Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-08-16
IrALY-THE ITALIANS AND AUsTRIANs.

/ IrALY-THE ITALIANS AND AUsTRIANs.
| YRon TIE Albany STATE sIsIsrxR.
/ No man can do more to correct erroneous popu-
lar notions in regard 70 European affairs generally
than Mr.. GREELEY, editor Of the New York Iri-
buae, il he will publish in full in that widely-circu
lated and influential journal the impressions made
upon him by actual observation Of England, France
Italy, and the other countries he may visit. Mr..
GREELEY, as is well known, is rather crotchetty
and opinionated. We might without injustice,
perhaps, charge him with proneness to dogma
tize and to insist that every thing that does not
square precisely with his peculiar notions s neces-
sarily wrong. His published letters show that he
has not yet succeeded in freeing himself altogether
from this besetting sin, but they betoken marked
improvement His opinions Of matters and things
in Europe become more subdued and less pro.
nounced as he sees more of that continent. He
evidently begins TO distrust the soundness of some
Of his preconceived notions, and we should not be
surprised if he returned home doubling whether So
cialism, or institutions, or mere organism of any
kind, could effect the regeneration he has so much
at heart. The following extract from one of his
recent letters illustrates the change in his mind, and
is in striking contrast with much of the former
teaching of the Tribune, while it very honorably
displays the writer's acuteness of observation and
manly righteousness in declaring his opinions.
Prince METTERNIcH uttered sarcasm and enun-
ciated truth when he declared that Italy was but
a geographical term.
Mr.. GREELEY would hardly have written before
he left home what he says in this letter about the
inef6ciency of Peace Congresses; and we are glad
to see him SO fully recognising the efficacy of good
honest pluck, Of the old Teutonic kind, and down
right physical force. Moral courage and mental
suasion, about which we have so much cant now-a-
days, are very good themes for the defamation of
gentlemen in white neckcloths al Peace Congresses,
but very few truly great, national, and permanent
reforms have ever been achieved without the letting
of blood. The very best missionary is a soldier
armed to the teeth. Since civilization has been
known on earth, or from the days Of the old con-
quering Egyptians, and the Exodus of the Jews
and the conquest of Canaan, no nation or people
has been rescued from barbarsm and raised in the
moral and intellectual scale, except in cases where
the way was first opened for the messenger of
peace by red-handed war; War is aterrible thing.
1t spreads havoc and desolation, moral and phys-
cal, wherever it goes, but from burning towns and
cities and ensanguned batte-felds have sprung the
glorious fruits Of art science, law peace, order,
and religion. The man would be mad or despe-
rately wicked who would recklessly involve coun-
try and people in war that these results might
come, for they are not certain, and too many wars
have left only wretchedness and ruin in their train.
But there are many worse things in this world than
honorable war, and for an oppressed people there
seems no other resource. But we will not detain
the reader from Mr.. GREELEY:
"THE IrAI1ASs.-I leave Italy with less sanguine
hope Of her speedy Liberation than brought into it. The
day Of her regeneration come but the obs aces are
many and formidable. Most papable among these Is an in
sane spirit Of local Jealousy and rivalry only paraleled by the
Corkonan and sFardown feud among the Irish. Genoa
is jealous Of Turin Turin Of Milan Florence Of Leghon
and 50 on Italy free republic to-day, there would
be fierce quarrel. and fear divon the question Of
locating is metropolis Rome would consider herself the
natural and prescrpve capital Naples would urge her
cessbe position, unrvsed beauty, and ascendency in popu
laton Florence her central and heathfu location Genoa
her extensive and unshsken devotion republican
freedom, &c. And should hardly DO surprised zee some
of these chagrned by adverse decision leagung with
foreign dpos to the sway Of the stronger by way Of
avengng their fancied wrongs!
And il is too true that ages Of subjugaiion have demo
rallied to fearful extent the Italian people. Those who
would rather beg, extor pander to Others vice than
honestly work for living will do any thing for free
dom; and such deplorably abundant in Italy. Them
like most nations debased by Of slavery these people
have he faith in each other The proverb that No Italian
has two friends Of italian origin. Every fears that
bis confederate may prove traitor and If one is heard openly
cursng the Government oppressive and inolerable in
cafe other public resort though the sentiment is heartily
responded to, the suspected and avoided police
stoopgeon and spy. Such mutual dstrust necessarily
atss accompanies lack Of moral courage There brave
and noble Italians, but the majority neither brave
NOBLE There gallant spirits who joyfuly poured
their blood for freedom 10 lS4s9 but Of those
who wished well the liberal took precious good
keep their Of the reach Of Austrian French
bullets. Even in Rome, where next TO Venice, the
ced,abe resistance made desposm the greater part
Of the actual fighting done by Italians indeed but
gees from Lombardy Tuscany and other parts Of Italy
Had the Romans who heartily desired the maintenance Of the
Republic shown their faith by their works. Naples would
have been promptly revoluonisd, and the French driven
back their ships On this point have the testimony
eyewitness of diverse sentiments AMI Of unmpeschabe
character. Rome il heartily republican to-day but doubt
whether three effective regiments could be raised from her
large native population fight single fair battle which
decide Tho fate of Italy So with the whole country
cep Piedmont and perhaps Genoa and Venice. wish the
fact were otherwise but there be 10 Disgusting
misssting it. Italy not merely enslaved but debased
and not till after years Of freedom will the Of her people
evince consistently the spirit the bearing Of feeen. She
bs freed through the progress Of liberal ideas 10 France
and Germany, not by her inherent energies Not till
her have learned TO look cooy down the hros
f loaded and hostile in fair daylight and be little
Hess handy with their knives In the dark they be relied
bn do any thing for the general Of freedom.