The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-19 00:00:00

accounts, when the matter is to verify the exact application
of the regulations established beforehand by the budget, its
decisions havo the force of law. Every year the state ac-
counts, and all the projects which whether nearly or re-
motely are connected with finance, are placed before it by
the Ministers. For the first time in the history of the Pon-
tifical States, we have seen the bead depositaries of power
compelled to give an account of their doings to the represen-
tatives of the nation. For the first time, the public ac-
counts have been properly published at the commencement
of the time of their application, and consequently subjected
to the control of the nation itself.
Municipal organisation has been, at the same time, the
object of a complete reform. .Local interests occupy much
of the attention of the Italian mind, and aro the objeot of
marked predilection. It would be difficult to respond more
completely to this want than has been the case in the now

organisation.
The most• highly taxed inhabitants of the commune, to-
gether with those who have acquired high degrees in the
university, form together an electoral body, which have
the direct nomination of the municipal councillors. The
latter in their turn prepare, by the mode of election, a list
of candidates, from which the Government chooses the
members of the provincial council. The latter, in the same
way, make a list of persons from which the Holy Father
selects members of the Consulta of State for Finance. A.
great latitude both in the creation and expenditure of re-
sources is left both to the communal and to the provincial
councils.

It is not the representatives of the Government who are
charged with the administration of the funds of the com-
mune, or of the province. • This trust is confided to an exe-
cutive commission elected by the council which it repre-
sents, and which remains en permanence during the whole
of theiuterval between ono session and another. The dele-
gates or prefect have only tho power of supervision, and
take no direct part in the management of provincial or
communal busiuoss. This system has already been the
occasion of many ameliorations of all kinds in the. Pontifi-
cal States • many roads—an iinportant,benat—have been
made, and useful improvements instituted. Never-
theless, in certain points the equilibrium between receipts
and expenditure Las been disturbed. Tho small towns
have taken to building theatres, and a qiiiistion is now
mooted whether it would not be proper to limit the dia.
cretion left to the municipal power, and extend•the super-
vision exercised by government authority. At othet times,
and in every other country, such reforms and institutions
would have been accredited to their author (34). In the
interior every new concession has had the effect of creating
greater wants. Abroad these essential changes introduced
into the older order of things, these incessan,, efforts of the
Pontifical Government to ameliorate the lot of the popula-
tions, have passed unnoticed. People have had ears only
for the declamation of the discontented, and for the per-
manent calumnies of the bad portion of the Piedmontese
and Belgian press. This is the source from which public
opinion has derived its inspiration ; and in spite of well-
established facts, it is believed in most places, bat parti-
cularly in England, that the Pontifical Government has
done nothing for its subjects and has restricted itself to the
perpetuation of the errors of another age (36). I have only
yet indicated the ameliorations introduced into the organi-
sation of the administration. I must mention the acts of
thelPontifigal Government and the results obtained.
Above all, let us remember that never has a more exalted
spirit of clemency been seen to preside over a restoration.
No vengeance has been exercised on those who caused the
overthrow of the Pontifical Government, no measures of
rigour have been adopted against them. The Pope has
contented himself with depriving them of the power of
doing harm by banishing them from the land. No im-
prisonment, no trials even had taken place, except occasion-
ally in consequence of the obstinacy of certain individuals
I who, insisting on being tried, have been condemned, and
punished by being presented with a passport. As to the
flagrant conspiracies which followed the return of the Pope,
it was his bounden duty to take measures against them, as
well as against the assassinations which followed them.
These measures were taken in the most regular manner.
The Holy Father never failed to mitigate the rigour of the
sentences. A largo number of individuals, the most com-
promised, obtained their liberty after a certain time with-
out the condition of exile. At the present moment it is
difficult to ascertain the exact number of persons who are
forbidden to enter the Roman states for political reasons ;
but with respect to the number of those who were the
authors of the revolution of 1849, it is considered that it
does not amount to a.hundred. This extreme mildness of
treatment, however, has not availed to preventthe English
Parliament from accusing the Pontifical Government of
cruelty (37).
I come now to questions of administration. We know
the cost of revolutions. The Roman republic met its ex-
penses by creating a paper currency, which soon suffered
considerable depreciation. The Pontifical Government
did not hesitate to recognise these assignats, and undertook
the task of withdrawing them from circulation by buying
them up. The operation was successful, although the sum
was very large. It amounted to 7,009,000 scudi, rather
more than the annual revenue of the state. The same pro-
portion applied to France would have given from 800 to 900
millions. The assignats now have totally disappeared from
circulation, and the notes of the Bank of the Pontifical
State, the only notes now current, are of equal value with
the metallic currency, and are generally at par. This re-
markable result goes for nothing with the detractors of the
Pontifical administration (38).
Tho Roman Bank, originally a French foundation, re-
sponded but very imperfectly to the wants of commerce.
It was remodelled, and became the bank of the Pontifical
States. It has established branches in the provinces, has
extended the circle of its operations, has given and still
gives great assistance to trade, and to the Government., and
has shown that it stands on a solid basis, by passing with
safety through many groat crises.
The Pontifical Government, directing its attention with
great propriety to the means of augmenting the revenue
derived from indirect taxation, has revised the custom-
house duties. It has lowered the duty on a great number of
articles, and is at this moment preparing a new measure
more complete and more general in its operations.
Postal and commercial treaties have been concluded with
France awl other states upon the widest basis, and in con
fortuity with those principles which are adopted elsewhere
as being iu unison with the idea of progress.
The system of farming the • indirect revenues has been
abolished. The Government undertakes the direct ma-
nagement of the salt and tobacco trade. Important pro-
fits have been realised, and the success of the management
is certain. _ _

