The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-04 00:00:00

Mytelene, is mentioned as likely to be promoted I LORD ELLE
here.

The Reine Hortense is at Civita Vecchia. People
say, of course, that the Emperor is come in her
incog. to see the Pope—another canard, the former
one respecting his Majesty's nocturnal visit to the
Vatican, being now explained by an equally mys-
terious conference which the Count of Syracuse is
said to have had with his Holiness just at that
time respecting the succession of his nephew,
Francesco 11., coining from Naples on purpose in
an incredibly short time, and returning equally
rapidly.
The Swiss troops at Casena fired on a body of
volunteers last week to restore order, it is presumed,
which they effected by killing two young men and
wounding seven.

iNBOROUGH ON THE WAR

IN .ITALY.

Two public meetings were held in Cheltenham
on Thursday for the purpose of forming a Rifle

Corps—one in the afternoon and the other in the
evening at 8 o'clock. The evening meeting was
_ _

called in favour of those tradesmen, shop assistants,
and others who could not be present in the middle
of the day. The Earl of Ellenborough presided,
and, the meeting being large, the proceedings were
of an enthusiastic and satisfactory character.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH, who was loudly
cheered, expressed his gratification at being able to
comply with the request made to him to preside
that evening, and at the same time he was pleased
to observe so large an attendance. If there were
tradesmen present, and he supposed there were,
they, of all others, in his opinion were especially,

interested in preventing an enemy landing on these

shores, as being likely to suffer most from such an
occurrence. All monetary transactions of the coun-
try would be altogether impaired and injured from
the very instant it was known an enemy had landed.
What would be the effect of that panic occasioned

by the approach of an enemy to London, and what
could be the mode of conducting monetary transac-
tions with the means of communication interfered
with ? And what must we do ? It was not enough
to feel satisfied that if the enemy landed we should
be able to repel him—we must be so strong as toP
deter him from attempting invasion. (Cheers.) They
might depend upon it that the mere act of invasion;
if the enemy were but a week in the country, and if it
terminated by his expulsion or the destruction of all
his forces, that single week of invasion would pro-
duce an injury to the material interests of this coun-
try which a hundred years would hardly recover.
(Hear, hear.) He dared say there were a good many
among them who thought it possible to avoid all
these misfortunes by preserving a strict neutrality.
There could be no one more desirous than himself

