The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-26 00:00:00

SARDINIA.

The Piedmont Gazette of the 23d publishes the
Royal decree, already announced by telegraph, dis-
tributing the Piedmontese army into five divisions
of infantry and one of cavalry. It also publishes
at length the following speech addressed to the
Chamber of Deputies by Count de Cavour on the
same day:— .

" Gentlemen,--The groat European Powers, with
a view to treat the Italian question by means of
diplomacy, and try whether it might be possible to
give it a peaceable solution, resolved in the month
of March to convoke a Congress for the purpose,
Austria, nevertheless, subjected her adhesion to
this project to a condition relating to Sardinia
alone, namely, that she should previously disarm.
This pretension, unhesitatingly repelled by the
King's Government as unjust and contrary to
the dignity of the country, met with no sup-
port from any of the Cabinets. Austria then sub-
stituted another, that of a general disarmament.
This new principle gave rise to a series of negotia-
tions, which, notwithstanding the frequency and
rapidity of telegraphic communications, lasted
several weeks, and ended in the proposal of the
English Government, which you well know, and
which was accepted by France, Russia, and Prus-
sia. Although Piedmont foresaw how many doubts
and inconveniences might arise from the application
of the principle, nevertheless,from a spirit of concilia-
tion, and as the last concession possible, she adhered
to it. Austria, on the contrary, has peremptorily
refused it. This refusal, of which we received
notice from all parts of Europe, was subsequently
officially communicated to us by the representa-
tive of England at Turin, who, by order of his
Government, signified to us that the Cabinet of
Vienna had resolved to address to Piedmont a di-
rect invitation to disarni, demanding a definitive
answer within three days. The substance and
form of this request cannot leave any doubt in the
eyes of Europe on the true intentions of Austria.
It is the result and the end of the great offensive
preparations which for a long time past Austria
has been making on our frontiers, and which lat-
terly have become still more powerful and me-
nacing. Under these circumstances, and seeing
the serious dangers which menace us, the Govern-
ment of the King has thought it its duty to apply
without further delay to Parliament, and ask It to

grant those powers which it might judge necessary
to provide for the defence of our country. Hence
your president was requested immediately to con-
voke the Chamber, which had separated for the
Easter recess. And although We indirectly learnt
yesterday at a late hour that Austria hesitated to
send the intended request to Piedmont, yet, since
she has refused the English proposition, this does
not by any means modify either the situation or
our object. The measures taken by his Majesty
the Emperor of the French under these circum-
stances not only inspire us with confidence, but
also deserve our warmest acknowledgment. We,
therefore, trust that the Chamber will not hesitate to
sanetion by its votes a bill for entrusting to the
King the full powers which the times require.
And who could better protect our liberties ? who
is there more worthy of this proof of the confidence
of the nation ? He whose name, during a ten years'
reign, hasbeen synonymous with faith and honour,
he who has always upheld the Italian tricolour, he
who is now preparing to fight for liberty and inde-
pendence ! Be assured, gentlemen, that in entrust-
ing in the present difficulties the supreme power to
the hands of Victor Emmanuel, Piedmont and Italy
will unanimously applaud your resolution."
The bill is worded as follows :

" Art. I. In case of war with the Empire of
Austria the King shall be invested with all the
legislative and executive powers, and may, under
ministerial responsibility, take, by Royal decrees,
all the measures necessary for the defence of the
country and our institutions.
" Art. 2. The constitution al institutions remaining
unchanged, the Government of the King shall have
the power, during the war, provisionally to limit
the freedom of the press and individual liberty."

The Piedmontese Gazette adds that the commu-
nication was received with profound attention by
the Chamber, and responded to with repeated cries
of " Viva it Re." The Chamber immediately retired
to the bure-au to meet again at 3 p.m. The result of
the sitting has been already communicated by
telegraph.