In spite of considerable burdens which wera occasioned
by the revolution and left as a legacy to the present govern-
ment, in spite of extraordinary expenses caused by the re-
organisation of the army, in spite of numerous contribu-
tions towards the encouragement of public works, the state
budget, which nt the commencement showed a tolerably
large deficit, has been gradually tending o wards equilibrium.
I have had the honour recently of pointing out to your ex-
cellency that the deficit in 1857 has been reduced to an in-
significant sum, comprised for the most part of unexpected
expenses and of moneys reserved for the extinction of the
debt.

The taxes remain still much below the mean rate of the
different European states. A Roman pays the state 22f.
annually, 63 millions being levied on a population of three
millions. A. Frenchman pays the French Government 45f.,
1,600 millions being levied on a population of 35 millions.
These figures show demonstratively that the Pontifical states
with regard to so important a point must be reckoned
amongst the most favoured nations. The expenses are
regulated on principles of the strictest economy. One fact
is sufficient to prove this. The civil list, the expenses of
the cardinals, of the diplomatic corps abroad, the mainte-
nance of the Pontifical palaces and the museums, cost the
state no more than 600,000 crowns (3,200,0001.) This small
sum is the only share of the public revenue taken by the
Papacy for the support of the Pontifical dignity, and for
keeping up the principal establishments of the superior
ecclesiastical administration. We might ask those persona
so zealous in hunting down abuses whether the appropria-
tion of 4,000 crowns to the wants of the princes of the
Church seems to them to bear the impress of a proper eco-
nomy exercised with respect to the public revenue (39).
The organisation of the army bail been the object of as-
siduous care. Not only have the native troops received re-
wards, and been elevated to the number of 12,000 men,
but a body of 4,000 Swiss has been raised, and novel regu-
Ittions foued)d on those in use amongst ourselves have
been promulgated. The principles of administration fol-
lowed in the management of our forces have been adopted
and put in practice. The appearance of the Roman sol-
diers at present elicits praise from all who have seen them.
If the Government could give them fidelity and energy
with the uniform and the musket, there would be no need
to apply to foreigners for assistance. Even in this direc-
tion, however, the Government has performed all that was
incumbent upon it to do, and if its success has not been
complete, the fault is not in it, but in the very nature of
the national mind. At the same time the state finances
have been re-organised, and in spite of the limited re-
sources of the budget, numerous sums have been devoted
to the encouragement of commerce and arts. A great num-
ber of roads have been opened in various parts of the
country, the port of Terracina has been enlarged, works of
drainage have been executed in the Pontine Marshes. The
marsh of Ostia is now in process of Woe- drained, and via-
ducts of remarkable importance have been constructed in
several places (40). Steam navigation has been introduced
on the Tiber ; thanks to a good system of towing, the port
of Rome has been visited by a larger number of vessels
than was formerly the case (41). The city hasbeen lighted
with gas, electric telegraphs have been introduced, conces-
sions of railways have been made. That of Frascati, which
is to be extended to Naples, will soon be opened. A ne-
gotiation is on foot for an important line, which is to con-
nect Rome with Ancona and Bologna. The construction
of the railway to Oivita Vecchia has been granted to a
company which will commence operations immediately (42).
Agriculture has been equally the object of encourage
ment by the Government. Prizes have been established for
the encouragement of gardening and the raising of stock.
Lastly, a commission, composed of the principal landed
proprietors, is now studying the hitherto insoluble ques-
t tion of draining the Campagna of Rome, and filling it with
inhabitants.

if the Roman people were capable of helping themselves,
or were eager for work, if their ambition was
itedtothe attainment of a restricted income just
lstuoffitev limited
if they
nt to satisfy the primary wants of nature, without
the expenditure of much fatigue, if they were to profit, as
is the case elsewhere, by the facilities offered to them for
the employment of their energies and pecuniary resources,
the country might spring up rapidly to prosperity. But
they allow all opportunities to escape them, and abandon
to foreigners all useful undertakings. To make progress in
the direction alluded to, Government cannot, it is clear,
substitute its own action for that of private industry. (43.)
Nevertheless there are numerous proofs of public energy to
be seen. Now buildings, for example, are very numerous;
the price of lodgings and food of all kinds is increasing ra-
pidly. Commercial relations are extending. Important
profits are being realised in agricultural and financial ope-
rations. Considerable fortunes are being made. The condi-
tion of the population is that of comparative ease. Thq
rush together in crowds at the first signal of public rajoilc;
ing or pleasure. On these occasions their listlessness, usceualof
carried to excess, is laid on one side. An aPP?arBaaiety
prosperity strikes the eyes of the least observant- of
of the most expansive kind is to be traced on We faces
all. It may be asked whether this can be the
miseries excite to such a degree the
Europe ?
There is in truth misery hereple whose
elsewhere, but it is infi-
asuredclimates. Mere ne-
nitely less heavy than in less favoured
charity
cessities are obtained cheaply. Private
"ercked• Establishments of pu ) commiseration of
is largely
1 lic charity are numerous