The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-30 00:00:00

ITALY.

The Corriere Mercantile of Genoa contains intel-
ligence from Rome to the 20th. Great agitation had
been reigning there for some days past, which was
increased by the presence of the well-known Radical
TORRES, and by the refusal of the Ministry and
Chambers to convoke a Constituent Assembly, on the
plea that they had not legally the power to do so.
The Ministry, it was said, had insinuated by its
organs that the cry for a constituent assembly was
raised by foreign Italians, for the purpose of hasten-
ing the moment for a reactionary movement. Mean-
time addresses were showered upon 'the Chambers
from all sides, the last received being from Bologna
and Ancona, of so pressing a nature as to force an
immediate decision. The Executive power, on
the other hand, excited the people against
the refugees of Lombardy, declaring them
to be the sole cause of the agitation. On the
18th, at four P.M., thegenera/e was suddenly heard.
An hour afterwards the Civic Guard was assembled in
the Piazzi SS. Apostoli, with two pieces of cannon.
The line was on the Piazzi di Venezia, with cavalry.
The remaining artillery was ready on the Esplanade
of Fort St. Angelo, and strong patrols paraded the
city. Meanwhile some Civic Guards had drawn up
an address to their General, declaring that they
wished for a Constituent Assembly as the basis of
every operation. At seven o'clock the General him-
self appeared in the square, and heard every one
call for a Constituent Assembly. The Ministry,
who had not resigned, immediately met in council,
and, after the lapse of two hours, STERBINI ap-
peared on a balcony, and, after a flattering speech
to the Civic Guard, he concluded by saying that the
Junta of State was composed, and that its first mea-
sure would be to propose a Constituent Assembly to
the Chambers. He added that, to adhere to the wishes
of the Civic Guard, they would expel from Rome
those persons who were believed to be the perturba-
tors of public tranquillity. The troops and Civic
Guard then retired ; it was ten o'clock. Some per-
sons, whom public opinion had long marked out, such as
CERNUSCHI, DE-BoNr, Sze., were immediately ordered
to quit the town. At three P.M. of the following day
the generale was again heard, and the Civic Guard
assembled to maintain order. A rumour was current
that the Ministry who had resigned the day before,
would remain in power. The Chamber did not sit,
it being announced that the Junta of State had ac-
cepted.

The Junta is composed of MM. CoasiNr, GALETTI,
and CAMERATA, and is to remain in office till the
Constituent Assembly shall have been convoked. On
the 20th the Junta published a proclamation, in
which, after declaring their insufficiency for the
difficult task imposed upon them, they promise, with
the assistance of the other Powers, to maintain order
internally, to aid the development of free institu-
tions, to restore prosperity in every class, and to co-
operate by every means in the establishment of
national independence. But they declare, at the
same time, that they will only continue in office
till a Constituent Assembly of the Roman States
shall have pronounced itself on the question of the
political form of the State ; and they will hasten as
much as possible the moment when such an Assem-
bly shall meet.

Signor RossEllin has arrived at Leghorn, charged
with a mission to Florence and Rome for the pur-
pose of concerting measures for the convocation of
the Italian Constituent Assembly. Cardinal BER•
NETrI arrived at Naples on the 16th ; Marquis BE-
Tuacclua, of Bologna, a member of the commission
named by the Pontiff, had arrived there on the
13th. Prince CARIATI hastily set out for Gaeta
on the 16th, notwithstanding a severe indisposition.
It is said that General ZUCCRI has left 8010 gna
for France.