The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-07-24


commander, preferring to pursue their secret in
trigues with Russia, Austria, and Naples, in the
hope Of inducing those Powers shortly to relieve
the Eternal City Of their now hated presence by
force Of arms, If necessary Ii is certain that all
classes Of the Romans from the Holy Father and
his Council Of Cardinals to the Lazzaroni, hate
despise, and fear the French, with intensity and
bitterness never surpassed II matters not what
may be the Romans political predictions, ha-
tired TO the French garrison is evidently upper
most in his thoughts From all appearances, the
spirit Of the late revolution has departed from
the breasts Of all in Rome, and indeed through
out Italy, save the lower orders So already
that fair land seems, as before, to be without
people in the political sense Of the term From
the times Of the With Charles to Bonaparte's day,
there was no (politicsl people in Italy, except on
the occasion Of few outbursts against tyranny,
effecting them personally-such as the revolt Of
Massaniello lin l647) against the tax on vegeta-
bles, and Balillas resentment Of the Austrian
lash, at Genoa, in 1745. Indeed, they gave hard
ly any sign of political life even during the hur-
ricane Of the French revolution, which may be
said 10 have lasted from 1895 until 1914, except
when religious fanaticism aroused the popular
fury, as at Verona, in the Appennine districts and
in Calabria. Since 1914, the supposed interest
taken by the Pope's Government in the cause of
the nationality aroused the love of freedom in the
breasts Of the Italians, which exists and will con-
tnue to exist active or dormant in the breasts Of
all mankind Indeed, Plus TX himself sanctifed
revolution, as it were, in the pledges, promises,
and benedictions, which he Voluntarily put forth
on being elevated to the Popedom. But, as be-
fore remarked, subsequent prosecutions have
seemingly effectually crushed the sentiment in all
Italian breasts, save those of the lower orders,
who under the Notwithstanding of the church"
regard the stiletto as their rightful argument,
and dark night the fitting occasion for its en-
forcement
The anniversary of the battle of Waterloo has
recently been celebrated at London, giving the
usual annual occasion for eulogizing Wellington,
who, being in his SD year, has very evidently
lapsed into second childishness, his greatest de-
light now being found in hearing of statues raised
to him, engravings made Of him, orations preach
ed and written concerning him. The poor old
mans mind has not advanced with the progress
of the sge; Ior sot0dfrcs, It rs cerCaIn
that he is as hostile to everything French as
when he defeated Napoleon on the bloody field.
The old man seems never, by the by, to have
dreamed that he is not entitled to all the ques-
tionable glory Of that memorable engagement
that the fortitude and endurance of his host was
an important element of the victory, if not the
cause Of his success, as many military men con-
tend, in spite of his bungling strategy-super-
seding and compensating for his want Of it. 1t
strikes us that this annual glorifcltion is as out
of place in 1881 as O similar celebration of the
greatest boxing match recorded in Fistiana"
would be, Tom Crib and Dusty Bob" being
equally entitled with his grace, the Iron Duke, to
the proud honor of England's championship.
If an Euglshman lives to whom it is justly due
that man is Richard Golden, whose glorious vic
tory over the principle Of "divine right" or des-
potism, as involved in the overthrow of misnsmed
protection" is far more pregnant with blessings
for the human race than all the bloody triumphs
ever achieved with fire and sword The glory Of
|
rank in the estimation of educated men as hardly
above that Of the Ring" each being ont Of date
and if either "sport be revived, it will only be
in retrogression from the philanthropic promise
Of this age. We do not mean to convey the i'm
preston that wars are not again to occur neces-
sariy, but to assert that Peoples will not, and
Kings dare not, again enter on wars without good
and sufficient reasons. The reader may rely on
il, that the next important contest at arms is ~
be the final struggle between the two antagonist
principles at work on this Continent-might and
right-between the peoples and their masters to
be continued or renewed until it ends in the per.
manent triumph of liberty, binding together the
different European races by the glorious remem
brance of one common victory for the universal
cause of humanity cause well worthy of &C
great a triumph as the right is certainly des
tined to achieve.