The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-02 00:00:00

STATE OF ITALY.

(From the Correspondent of the Times.)
ROME, APRIL 26.
The ceremonies of Holy Week and the festivities
of Easter are over. Ladies have ceased to mob and
to curiosare in the purlieus of St. Peter's. Cabmen
and coachmen look sentimental and desponding, for
the forestieri (foreigners) are rushing out of every
gate of the city, north, south, east, and west. It
was a brilliant day was last Sunday, and I went
down to witness the grand spectacle of the Bene-
diction, but it appeared to me to be more than ever
a spectacle, for the demeanour of the people had
changed, and altogether there was less unction
about the ceremony than what I remember to have
impressed me some 17 years ago. His Holiness
had just dropped the indulgences amongst the
crowd, which from a distance appeared like rare
flakes of snow, when I saw a number of hats raised
in the air—some on sticks, some in the hands ; there
was at the same time a simultaneous shout from
many voices of " Viva l'lmperatore," " Viva la
Francia," " Viva l'ltalia." Viewed through an
English lens, this incident was simple and insigni-
ficant; but a demonstration in Italy has a very
serious significance. In a country watched over
by gendarmes and spies, and where it is a crime to
speak, certain barriers must have been broken down
before people could venture on any public expres-
sion of opinion. In such a way began the revolu-
tion of 1848 in Naples and elsewhere, and it was
no wonder, therefore, that those who were suffi-
ciently near to hear the shouts above described
were taken with a panic, and rushed towards their
houses, the great gates of which were immediately
closed. I believe that the event of which I speak
had been organized some little time before, and it
was determined to make the demonstration in favour
of the French. The intelligence which arrived on
Saturday from Piedmont that Austria had sent her a
menacing demand, and in an offensive manner,
brought matters to a crisis ; it flew though the city like
wildfire, and it is a striking proof of the wide-awake
state of the Romans that not a servant or a facchino
was ignorant of the fact that something was up,
and that, according to them, " war was to begin
next week." The French police and the Govern-
ment police were both aware that a demonstration
was to be made, and Colonel Nardoni, the Captain
of the Gendarmerie, was ordered by the Govern-
ment to be on the ground with such a force of gen-
darmes as he thought necessary to maintain order.
The appearance of the Due de Grammont and
General Goyon was the signal for shouting, waving
of hats and handkerchief's, and cries of " Viva la
Francia !" " Viva l'ltalia !" Some add that there
was a cry, also, of " Abbasso Antonelli !" but this
I did not hear. The Duke and General bowed in
acknowledgment and drove on. The persons who
had organised the demonstration were ranged on
each side of the Borgo de St. Pietro, beginning at
the extremity where it opens on the Piazza of St.
Peter's up to the Castle of St. Angelo ; so that Nar-
doni, who was just about to arrest a few who had
begun to shout close to him, was surprised to find
the cries taken up on the opposite side and carried
down throughout the line of the crowd. The con-
sequence was that he remained paralysed, as it
were, and did nothing. I passed through the crowd
on my road home ; they all retained their ground
on either side of the street, and had I been a mem-
ber of Holy Mother Church I should not have
been edified by the jeers and criticisms which
were made on the Cardinals as their splendid
equipages rolled by. I am informed that imme-
diately on his return from St. Peter's, Count Collo-
redo, having taken off his official dress, went in a
cab to the Vatican to have an audience of Anto-
nelli and protest against the demonstration in the
morning. The Government itself was greatly
embarrassed by what had taken place, for the
persons who had raised the cries were men of
high respectability and , wealth. There were
medical men, advocates, " mereanti di canipagna"
—large capitalists, who, besides being proprie-
tors themselves, rent immense tracts of land, pay-
ing a rental of 8,000 or 9,000, or 10,000 scudi a-
year. They are some of the richest men in Rome,
so that the demonstration could not be sneered
down as having been got up by the lower classes.
I believe that the Papal Government, had it been
left to itself, would have done nothing ; but it is
said that, at the urgent request of the Austrian
Minister, orders were given for the arrest of the
leaders of the movement, and an attempt was made
to put the orders into execution after midnight, in
Italian fashion ; but the birds had flown, having
been informed of what was about to happen. Great
excitement prevailed in Rome during the whole of
the following day. Many Roman gentlemen went
to leave their cards at the houses of those who were
compromised by the acts of the previous day, thus
giving them their moral support. There was some
talk of sending a deputation to the Due de Gram-
mont to ask how it could be construed into an act
of disorder or insubordination to applaud those
who were here as the defenders of the Pope and
his Government. On the supposition that the
Austrian Minister has taken the very decided
part attributed to him, he has been greatly blamed
by all parties here for an act likely to create great
irritation, and possibly to lead to consequences
which otherwise might not have taken place,
for the Romans, nay, the Italians, are boiling
over, and there is the greatest difficulty in
keeping them within the bounds of ordinary
prudence. It will not be lost upon you, I hope,
now strongly pronounced are the Austrian ten-
dencies of the Papal Government in these attempts
at arresting men for cheering a French Minister
and a French general. It is no use to deny it, the
Governments of Italy lean upon Austria, sym-
pathise with her, and there is a double antagonism
between them and their subjects, because they are
Austrian, and because they are the enemies of light
and progress. With regard to the Papal Govern-
ment, represented by Cardinal Antonelli, it is
eminently Austrian for religious as well as political
reasons, and the close relations which have existed
between his Eminence and the Archbishops of
Vienna and Olmutz have served to strengthen the
_ _

