Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-04-09

learn any interesting peculiarltles OF their
judicial or professional manners. Accurtus,
sometimes called the idol of lawyers, as well
as many other distinguished iurists, was IL ma
tive of Florence and the Florcntnes are al.
most as proud Of their distinction in iuris
prudence as in other departments of intel
lcctual cmincpcc Ignorant of the details of
their juridical history when entered Tus-
cany, shall be no less SO when leave it,
having had neither time or opportunity to
devote to it,
The Tuscans have felt the impulses of
modern progress so much as to do something
in the way of Rail Roads Besides the rail
roads from Florence to Leghorn and to Lucca,
there is also rail road from Florence to
Pistoja, which would have formed part of
my route north, but unfortunately it was in
a state OF syncopc, or death for aught know,
| accordingly had to rely upon the comfort
able but rather slow and numbering diligcnces.
The progress Of rail roads in Italy has been
slow. 1t is nevertheless progress, and they
will in time connect all the principal points
of the peninsula. This cannot fail TO come
rom the striking evidences Of prosperity
which are seen wherever they are in opera
ton, like the frcshcr and moro luxurant
green that we see in the meadows and pas
lures where little springs and streams keep
the earth fresh and watcred. From Turin to
Genoa from Venice to Verona from Flor
encc to Lcghorn, and 1ucca, to Siena and to
Pistoja from Naples to Carua and to Cas-
tellamarc-all Of them have a fertilizing eff
feet upon their respective localities, and the
time cannot be long distant, when these,
which are now only the beginnings of Rail
| roads, will h, pushed forward till they be-
come a connected web of Italian Railroads,
carrying commercial prosperity and activity
to almost every part of Italy. There is not
mile of Railroad in the Territories of the
Pope. 1t has been said that His Holiness
will not permit these modern highways of
progress to penetrate his sacred and stagnant
dominions, and let in the prolanc light of i'm
provcment. This may be 50 but, doubtless,
he will ultimately yield. bought copy Of
the " Charivari," in which q satirical
1eu d'esprH, of a column, was devoted to this
subject, in which the Pope was represented as
communicating and matchmaking Rail-
roads as pestilent and never to be tolerated
agents and contrivanccs of the Dcvil-apply-
to them and their fire and smoke and engines
&c. &c, in detail, all the malclictons in the
communicating formulary Of Emulphus, us
read by DR.. Slop to Mr.. Shandy and Uncle
Toby, and which will not attempt to repeat
here. The paper was taken from me by
Custom-house officer, and, trusting only to
my memory and the original anathcma,
should only make that dull and proflnc,
which in the " Charivari - was neither
but was readable and infinitely amusing, for
tho purgency and severity Of its good-natured
satire. and for the attic and aromatic flavor
Of its ingenious and vivacious witticisms.
was vexed Mt the loss of the paper after it
was too late to get another, for | intended TO
XIV tliN hiblNi' W Npu uiNiI'' us iivliil'Fo
may object and even anathcmatizo the Rail
road, but it will not be long before the Loco
motive will answer him with " Phizz, phizz,
phzz, phlt "'-ae it rutfs its smoke and steam
in his face, in the sacred purlieus Of the Vat
lean. None Of the other Italian. Railroads sur
pass or even equal those Of Sardinia in activity
and thrift. The example Of that soni-horot-
ical kingdom will, however, have no force with
the sacred college Of Cardinals, but one would
think that even they might encourage n
permit, in the Popc'S dominions, what the
bigoted Grand Duke Of Tuscany and the En-.
peror OF Austria tolerate in their Italian do
minions. 1t was doubtless the revolution Of
1850 that turned the heart Of his Holiness
against al reform Without that and left
to himself when he assumed the pontifcate,
do not doubt that he would have given an
inclination II his policy and a tendency in his
measures which before this would have in
troduced slowly indeed, but surely, many
reforms, and might have permanently libcr-
allied the italian mind in matters of Church
as well as Of State. 1t was probably the
apprehension Of this which forced around
him and compelled him to accept counsallols
who poisoned his mind and warped and per
verted his Judgment till all hope of improve
ment under him was cxtingushcd, and thus
rebellion, assassination and revolution drove
him into exile and overthrow his govern
mcnt. lie returned to his government but
not to his power. Ills temporal power re-
ceived great shock in that revolution. its.lf
but greater in the foreign surveillance
which has followed his restoration. 1t took
ages to build up that power to its culminat-
ing point-ages more have wasted away in
reducing it to its present condition, and let
no one be impatient, if it takes still ages
more to cxtinguish it. Its fall seems 10 be
inevitable. Rairoa DIS will not hasten it. but
they will bring upon the stage men and sys-
tens Of thought and action better adapted 10
receive and perrctuate the new order Of
things, when the Pope shall lay aside lis
temporal sovereignty, and rendering unto
Cesar the things which arc Cnsar's, shall.
with all his priests, pay that tribute of oLcdi-
encc to the State in secular things which is
so abundantly taught in the Holy Scriptures.
Yours, f. &.
IMPORTANT DECISION. The New York Court
of Appeals decided recently. in suit grow,