The Piedmontese Gazette announces that on the
morning of the 23d Count Brassier de St. Simon,
the Prussian ambassador at Turin, had the honour
of an audience of the King of Sardinia, to deliver
to him a letter from the Germanic Confederation.
A Turin letter of the 21st contains the following :
—" When General de la Marmora, now Minister of
War, assumes a command in the active army,
Count de Cavour will- add to his other labours the
administration of the War department. It is be-
lieved that the Austrians will immediately enter
the Piedmontese territory, and plenty of devasta-
tion and pillage is expected, particularly on the
part of the 20,000 Croatians, now massed in the
neighbourhood of Pavia and Milan. The railways
of Venice, Mantua, and Verona are all occupied in
conveying an immense quantity of military stores,
and not a village can be found in the province of
Milan that is not filled with troops. All the farmers
are required to supply horses and carts; and quan-
tities of cattle are seized for food for the soldiery.
A considerable number of troops are echeloned
along the Swiss frontier on the banks of the Lake
of Como. They have taken possession most un-
ceremoniously of the finest villas, injuring every-
thing. Complaints are useless, and what renders li
matters worse is that the troops do not receive full
pay, owing to the state of the Austrian finances.
In the country parts the soldiers take their supplies
by force, whilst in the towns they offer paper of no
value, or else go off without payit.g anything. At
Piazenca, General Rohn, commander of the for-
tress, has seized on the funds in the Grand-ducal
treasury, and simply sent to Parma a receipt."
A Turin letter of the 22d says :—" The arrivals
of volunteers continue to increase. The Tuscan
Government presents no obstacles to volunteers
leaving Leghorn, and consequently young men from
different parts of the Papal States, and even from
Naples, collect in that port, and are brought to
Genoa in steamers. The son or nephew of General
de Gregorio, commanding the army of the Pope,
left home for Piedmont, but the General caused
him to be arrested before he could leave the Papal
States. The extraordinary influx of volunteers
occasions great irritation to Austria. The com-
mander-in-chief of the Austrian troops has taken
various strategical measures and effected extensive
movements. His army now occupies three lines—
one, on the Ticino, the second, on the Adda, and
the third, on the Oglio. In the night of the 18th
his pontooners advanced to the bridge of Buffalora,
and in consequence it was thought that his army
was about to cross the river. But no declaration
having been made, General de La Marmora con-
tented himself with keeping his troops under arms
in their barracks."

The following is the text of the despatch of
Count de Cavour to the Sardinian Minister at
Berne on the declaration of neutrality by Switzer-
land:—

"Turin, 16th April.
" Sir,—The President of the Helvetic Confedera-
tion, by a communication which you transmitted
to me, was kind enough to make known officially
to the King's Government the attitude which, under
existing circumstances, the Federal Council has
thought right to assume. The President declares
that, if the peace of Europe should be disturbed,
the Swiss Confederation will defend and maintain,
by all means in its power the integrity and neu-
trality of its territory, to which integrity and
neutrality it-is entitled as an independent State,
and which hiVe been recognised and guaranteed
to it by general treaties. Referring to the Special
dispositions contained in the protocol of the 29th
March, 1815, and in subsequent diplomatic acts,
the President adds that if circumstances should
require it, Switzerland, in order to assure and de-
fend the neutrality of her territory, would be dis-
posed to exercise the right which treaties confer
on her of occupying the neutralised part of Savoy.
In consequence, the Federal Council, desiring to
come to an understanding with the Government of
his Majesty, proposes that the points to be regu-
lated shall be discussed in conference between dele-
gates of the two States, and settled by them, sub-
ject to the ratification of the respective Govern-
ments. I beg of you to be kind enough to offer to
M. Staempfli the thanks of the King's Government
to the communication he has made and for the
conciliatory spirit which has dictated it. Sardinia
being resolved, whatever shall be the eventuali-
ties which. may arise, to respect scrupulously the
independence and neutrality of Switzerland, can-
not do otherwise than highly appreciate the prin-
ciples which the confederation has proclaimed,
and the measures it has taken to have them
respected. The King's Government is also happy
to receive the formal assurance that the confedera-
tion is ready, if necessary, to fulfil the interna-
tional stipulations which refer to the neutralised
provinces of Savoy. The stipulations referred to
are contained in the protocol of the 29th March,
1815, which stipulations Art. 91 of the final act
of the Congress of Vienna considers as an integral
part of the treaty, by declaring that they are to
have the same force and value as if they were
textually inserted in the said article. The special
treaty of the 16th March, 1816, between Sardinia,
the Confederation, and the Canton of Geneva, con-
firmed this declaration of the Congress of Vienna.
No serious difference can therefore take place on
this subject, since both Sardinia and the Swiss
Confederation are animated with the same desire
to observe treaties and to respect the reciprocal
rights of the two States. As, however, it is neces-
saryon certain points to fix the sense and the
bearing of the rights and obligations which arise
from the protocol of Vienna, in order to enable the
two Governments to come to an agreement on the
conditions of an eventful occupation, the King,
our august master, has deigned to au-
thorise me to accept the proposition to
discuss in a conference of delegates of the two
States the points to be regulated, and to settle
those points subject to the ratification of the Go-
vernments. Be kind enough, in consequence, to
make known this determination to the President of
the Confederation, and to declare to him that as to
the place of meeting of the Conference we leave
him the choice between Turin, Geneva, and Berne.
In this state of things, I think it unnecessary to
specify here the exact interpretation which, in our
opinion, should be given to the stipulations of
Vienna. The questions which arise therefrom can
be discussed by the delegates, and on its part the
King's Government will, whilst preserving the
legitimate rights of the State, co-operate in all
measures calculated to bring about a satisfactory
agreement. I indulge in the belief that we shall
find similar sentiments in the Federal Council, and
that all difficulties will thus be solved in a manner
in conformity with the permanent interests of the
two countries. I beg of you to read and to give a
copy of this despatch to the President of the Con-
federation, and to accept, &c."