The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-21 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—lt is with pain that, during a visit to
Naples, I have been shown the letter of which the
enclosed is a copy. This letter, written by the
secretary of the fund for the purchase of the
" milioni fucili," and declaring in such unequivocal
terms the sympathies of " honest and thinking
men" in England for the Red-Republican principles
of Mazzini, I found being made the theme of dis-
cussion among several Italian gentlemen who had
had the letter circulated among them. Since then
more than one Italian has asked me if the opinions ,
therein expressed were in truth those of a large
section of the people of England.
You, sir, will be able to give an answer to this
question better than I could ; but I cannot avoid
stating that it has come under my observation that
the Mazzinist party in South Italy is not altogether
composed of honest men, and that those of that
party who are thinking men are wrong-thinking.
Indeed, as an Englishman, a warm admirer of
Garibaldi himself, I cannot but feel that I have a
right to speak out when I find in circulation a
letter, bearing the signature of the receiver of the
subscriptions of the English public, and addressed to
the Dictator himself, upholding principles which I
feel to be so dangerous to the welfare of Italy, and
making statements which I would fain hope are
not founded on legitimate grounds.

It would be a day of shame to myself (and I
trust my feelings may find an echo among many,
very many, of my countrymen) on which I should
come to the knowledge that there is in England a
large and powerful section of the educated classes
advocating the teachings, principles, and example
of Mazzini; and I trust that you, sir, the most
powerful representative of public opinion in Eng-
land, will assist united Italy to see and know how
far the intrigues of Mazzini hare been supported
in England, and how far the words in the letter I
enclose may be justified by the facts of the case.
A vast number of my countrymen have subscribed
to the fund for the " milioni fucili." Did they
know that of their subscriptions £2,750 were sent,
between the months of May and August, to Genoa,
to Dr. Bertani, the agent of Mazzini, and the man
on whose removal from Garibaldi's secretaryship
the Government of Victor Emmanuel were forced
to insist, and that since that time another sum,
nearly as large, has passed into the same agency ?
In fact, did the English public subscribe to place
united Italy under the constitutional sceptre• of
Victor Emmanuel, or to foster and assist a san-
guinary revolution to raise Mazzini to the head of a
republic ? I call on them to answer.
I am, sir, yours, &c.,
Nov. 13. X.

" 6, Old Jewry, Oct. 5.

"My dear General-1 send you a fewlines, by the hands
of William de Rohan, to tell you how strongly we have. all
sympathised in the glorious work you have undertaken, and
with your difficulties in the prosecution of it. Your stanchest
and truest friends in this country—not those that are merely
led away by popular clamour and the enthusiasm attend-
ant upon success—are those whom the teachings, the prin-
ciples, and the example of Mazzini have inspired with a
deep interest in the Italian cause, and the feeling of duty
to aid
.it by every means in their power. Whatever the
Times may say to the contrary, honest and thinking men
here recognise the fact, that Mazzini is the founder of the
great modern Italian idea, ' The Unity of Italy,' of which
you are the great and successful champion. We have not
done much—not nearly so much as we ought ; but we of
the committee still hope to gather together funds to reduce
the heavy claim made upon you for the expenses of the
British Legion. Indeed, we cannot consider that this coun-
try has done her duty towards the cause while their equip-
ment and journey is a charge upon your treasury.
" I have already suggested to Capt. de Rohan a means
by which I see my way to relieve you of the whole expense;
of all that he will speak to you. Meanwhile, I say to you
most cordially ' go on and prosper,' and in the firm trust
that you will never leave the great task you have under-
taken until Rome is the seat of Government of Italy, and
Venetia forms part of the nation.—l remain your sincere
friend, " W. H. ASHURST.
" General Garibaldi."

DUNDONALD IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

(From Punch.)

