The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-13 00:00:00

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THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ITALY AND
ROME.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
FLORENCE, APRIL 5.
As the exact bases proposed by the Italian Government
for a modus vivendi with Rome have not previously been
published in extenso, I send you a short analysis of them
as contained in the memorandum annexed to deneral
Menabrea!s despatch of June 15, 1868:-
I.—Customs and Monopolies.—A Customs' union, on
one of two systems. (a) A monthly adjustment of the
quota due to each State in proportion to its population ;
c. g., assuming the total net produce of the duties to be
6,600,000 francs monthly, the share of the Roman State
would be 220,000 francs, plus 40,000 premium, represent-
ing duties exacted directly by the Pontifical Custom
Muses on the seaboard: Italian controllers to be placed
in the Roman Custom Houses. (14 The concentration of
the whole service of the union, including the State mono-
polies, in the hands of the Italian Administration, a fixed
sum being paid annually into the Pontifical Treasury.
This is the system which the Italian Government would
prefer. (e) If neither of these projects should be found
practicable, then an arrangement is propose I by which
all goods should pass free without any formality at
the frontier, and be visited at the place of their destina.
Lion. The products of the soil to be admitted free of duty,
the Italian tobacco and salt to be passed free through
the Roman State, and the two Administrations to act
together for the suppression of smuggling.

2.- Posts and Telegraphs.— As regards th e postal arrange-
ments, the convention between Rome and Italy, executed
in April 1867, leaves, it is stated, nothing to be desired.
The telegraphic service is equally satisfactory ; the Italian
Government would, however, desire the introduction into
the Roman State of the reduction in the tariff which has
recently been effected in Italy, and also permission to erect
special wires for the transmission of despatches between
the Northern and Southern provinces.
:3.—Extradition.—A more precise agreement respecting
the extradition of criminals. The Roman Government to
make no exception as regards the province to which cri-
minals whose extradition is demanded may belong (i.c., as
to whether they belong to the annexed Pontifical provinces
or not), and also to undertake not to expel Italian subjects
from its territory without previous notice to the royal
authorities.

4.—Suppression of Brigandage.—The maintenance of
the existing military conventions for the suppression of
brigandage, and facilities for special agreements as occa-
sion may arise between the respective officers in command
on the frontier.

s.—The transit by railway of Italian trcops to be freely
permitted throughout the Roman State.
G.—Abolition of Passports.
To these proposals, as I have already mentioned,
no answer has yet been given, or if given, it has
not been considered desirable to publish it. The
arrangements would probably have been more accep-
table at Paris if they had offered greater guarantees
of permanence. This, in fact, is the great obstacle in the
way of an understanding, as is evident from a perusal of
the whole series of despatches, as far as they have been
made public.

During the past week a considerable number of arrests
have taken place in different parts of Italy on suspicion
of conspiracy in the Republican sense. At Naples and at
other places several non-commissioned officers have been
taken up, and minute perquisitions made in the barracks.
Among this class here, as in Spain, a great many dissatisfied
and enterprising characters are to be found. At the Perzola
Theatre, in Florence, only a few days ago, Mazzinian
proclamations were scattered from the boxes, together
with other printed sheets attacking the Government, the
dynasty, and monarchy in general. It is not believed,
however, that any serious movement is to be apprehended,
although it is pretty well known that the heads of the
Republican party have recently divided Italy into four
districts, and established a corresponding number of
centres of action, with a view to facilitating a movement,
should the opportunity offer itself.

At the funeral of General Druetti, in the cemetery of
St. Miniato, yesterday, a working man, who attempted to
force his way in, ws.s unfortunately killed by the bayonet
of a soldier. The fact has been hitherto kept out of the
public papers.
The convention with the banking-houses is not yet
signed, and it is alleged that the Minister of Finance has
only succeeded in obtaining 300 millions on the Church
property. When the financial statement comes to be
made, if we are to give credence to the positive assertions
of those in a position to know, it will appear that the
total deficit to be met will amount to 500 millions. Five
hundred millions, accordingly, will remain to be found,
and it is generally believed that the forced currency will
have to be left alone.

So much has been questionable profits
on
made eertnin _
.41e bOD cco monopoly, that it has passed into a kind of
proverb, and the private committee of the House rejected
the other day a motion for a subsidy to the Venice and
Brindisi Navigation Company (to use the words of one
of the members forming the committee, writing in his own
journal), "on suspicion of 'lnk coilitercsmui; us, a. w
might say, ' of Associated Tobacco Monopoly.' "

THE FENIAN PRISONERS.

A correspondent of the Morning Post writes on the
subject of the released Fenians, and expresses his
conviction that their release was dictated by a sound
policy, and had no connection with the subsequent
atrocities. The question in all such cases is,
he considers, how the crimes are viewed, and
liow the punishment will operate amongst the
people. Political crimes are very likely to be ele-
vated into virtues by the crowd; and the writer
points to the prisons of Warsaw as proof that
severity fails to repress political and patriotic disaf-
fection. The eighty-one Fenians under sentence of
penal servitude when the present Government came
into office were carefully classified. Two of them, Cos-
tello and Warren, who have been released, are likely,
in the opinion of this critic, to do the authorities ser-
vice by making Fenianism ridiculous. Mr. Newdegate
denounced Mr. Whalley as a Jcsaitin disguise, employed
to discredit Protestantism; and in the same way a
genuine Fenian might denounce Costello and
Warren as disguised loyalists. Fenianism, according
to this authority, has fallen 50 per cent. since these
mimes and the consequent displays. .• The distinc
tion between Fenianisni and Ribandism is strongly
insisted upon,and the writer concludes by arguing that
the release must have been wise and prudent, as the
present Government are more interested than- any
other persons in the welfare of Ireland. As the ob-
jectors to the measure questioned its wisdom, and
not the good intentions of the Cabinet, this argu-
ment has little weight.

EXCELLENCE WITH CHEAPNESS.