The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-28

Sandman Plenipotentaries at Paris had invited the
attention of the allies to the state of Italy and that
not content with general expressions in favor OF
better government, they had proposed a definite
course Of faction, which was said to be viewed with
no dsfayor by the Western Powers. The frat :.
to any improvement of Italv m acco,a;, osst
the Sardin;ans an Interference to check the mis0o
yernment OF the papal States and as alternately
the effect and cause OF such msgovernment a be ID
the occupation Of Italian territory by foreign troops
it was the duty of the Conference to devise m,lns o
bringingto close the military rule which has now
Torso many years taken the PLACE Of mlni,ipll law
The note presented by the Sandman Pienipotentia
res to the Ministers Of France and Eoglaud on the
I'm March IS now made public and the world may
Papal Legations, which is the first article in the
Sandman programme. The history OF these bro.
vlnces during the last sixty years is well known,
ana Is the natural result Of their geographical posi-
amia the decline Of Italy and the general want OF
vitality il Europe, preserved something of tie spirit
which better age had nourished. In no part of
Italy was there more independence of clerical
liberty of action and conscience, which then
began to be discussed in Europe. Although
part Of the patrimony, of the church, they en-
tTation, their own franchises as iegitmasey so
verned province, and looked down with something
like contempt ON the populace Of Rome or Naples
Tho were at the mercy of priests or women The
that time, the army of Bonaparte was received
with enthusiasm, and that the Legations as part
OF the Republic and Kingdom of Italy, were fa h.
years. The new French code, the dissolution of
numerous monasteries, the construction of roads,
and the encouragement of commerce, science, aud
art developed the resources Of the country in spite
OF great and unceasing wars. But Napoleon FELL
and the Legations were once more without q
master Such prize was naturally coveted by the
empire which , had with such obstinacy, through
of the French ruler. The other Cabinets were
unwilling to grant to Austria such an extension Of
territory The Court Of Rome, with characteristic
skill, took advantage of the mutual jealousy. After
the battle of Waterloo the Legations were formally
re.annexed to the Papal State
But the politicians of Vienna were not men to
respect the rights Of weak province. In old
Europe there was number OF small commune
ties preserving from earlier times free govern
ment under the sanction of public law and trea.
ties, which even the greatest soyereigns
and the Congress were determined never to restore
them. The republics of the Netherlands, of
Venice, OF Genoa, were given up to the purest and
most unlimited monarcheal rule, many free city
in Germany was Incorporated with the dominions
OF the repossessed ngs, and the Legations were
now made Papal as Rome itself. In some parts Of
Europe, as the Rhea III and Belgian. provinces, the
code Napoleon was nrmitted to retain its place; but
no such weakness was to be expected of Roman
priests, supported, they soon became conscious,
by Austrian bayonets. Law, commerce, even do
mestic freedom, soon vanished, and were succeeded
by priestly rule spiritual rescrpts, spies, arrests
tumuts, and finally by an Austrian occupation.
Since the restitution of these provinces to Rome 40
years have elapsed. In this period the Austrians
have held military possession Of the country no less
than twenty-four years. Three times the sovereign
ty of the Pope has been repudated by his subjects
Three times the instruction has been put down
country has borne all the ills that a foreign in
vasion brings with it. The last occupation began
in l849, and still continues. So deplorabIe was the
condition of the legations ten years SINCE that Plus
*, who had been Bishop of 1mola, found it neces-
sary at his accession to attempt reforms. But
the revolutions OF l648 dispersed forever any liberal
ideas which the weak prelate had ever conceived.
The successes of Radetzky and the general ebb of
the revolutionary tide brought the Austrans across
the Po and for seven years they have lived at free
quarters in the unhappy province. Much is said
about the progress of humanity, but there still
seem parts of Europe where there is not only re-
latve but an absolute retrogression The condi-
ton of the Legations causes their inhabitants to
look with envy on ages which are pas. and gone.
down any punishment on an Austrian officer from
his supeIiors. No claim Of justice insures the re-
dress of an Italians wrongs when his opponent is
an Austrian who has influence with the commandant
OF the district. The regular functionares-
ly priests or their nominees-are bad enough, but
even their slow and inefficient administration is fur
ther Kindred by the fear of offending the lmperous
foreigner, who can put down and set up officials at
his pleasure. But from the wrongs of race we may
pass to the general interests OF Europe The Papal
States are occupied by the armies of two great
Powers. As the Sandman Pienipotentares OBJ
serve, France replied to the second Austrian inter-
venti0n by the occupation of Anc0na-t0 the third
by the taking of Rome. Foreign interference by
force Of arms tends to become the habitual state Of
things. peninsula the neutrality and independence
of which has been thought necessary to the safety of
Europe is the field on which two empires which
have been enemies and must always be rivals, dis
play their mutual distrust. It is for the interest of
nil cOu n1ipQt md md
to do the French government justice there seems to
be no objection on its part to the change.
Sardinia, therefore, adopts as its text an express
sion Of the French Emperor, who in writing of the
Papal States, proposed as the solution of the pro.
blem, secularizaton and the Code Napoleon. But,
say the Plenpotentiaries it is evident that the Court
of Rome will oppose to the last extremity, and with
all the in its power, the execution Of these two
designs. The Sardinans speak of the head of their
church pretty much in the terms which English writ
ers apply to Turkey and its ehete government Rome,
accepting civil and even political reforms, sure Of
rendering them illusory in practice. So convinced
is Sardinia of Papa obstnacy and cunning that it
does not even suggest the seeTIarizaton Of Rome
introduced into Rome itself where the edfce of the
Pope's temporal government has its foundations,
would cause 1t to fall by cutting away its principal
unprecedented privileges and can0nical law. For
the present, then, Europe must be content to see
reforms introduced into those parts that show them
selves less resigned to the clerical yoke, which is
burning torch Of insolence and corruption, which is
a pretext for the permanent occupation of the Aus
TRANS, excitcs diplomatic complications, and dis.
turbs the peace of Europe. If Rome is to remain
as she is at least her outlying provinces fit for,
and would welcome, achange.
1t only remains to mention the details of the Sar-
dinian scheme, which seems likely to give satisfac
ton to the inhabitants of the Legations without
ming the risk Of any disturbance to Europe. The
advocates Of the past may be glad to find that the
new plan proposes return, with some modifica-
tions, to the system which was in force before
the great revolution of 1889. 1t is proposed that
the provinces of the Roman States situated between
the Pc, the Adriatic, and the Apennines (from the
province Of Ancona to that of Ferrara), shall be
completely secularized for all purposes OF internal
government, though remaining subject to the high
dominion of the Papal See; the administrative or.
ganzation to be established was in the reign of
to be promulgated, with the requisite modifca-
tons. lay pontifcial vicar is to govern the