Ash es to Ashes I Lay the hero down
Within the gray old Abbey's glorious shade.
In our Walhalla ne'er was worthier laid
Since martyr first won palm, or victor crown.
'Tis well the State he served no farthing pays
To grace with pomp and honour all too late
His grave, whom, living, Statesmen dogged with hate,
Denying justice, and withholding praise.
Let England hide her face above his tomb,
As much for shame as sorrow. Let her think
Upon the bitter cup he had to drink—
Heroic soul, branded with felon's doom.
A Sea-King, whose fit place had been by Blake,
Or our own Nelson, had he been but free
To follow glory's. quest upon the sea,
Leading the conquered navies in his wake—
A Captain, whom it had been ours to cheer
From conquest on to conquest, had our land
But set its wisest, worthiest in command,
Not such as hated all the good revere.

We let them cage the Lion while the fire
In his high heart burnt clear and unsubdued ;
We let them stir that frank and forward mood
From greatness to the self-consuming ire,
The fret and chafe that wait on service scorned,
Justice denied, and truth to silence driven ;
From men we left him to appeal to Heaven,
• 'Gainst fraud set high, and evidence suborned—
We left him, with bound arms, to mark the sword,
Given to weak hands ; left him, with working brain,
To see rogues traffic, and fools rashlyoreign,
Where Strength should have been guide, and Honour
lord—
Left him to cry aloud, without support,
Against the creeping things that eat away
Our wooden walls, and boast as they betray,
The base supporters of a baser Court,
The crawling worms that in corruption breed,
And on corruption batten, till at last
Mistaken honour the proud victim east
Out to their spite, to writhe, and pant, and bleed
Under their stings and slime; and bleed he did
For years, till hope into heart-sickness grew,
And he sought other seas and service new,
And his bright sword in alien laurels hid.
Nor even so found gratitude, but came
Back to his England, bankrupt, save of praise,
To eat his heart, through weary wishful days,
And shape his strength to bearing of his shame.
Till, slow but sure, drew on a better time,
And statesmen owned the check of public will ;
And, at the last, light pierced the shadow chill
That fouled his honour with the taint of crime.
And then they gave him back the Knightly spurs
Which he had never forfeited—the rank
From which he ne'er by ill-deserving sank,
More than the Lion sinks for yelp of curs.
Justice had lingered on its road too long :
The Lion was grown old ; the time gone by,
When for his aid we vainly raised a cry,
To save our flag from shame, our decks from wrong.
The infamy is theirs, whose evil deed
Is past undoing ; yet not guiltless we,
Who, penniless that brave old man could see,
Restored to honour but denied its meed.
A Belisarius, old and sad and poor,
To our shame, not to his—so he lived on,
Till man's allotted fourscore years were gone,
And scarcely then had leave to 'stablish sure

Proofs of his innocence, and their shame,
That had ,so wronged him ; and, this done, came death
To seal the assurance of his dying breath,
And wipe the last faint tarnish from his name.
At last his fame stands fair, and full of years
He seeks that judgment which his wrongers all
Have sought before him—and above his pall
His flag, replaced at length, waves with his peers.
He did not live to see it, but he knew
His country with one voice had set it high;
And knowing this he was content to die,
And leave to gracious Heaven what might ensue.
Ashes to ashes I Lay the hero down,
No nobler heart e'er knew the bitter lot
To be misjudged, maligned, accused, forgot—
Twine martyr's palm among his victor's crown.

SIR JAMES BROOKE, K.C.B.—Sir James Brooke
sailed yesterday from Southampton in the Pera for the seat
of his government at Sarawak. The numerous friends and
admirers of this distinguished man will learn with pleasure
that his health is completely re .established, and that he is
enabled once more to give the benefit of his temporary pre-
sence and advice to the enterprise with which his name is
identified.
The report of the Trust and Loan Company of
Upper Canada, issued preparatory to their mee
artin he rate
g on the
30th, recommends a dividend for the half ye at t
of 81 per cent. per annum, and the usual appropriation to
the reserve fund, which will then amount to £30,830.