Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-04-19
Political Regeneration of Italy.

Political Regeneration of Italy.
II there be one political fact more certain
than another, it is that there can be no peace fo
Europe, no progress for Italy, so long as eithe
Austrian dominion or Austrian influence re
mains in any portion of that Peninsula. The
detestation of the "Tedesco" is not curablt
malady. 1t is an antipathy of race. 1t il
felt in every municipality. 1t beats a
vehemently in the bosom of the mos
moderate Italian patriot as in that of the
most fana:ical republican. Mazzini anC
Manin on this subject use no stronger Ian
guage than Farini and Azeglio. Foreign
domination may be maintained there, but i
must be maintained by the bayonet. 1t vii
be a military Occupation" not an established
rule. As long as a single Austrian or semi
Austrian soldier remains there, rebellion and
CONSPIRACY will be chronic. No mitigation o.
des, ,,otism, no introduction of free institutions
(even were such possible), will make any
diffehnce in this feeling or this fact. What
is wanted, what is desired, is not liberty fol
the Italians, but independence for Italy
Austria must therefore resign Lombardy, and
with her retirement thence will end her con-
troll over the other Italian States, and hel
power to sustain the arbitrary and brutal
tyranny of the Italian thrones. Italy must
again become a country, and free country,
in soms form or other-in what form We. will
not - f9,l19lscusssr -fhc -consfdefarf5n would
lead us into details for which we have at
present neither time nor space but if once
the Austrians were removed from the PENN
sula, never to return, solution of the prob
lem would, we believe, be neither difficult
nor long.-North British Revies0.
L We havesoften indulged the hope that
some day we might see Italy. To us it is a
aream-land, full of fairy scenery; and, we
confess, we dislike to have the spell broken
by ill-natured travellers who describe the
degeneracy and imbecility of the people
Napoleon said he could find but two men in
Italy; while GOLDSMITH hundred years ago,
and KIRwAE, two years ago, have both given
picture of hopeless decay. But we remem-
Der, early in life, to have read the history of
the American Revolution by BoTrA, an Italian
scholar and patriot, and which was, in its day,
considered powerful production. We
thought then, and think yet, that a nation
which could produce an author, so inlbued
with the spirit of freedom and heroism, ought
never to be despaired of. Half century has
passed since the time of BoTTA, and many
things have happened partly to confirm, part
ly to destroy our convictions. In an evil hour,
according to one of her own poets, Italy was
gifted by nature with the fatal boon of beauty,
and he pathetieally exclaims that if she had
less of beauty and more of power, foreign
legions woull not insolently despoil her fertile
plains.
No one denies that Italy is the country
of art, and the seat of varied learning; or that
the world owes to her sons many of the most
valuable discoveries; to Gallieo the telescope
and pendulum, to Toricelli the barometer.
to Salvino the use ofspectacles, to Galvani and
Volta the laws of magnetism. But all these
things are but faint indications of the condi-
ton of the masses, or of their capacity for
self-goverment
GOLDSMITH evidently thought that the
Italian of mis- age was not capable of regen-
Grafton. Here is part of his description
'sCould natures bounty satisfy the breast
The OF Italy were surely biest
But small the bliss that sense alone bestows
And sensual bliss Is all the nation knows.
In horid beauty groves and fields appear,
Man seems the only grow IN that d~indies here
Each nober aim, repressed by long control,
Now sinks al last, or feebly mans the soul;
Whil&1Dv delights, succeeding fast behind,
In happier meanness occupy the mind-''
Whether this description was true, when
written, we know not we are confident it Is
a very exaggerated estimate now. LANG, in
his Notes Of Traveller, testiies that there is
considerable education among the people in
Italy, love of improvement, and no want Of
self-respect. Many of her burghers and peas
antry are ripe for freedom, because conscious
of their political degradation. In despite of
the enervating efforts of her voluptuous eli
mate; in despite of the baneful fruitfulness Of
the olive which furnishes the Italian with all
he wants, without the necessity Of labor; in
despite of the entire unfitness of her streams
for mills or factories; in despite of the physi-
cal malaria of her marshes, and the more dire
full moral malaria of her superstitions, We are
hopeful of Italy.
A glance at the map will show that Italy
ought to be one and indivisable. by water
and mountains she is completely separated
from all other lands. One language, one re-
hgion, and a race, with local varieties, but
essentially the same in origin, taste and habits,
would seem to make one nation. But it is
not so. For ageS Italy has been broken into
fragments and the prey Of foreigners. To
form one consolidated Italian nationality was
favorite scheme with Napoleon but he
never carried it into execution. Can it ever
be accomplished is question of great inter
est to us as we'll as to themselves; for, in the
language of our eloquent historian, "All
men are brothers and bondsmen for one an
other. All nations, too, are brothers, and each
is responsible for that federative humanity
which puts the ban of exclusion on nome"
Let us hope that, at no distant day, some
accomplished American, in requital for the
labors of BoTTA, may have to record the his
tory of Italian independence. May his theme
be equally glorious.
The Execution of Estrampes.
Latest advices from Havana state that mar
tial law is still in force there, and that every
department of business is paralyzed, while th'
people go about with most gloomy and des
pairing faces. The execution of Estrampe'
is thus narrated in letter to the N. Y. Times
dated Havana, March 21st:
"The creole, Francisco Estrampes, who wa
a citizen Of the United States, perished upoI
the garrote scaffold this morning at z O'Clock
The hope entertained that the United State
Consul would save his life has been idle
No respect has been paid, either to the pro
visions of the treaty or the request of MI
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