The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-13 00:00:00

ITALY.

In the Sardinian Chamber of Deputies, on the
7th inst., M. Boncompagni presiding,
M. Terenzio Mamiani said—The Conferences
just terminated at Paris have demonstrated the
certain and unexceptionable fact, that Russia has
been constrained by her losses to accept the con-
ditions of peace offered to her. Russia has dis-
covered her weakness, and proved this flagrant
truth, that where all is drooping within but
feeble resistance can be made without. She has
found also that half-civilisation is worse than com-
plete barbarism. The abasement of Russia has
broken the northern league, and the pact of the
Holy Alliance has been dissolved. Russia has lost
ge which she exercised over
the supreme patrona
Germany, which in its turn will comprehend
the necessity of foregoing
.theory for practice--of
applying principles and suiting acts to sentiments.
The war just concluded has proved to Great Britain
that a nation which applies itself only to commerce
and industrial pursuits incurs
.the danger of losing
its vigour and ancient magnanimity ; and that no
people can live isolated in the world, or deprived
of sure and powerful alliances. The two greatest
countries of the world have concluded a fruitful
and durable alliance. Without unsettling her
alliance with France, England should hence-
forth seek new friends among the peoples ripe
for civil freedom, and prepared to obtain
their legitimate and natural rights in Italy
and Germany. To Germany it is not indepen-
dence which is wanting—it is life and national
representation. What fruitful policy can there be
for England, save that only which consists in
aiding other peoples to the acquisition of liberty ?
I believe that soon throughout civilised Europe,
not excluding therefrom Russia, there will not be
any despotic government save that of Austria.
This power, on account of the extreme heteroge-
neousness of its elements, can never pass to any
ether regime. As for the pale satellites which
gravitate round this star—Naples, Florence, Parma,
Modena, Rome—they want even the excuse of
Austria, and we shall lee how much longer their
government can be carried on arbitrarily and illibe.

rally. (Applause.) For ourselves, the glorious pre-
sence of our tricoloured flag, floating between the
tandards of France and England, has drawn upon
us the gaze of Europe, and the press of every coun-
try occupies itself at present with our affairs. It
is not a question now of articles in radical news-
papers, of pri)!zrammes of conventions, of acts of
conspiracy. No ;it is the general thought of wise
and honourable men, of governments and peoples,
of diplomatists and democrats. In the English
Parliament the ministers have pleaded the
cause of Italy. Such are the fruits of the
noble, dignified, and frank conduct of Count
Cavour, constituting himself at the Paris Congress
the defender of the oppressed peoples of Italy. The
voice of Piedmont has been heard; and if ever a de-
mand be made on the ministers of the King Victor
Emmanuel to give proof of their commission, they
may reply that that commission is written with the
blood of our countrymen fallen upon the plains of
Lombardy and before the walls of Sebastopol.
(General applause.) Ministers of the King, per-
mit me to conjure you here to preserve intact this
precious, this glorious commission. Matters have
now come to that point that you must either re-
trace your steps, or proceed resolutely forward,
executing loyally and energetically the glorious
and legitimate work which has been entrusted to
you by the good fortune of Italy and the visible
hand of Providence. (Vociferous applause, and
prolonged sensation.)
Count CAVOUR said—The deputy Solaro having
yesterday accused me of timidity, it seems to me
indispensable that I should give publicity to the
note of which I have already spoken, and which I
will read, if the Chamber desire it. (Yes, yes.)
(Count Cavour here read the note.)
Count Cavour, continuing—l add but these few
words. I did not intend to signify yesterday, that
we were on the eve of a rupture with Austria—l
only said that the negotiations at Paris had not
effected a conjunction between Austria and Pied-
mont, and that they had disclosed a radical differ-
ence between the policy of the two countries. As
for the conduct of the government, it will always
be tenderly alive to the best welfare of Italy.
(Bravo.) The government, proclaiming a national
policy, and in taking in hand the cause of Italy,
comprehends all the prudence imposed upon it by
such a mission, and will know how to combine
vigour with discretion. I must mention, to the
honour of the English Government, that it offered to
us the loan of a (third) million sterling. This loan
is not now necessary. We have already received
from the English Government a million and a half,
and have but to draw a sum of 500,0001. The ex-
penses of the war up to the Ist of May amounted
to 44 millions of francs ; there are some charges
yet to be defrayed, and I am afraid that the six
millions will be absorbed by my colleague. (The
Count here, amid the laughter of the Assembly,
clapped General Durando upon the shoulder.) As
for the 25 millions, we shall not realise them unless
they are needed ; but if the Chamber has confi-
dence in the Ministry, it will not withdraw the
powers it has committed to us in this matter.

The order of the day was almost unanimously
approved of, the dissentients being MM. Brofferio,
Germanetti, Solaro, Costa della Torre, Ponziglione,
della Motta, Brignone, Devuy, and one or two
members of the
The sitting then terminated.