sympathies of the two Governments. Oite of the
fats that strikes me most in Rome is, that a
man so universally spoken against and detested as
is Antonelli should yet manage to retain his post
and his power. Wherever I go I hear the same
tone indulged in. The other Cardinals dislike him
excessively, some perhaps from jealousy; for, in
spite of the osculuni pacts periodically exchanged,
Cardinals are but men ; yet many are honestly per-
suaded that he is ruining the country by a home
policy which is full of selfishness, and a foreign
policy which is anti-national, anti-progressive, and
out-of harmony with the feelings and the intelli-
gance of the age. The same language I hear from
all classes of society, and from almost every party
in politics, and the day would be hailed with joy
which saw him fall from power. This you will
say is mere talk, but it is sufficient for me to state
that not one of those reforms which were promised
on his entrance into power has been carried out,
though with the power of France and the goodwill
of the people to back him. For a moment, how-
ever, let me leave these subjects to speak of " our"
Prince, for we all feel that we have a kind of pro-
perty in him. His Royal Highness did not make
his appearance in St. Peter's on Easter Sunday.
On his own suggestion he attended the English
church, and took the Sacrament ; nor must I omit
to remark .on the deep religious feeling with which
he appears to engage in the services of the Church.
Last evening the Prince was in the Piazza del
Popolo, to witness the brilliant fireworks which
were exhibited as usual on the evening of Easter
Monday. The excitement which exists here among
the visitors in consequence of the threats of war
amounts to a panic, and all are trying to rush off.
Names of persons to the number of 450, who were
desirous of leaving by Civita Vecchia,.were taken
at the Packet-office yesterday, but as the steamers
cannot take more than 80 passengers they are com-
pelled to remain and wait for other additional
steamers. I think the panic is unreasonable, and
that even if war should be a fact it will be wiser
for people to remain in Rome a short time until
the roads are disembarrassed. For the satisfac-

tion of families in England, I beg to state that
here in Rome nothing is to be apprehended. French
troops are here, and they are friendly with the
people, and it is the interest of the Emperor to
protect the Pope. Should war, therefore, break out
—if it has not already broken out—travellers had
much better remain here for a short time, until the
roads are freer than they can be at the present mo-
ment.

Since Writing the above I have made my latest

inquiries, and have been informed that Count Col-
loredo certainly did go to Antonelli on Sunday
afternoon, and that six or seven persons were
arrested on the following night, though the greater
part of those who were doomed were apprised even
by the police themselves and escaped. Yesterday
morning, it is added, the Due de Grammont wrote
to the Cardinal, and sent his first secretary to re-
quest the release of those who had been arrested,
stating that if this were not done he should write
to the Emperor and ask for instructions. The Car-
dinal, according to my authority, stated that the
Austrian Minister had not made any application to
him, which is positively contradicted by others.
His eminence added that the arrest was a mere
form, and that the men were only to be examined.
Still they were not liberated, and the Romans deter-
mined to get up another demonstration. It was
much talked of during the day, and considerable
apprehension was felt that there would be some dis-
turbance at the exhibition of fireworks in the even-•
ing. At half-past 7 o'clock a large number of persons
appeared before the house of Gen. Goyon uttering
the same cries as yesterday, and it was understood
that they would be repeated later. The general ex-
pressed a wish that nothing should be done, and
after the fireworks were over remained an hour on
the ground, and returned to his house by a different
road ; but he was recognised, and a similar demon-
stration took place to that already described. Last
night four or five arrests of slight importance were
effected, and I am informed that the Due de Gram-
mont will to-day renew his demand for the
liberation of the prisoners. Perhaps he has been
the more prompt and energetic in consequence of a
deputation of Romans waiting upon him yesterday
to ask whether the fact of their cheering the de-
fenders of the Papal Government could be con-
strued into an insult or an offence. At all events,
the imprudent interference of the authorities in an
affair which would have been comparatively Of
little importance if suffered to remain quiet de-
monstrates what are the tendencies of the Govern-
ment •, and if it is true, as I am assured is the case,
that Count Colloredo did go to Antonelli and urge
severe measures, we have another proof of that
predominating influence of Austria which enslaves
alike Sovereigns and people.
The Romans are greatly exasperated, and bent
on making further demonstrations. Hitherto those
who had been engaged ik them are of a highly'
respectable class, but they threaten that if the pri-
soners are not released they will call in the lower
classes. The feeling is so strong that General;
Goyon has issued an order of the day that all
assemblages of persons shall be dispersed. At the
same time, private orders have been given to the
French gendarmes to do their bidding gently and
by persuasion.

The following is the text of the order issued by
General Goyon.:—

" Head-quarters, Rome, April 26.
" Peaceable but public manifestations have taken place'
Whatever may be our sympathy with the sentiments which
have been expressed, we cannot allow them to be repeated.
Any public manifestation is a breach of order ; no matter
under what colour or motive it is made, it involves dis-
agreeable consequences upon those who instigate it.
" The law forbids all gatherings, and orders, if neces-
sary, their dispersion by force. Here, by order of our Eta'
peror, to assist the venerable and venerated Holy Father,
by facilitating to his Government the maintenance of order,
it is my duty, as commander of the public force, to enforce
the law. This duty, however painful it may be, shall ":
accomplished by us in every circumstance • but I rely lin':
the intelligent and prudent feelings of the Roman pupil'
to make my task more easy. "DE GUYON."