The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-13 00:00:00

CENTRAL ITALY.

The following is the despatch from M. Farini to
Count Cavour, a summary of which we published
yesterday
To his Excellency Count Cavonr, President of the
Council of Ministers, &c., at Turin.
Bologna, 2, 18(30.
Excellency,—The despatch from your excellency,
under date of February 29, demands from me an
immediate answer. Both on account of its import.
ance and of the recent arrangements adopted ib
Central Italy, I owe you a frank explanation. The
last time your excellency did me the honour of
writing to me, you announced to me the four pro-
positions presented by England, for the definitive
organisation of these provinces, and you expressed
at the same time your confident belief that, being
placed under the generous patronage of the Em-
peror of the French, they would be able to triumph.
According to these propositions, the inhabitants
of Central Italy, without distinction, were to be in-
vited to give a fresh vote, before the country could
be occupied by the troops of his Majesty the King
of Sardinia. This being settled, and in agreement
'with the Tuscan Government, the manner of pro-
ceeding that appeared to me to be pointed out by
the actual situation was this : To accept any form
whatever for the fresh vote proposed, with the
view of properly testifying the freedom and truth
of the sentiments felt by the inhabitants. In case
this form should have been previously decided upon,
to choose the most ample and simple one, that is to
say, universal suffrage.
As for the time for carrying it out, it appeared to
me to be indicated by the very nature of the case :
the moment when his Majesty the King should
convoke Parliament was in fact the time to decide
tifose -inhabitants should -take part in
it, and in every way it was the opportunity for
gettinc, out of a precarious state, and one pregnant
with dangers. I was confirmed in these thoughts
by the perusal of the diplomatic documents recently
published, and especially by M. Thouvenel's note of
January 31, wherein the Italian question was ap-
preciated with so much discernment and justice.
That was what has determined me; and your ex-
cellency will see, by the annexed manifesto and
decree published yesterday, the manner and condi-
tions of this new vote.

At this moment I have received your excellency's
despatch, which communicates the ideas of the
French Government. I could but receive them
with the respect and deference due to one who has
done so much for our independence, and assuredly
it will not be my fault if these ideas do not become
known to the inhabitants. But your excellency,
whilst comprehending that I could never have as-
sumed the responsibility of a definitive resolution
without consulting the national will, will see that
my decree is not at all contradictory to the wishes
expressed by his Majesty the Emperor.
And firstly, in what concerns the duchies of
Parma and Modena, the fresh vote will serve to
confirm the former vote. This will be a fresh proof
and a new title for the immediate annexation. As
for Tuscany, your excellency comprehends that I
have no authority to discuss its reasons.
At first sight it might seem that there was some
difference on the subject of the Romagna ; but,
apart from the fact that by the constitution of the
government of the /Emilia, it would have been ille-
gal to make a distinction between these provinces
and the others, it appears to me that, all things
being well considered, there is here in reality no
contradiction. From the moment the French Go-
vernment is disposed to approve of the annexation,
and the Government of the Romagnas by his
Majesty the King of Sardinia, barring the high
suzerainty of the Holy See, the vicariate affects
rather the relations between the King and the
Pontiff than the peoples.
Secondly, how to propose to universal suffrage a
question so abstract and delicate as the relation in
question ? The people can only be consulted on
simple and clear ideas, and here, on the contrary, it
would have been necessary to have the proposition
followed up by complicated explanations defining
the nature and limits of the authority. To say-the
truth, I cannot yet form a precise idea of them.
Moreover, all the public acts of the Court of Rome
have so thoroughly destroyed all possibility of this
combination, or of my other similar one, that the
making of such a proposition, while it could not pos-
sibly lead to any efficae-mis result, would have given
rise to disturbances, since nothing is more alien to
the mind of these populations, In short, if the
separatist party should gain the upper hand in the
Romagnas, it would readily lend itself to all the
transactions and combinations that the King's Go-
vernment, in euuiuiuu with diplomacy, might be-
lieve itself able to adopt.
Your excellency will permit me to repeat that
you must comprehend the serious responsibility
weighing upon me.
The assemblies have given me an absolute com-
mission ; I cannot swerve from it without forfei-
ture of honour and breach of duty. What I can
promise is, that the full and absolute liberty of the
vote shall be guaranteed, in order that the national
will may be able to express itself without any ex-
ternal or internal influence, but according to each
man's conscience.

Such are the considerations which I think it my
duty to submit to your excellency ; you will, if
you think fit, communicate them to Baron Talley-
rand, and in any case you will make whatever use
of them you may deem expedient.
May it please your excellency to accept the ex-
pression of my most distinguished consideration.
(Signed) FARINI.