act ? The treaties do
;Tit rn.ention this ; on the contrary, they establish as a
LastnibellePle that there exist Princes of the house of Gon-
g', f Mantua, and Castiglione, who have an incon-
right to those sovereignties.
°
..aThe order of succession, says Montesquieu, is or-
Med in monarchies for the good of the state, which
demands
misfortunes which arise from despotism, where all is
uncertain, because all is arbitrary.
In Italy the fatal policy of Louis XIV. still bears
its fruits. Lawful sovereigns have been hurled from
their throne?, and princes in their minority sup-
planted, to pave the way for his ambitious views, and
their places filled by strangers to the land; for it is a
remarkable fact, that with the exception of our well-
beloved Pope Pius IX. and the King of Sardinia, no
prince of Italian origin is on any throne in Italy.
The Sovereigns of Tuscany, of Modena, Parma, and
even Austria, are all Princes of the house of Lorraine.
Accept, Sir, the assurance of my high consideration,
ALEXANDER, Prince de Gonzaga,
Mantua, Castiglione, Due de Mantua.
19, Dorset-place, Dorset-square,
May 6, 1847.

IiTHE NATIONAL DRAMA IN
SIRELAND.
(FROM AN IRISH CORRESPONDENT.)
rent.We regret to an that failures to a considerable
th_ have taken place within the past week, and others
itillyhdoeurly expected, but we know of none that more
develops the condition of Ireland's metropolis than
t)",s7 Present position of the national, and we may say
t;:3', theatre of the country. Under the able manage-
lite" °I. Mr. Calcraft it has up to the present nobly ntehbelyvwariitehd-
ttilcr the pressure of the times ; indeed,
reattexPensive engagements entered into from
late by the
eat agernent it seems to have been the lessee'st obje'encttht
(we mar the public regardless of self. But
raentlaY without punning say) solitary place o. even
vamuse-
of v '443 of late failed though aided by the variedtalTetti,
this eatrie, Mathews, and Madame Anna Bishop,
eh 3 be
ever
ehla autiful theatre is shaken to its very centre,
vs, r' we be surprised, even while we write, thaht
.i,t,
/oere °used. However " out of evil good may spri git,
the
Ma ao, present deprived of the superintendence of ,
tie 11-Fer, has, With the judgment which has dis-
!appointed hint throughout a long theatrical career.,
o`;,l,36epoireitetdru,4otr. recommended those parties connected wtilti
ttroperty, to
J.
appointjo v
wa
hgentleman
r
for
with the establishment, is etimvicearnypyawrytayeyasrwesloebrect7e):'
II r this now he Office, and we would say wisely so,
,;)r well has he discharged the duties of his new positio!-I.
13'e his Ty,;1.1
e ; --4 and temperate conduct he has succeeded II
well the company together, and much are they,_ai!
iniw as the citizens of Dublin, indebted to him for h , carted exertions in the cause of the drama.
........,......_ ........„,_____-.
--------
retle;h_e_e_omrnittee of the British Association for the
irons ?! distress in Ireland and the Highlands, have received
f
which English at Florence, a remittance of 1,000/, 0
:1 vi '" °KV. was raised at a ball, and 2001. had been pre-
.., Ottsl,- _
. 3/4
1
' • • .1
t
i remitted.
I---,
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