that we should not be involved in war. (Hear,
hear.) But he would tell them this, that neutrality,
although it put off war, did not prevent it.
(Hear.) On the contrary, it might ultimately bring
upon us a war infinitely more dangerous than that
in which we refused to engage before. While two
great natirms were contending against each other,
if we engaged in a war, at least we should have
one of these nations with us ; if we waited till one
of these nations was trampled upon and beaten by
the other, and was deprived of strength to contend
in the field, and then we were disposed to contend
against the conqueror, we should contend alone •
against a Power which had matured its forces,
against a force disciplined in the field, and therefore
to our disadvantage. However desirable we might
think it to maintain neutrality, neutrality alone
could give us no security, and might render war
more dangerous; and was it tbis we should de-
clare
absolutely to be our policy ? If France
should understand and be convinced, under
any circumstances, that England would not in- .
terfere, her conduct .would assuredly, be very
different from what it otherwise might be;
but, in point of fact, we might be practically
creating a state of things by declaring our
persistence in neutrality which might compel us.
to violate it, and engage in war besides. (Hear,
hear.) He knew not that it was necessary for him,
if he were to speak at all, to say anything of the
nature and character of the present war. But
there was one point connected with it about which
he hoped they were under no delusion. He trusted
they did not suppose it was really a war for the
independence of Italy'. (Cheers.) If he could
think it were so, no one would rejoice in its success
more than he should. (Renewed cheers.) He had
been earnestly desirous of seeing a great and really
independent State in Italy from the earliest period
of his life. (Hear, hear.) He was looking back
the other day, and he saw that as much as forty-
three years ago he expressed himself to that effect,
when he was a member of the House of Cottunons,
and it had been the desire of his whole public life.
(Cheers.) No event would more strongly conduce
to the security of Austria herself than the creation
of a great and independent Power in Italy.
(Hear, hear.) He had not the smallest hope
of any such result from any interference on
the part of France. The object of France was to
transfer to herself that supremacy in Italy which
had been possessed by Austria since 1814. (Hear.)
Austria had held it for defensive purposes; France
would hold it for the purpcses of offence, and in her
hands it would be an important step towards mak- '
ing the Mediterranean a French lake. (Cheers.)
They were told, and the French were told, that'
this war in ;Italy was in obedience to the tradi-.
tional policy of France. Now, about three centu-
ries and a half ago, Italy was really independent,
and was then divided into a number of different:
states. There was one kingdom, several principa-
lities, duchies, and republics. Every one of these
different States was soverned by a native, to the
exclusion of the foreigner. (Hear.) The country'
was represented as having been thoroughly culti-
vated, and as distinguished more than any other
country in the arts, sciences, literature, and in,
everything that elevated the character of man.,
(Hear, and cheers.) What happened then ? Why,:
in came a French king; he overturned all indepen-
dence, and from time to the present there had
been no instance in which French sovereigns, of
whatever race, had not, whenever they had the op-
portunity', struck a blow at the independence of
Italy for their own advantage. (Cheers.) That
was the traditional policy of France, and that the
species of independence which she would in reality,
give to Italy. (Hear.) He durst say they had
heard a great deal against the Government of
Austria. He was not going to defend the civil go-
vernment of Austria. (Hear.) He believed that in.
some of the States it was good government suited
to the people, who were contented, and absolutely
devoted to their Government. In foreign countries
it was of a different character. But we must not
undertake the reform of the civil government of
any nation. (Hear.) If we were to do so he thought
we might begin with material advantage at no dis-
tance so great from our own shores. (Hear.)
However, they did not enter into that. We
only looked at Austria as a great military
Power, to which, in its strength, was
mainly entrusted the independence of - Cen-
tral Europe. And it was altogether necessary JO
our interests, and the interests of every State in
Central Europe, that Austria should maintain un-
impaired the military power she possessed. (Hear,
hear.) If they looked back to past times, and the
wars of the French Revolution, they would see
with what gallantry Austria came forward, and
what advantages we derived from her actions. In
1805 Austria, at her own great risk, rushed forward
and prevented the invasion of this country. (Cheers.)
In 1809 she again moved forward, she again suffered
great defeats, but she facilitated by her movements
the advance of the Duke of Wellington on Madrid,
and laid the foundation of the liberation of Spain.
(Loud cheers.) Notwithstanding all these defeats
of 1805 and 1809, and her weakness, Austria again
in 1813 joined the allies, gave into their hands her
territory in Bohemia, for the purpose of enabling
them to act against the French, and mainly contri-
buted in Germany, and afterwards in France to the
liberation of Europe. (Cheers.) We must not, there-
fore, allow ourselves to be diverted from the recol-
lection of past times in dealing with the present.
He would now go into another point of great lin'
portance, and well worthy the attention of the
public ; he meant the understanding which
dently existed between Russia and France—(hear,
hear)--an understanding existing between tvf°
great despotic military Powers with reference
what their conduct shall be in supporting tnei
independence and freedom of Italy. There was
reason, he believed, to suspect the purity of the
in_
tives of both parties—(hear)—but this they might
observe, while Russia, by bringing 130,000
the frontiers of Poland, practically paralyzed Uer=
many, we, likewise, in the movements of our fleet,
were already, if not paralyzed yet greatly checked .
and controlled by -the presence of a Russian fleet f
30 sail of the line, which had been largely increased
since the commencement of this war, for we could
not venture to send the whole of our force to the
Mediterranean, knowing, if we did, that that fleet
might anchor at Spithead. Yet we are told that
Russia had assured the English Government that
there was nothing whatever existing between Francs
and herself contrary to our interests ; and they
accepted that explanation. If the Government was
not afraid of an understanding between Russia and
France, it the more behoved the people of this
feooruntthryeirtodbeelivaefrraainter (Loud cheering.) Afterd to take their own course
at,i ohni
s Lordship son the l
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bsmocainfrokereinfteghwethmoabe
meeting,
ctlilngthere had not been in this country
since the time of King John the foot of one single
armed foreigner. (Cheers.) AU other nations had
suffered the ruin, the Spoliation, and the disgrace
which attended successful invasion. We were the
only military State in Europe which had not in the
course of the last 50 years seen an invading enemy
in its capital. (Cheers.) They could have no idea
of the extent of the horrors of foreign invasion, and
whatever it might be in other countries, here they
would be worse, since the enemy would come wan
the accumulated hatred and revenge of six cen-
turies. He heartily hoped the public spirit of the
people of this country would raise a force which
would protect us from such a visitation.
His Lordship resumed his seat amid loud cheer"
ing, and a vote of thanks was given to him by
acclamation.