Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-12-23
Foreign, Neus.
The Affairs of Italy.

The late advces from Europe inform us that
a commercial treaty has been agreed upon by
the King of Sardinia, the Grand Duke OF Tus-
cany, and the Pope of Rome. This step is one
Of no nconslderable interest in It's bearing upon
the general condition Of Italy, and If it should be
followed by the other Italian States, namely
the kingdom of Naples and the duchips of Mo-
dena and Parma might lead to the most i'm.
portant political results, perhaps to complete
reunion and confederation of Italy. Dismem-
bered as the Italian States were by the Congress
of Vienna in political respect, they have ever
since been separated by interests, while each of
the portions SO arbitrarily divided has been at the
mercy of its powerful and rapacious neighhor,
Austria. The various custom. house regulations,
as well as the peculiar laws, and circulating me-
dlums of The different states, have tended to per-
petuate the division, and to suppress the national
energies Of the whole. Once the garden of the
world, and still possessing the most magnificent
elements of prosperity. Italy only needs in
dependence and concentration of energies, to
regain her lost ascendency, and take high rank
among the nations of Europe. The treaty which
has been formed between the Kingdom of Sar-
dina, the Papal States, and the Grand Duchy of
Tuscany, if 1t shall be fully realized, will open
to Italy new era of commercial prosperity and
civil advancement; for although ii is on the face
of 1t, 1t may be, merely customs league, sort
OF Zollverein, 1t is manifestly designed and will
tend inevitably to draw closer the ties of political
fraternity between the different Provinces 1t
will be nullihed, however, unless the other
States unite in it, We have yet to learn, wheth-
err the hostile efforts which Austria will undoubt-
eddy make will be etfectuaI to prevent their CON
currence.
The movements and purposes of the reigning
Pope are exciting much attention every where
In this country there appears a general disposl-
tn NIB and e.. 6
llness though there are some who stand in doubt
OF him. So far as we can Judge from the ac-
counts received from the Italian States, the
people are disposed to hail Plus TX as deliver
er and reformer. And well may they rejoice in
any ruler or any measures which propose to
break in on the death-like uniformity Of Papal
Tyranny. Any innovation on the established
order and usages of the Roman Court is hope
tul sign. The slightest motion Is an indication
of life, which should be rejoiced in The re.
formatoly measures of the new Pope will yet,
undoubtedly, encounter severe opposition, and
may pave the way for ovCrturus in Italy which
he would be as averse to as any OF his predecess-
ors. The ice OF centuries being broken the
possibility and even proprety OF some change
being allowed--it may not be found possible for
the Conclave to stop the work when 1t has reach
ed the limits assigned it by its first promoters.
The friends of the old order of things-the
antiquity party,-WHi Vi COURSE utIdy themselves
| against the movements of the Court OF Plus TX
He has broken.ihe charm which gave them then
power over the People. He has admitted thai
most dangerous Of all truths TO tyrants -tha
| Kings may do wrong-that the government o
| Popes, even, may be improved. lie can, there
fore, expect little favor from the arbitrary gov
ernments by which he is surrounded. Trouble
then, must be in store for his Holiness -troubl,
that will test the honesty and sincerity of his
reformatory measures. Indeed, judging from TIL
tone OF some of the latest accounts from foreigi
papers, the storm is already beginning to gother
l4mericqn Traveller.