The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-19 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS(' DAY.—Morning, 7h. 36m.—Afternoon, Bh. Bm.
70-momatow.-Morning, Bh. 54m.—Afternoon, 9h. 38m.

TUB WEATHER.—.SVN 01,710 E, FEa. 19, 1661.
THZIIIIOIIZTEIt, IN TUB MIAMI.
54—highest since noon yesterday.
42—lowest this morning and during the night.
51—this day at noon.
BARD METER--29.66.
IVIND—South-South-Westerly—light ; with fine weather.

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--.

THE SUN.
LONDON, TUESDAY, FEB. 19, 1881

The Italian KING'S Speech to his first Parliament
may now be read in all its more important passages
as nearly, as translation will permit, as it was
delivered yesterday. The salient points are all
given elsewhere precisely as they have been flashed
across one of the angles of Europe and underneath
the waters of the Channel by the electric telegraph.
Enough of this inaugural address has reached us
already to enable us thoroughly to appreciate its
general character. And that—the general character
of this Speech from the Throne delivered yesterday
at Turin by King VICTOR EMMANUEL ? Well, it is
with ono single exception, with one extraordinary
exception, a little later on to be particularised,
pretty nearly what might most reasonably have
been anticipated. It is an inaugural address some-
what subdued in tone it is true, almost entirely
devoid of enthusiasm, and in every sentence, and
almost every syllable. cautiously weighed and con-
sidered as though each word were a respon-
sibility. But at the same time the tenour of
the Speech is remarkable also for, inasmuch
as it affords evidence of the calm and dig-
nified confidence of the Sovereign. As if in
explanation of all this the KING himself says, in
the course of his address to Parliament :—" My
voice was once raised with boldness, but it is as
wise to wait for the right time as it is to
dare at the right time." And so he now
speaks, as it were, under his breath—he who
a year ago raised his voice like the clarion of
a trumpet. He calls upon his people now to
wait—having before summoned them fervently to
action. Nor, in one sense, can this be very much
wondered at ; for, as his —MAJESTY observed, " In its
consciousness of its strength the Kingdom of Italy
will be able to follow the counsels of prudence."
At the very opening of his remarks, the King of
ITALY could thus bespeak the attention of his
Parliament—" Italy," he said in solemn accents,
" ITALY, almost entirely free and united, confides
In your wisdom, and it is on you devolves the task
of her organisation." Adding, " You will establish
the greatest administrative liberties, taking care at
the same time that her unity be protected." Then
follows the magnificent attestation of the fact, that,
as the KING says, " Public opinion is favourable

to our national tendencies"—to the national ten-

dencies of that race of 23,000,000 Italians peopling
that famous peninsula which was deemed (not
so many years ago) by Prince METTERNICH a
mere "geographical expression." Had Prince MET-
TERNICH survived but a very few years longer he
would have found;reason to modify that opinion of his
—perhaps just a little. He would have found the

mere geographical expression articulated somewhat

sonorously in the first speech delivered by the
King of ITALY to his assembled Italian Parliament.
And he would have found public " opinion favour-
able" as that KING avows to the national tendencies
of the twenty-throe millions claiming at length a
right to utter (in another sense than Prince -MET
TERNICH'S) the familiar geographical expression !
About the most cleverly worded sentence in the
whole speech of yesterday is the one in which re-
ference is made to the Imperial ally of VICTOR
EmmotTuEL and.his fast multiplied Italian subjects.