The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-02-22
The Condition Of Italy.


crosses.
The Condition of Italy.
Italy, like Germany, is a name used to
represent portion of Europe inhabited by
a particular race speaking the same language
yet wanting in unity of government In
both cases q national solidarity" is alike
sighed for. Both races have, respectively, q
certain Though by no means pertect) con-
munity of interest, custom, culture, and as
piration, each within its own limits, which
renders consolidation extremely natural and
desirable. Each people has within itself
strongly developed inclinations and yearn-
ings towards more liberal Institutions, in
order to the elevation and progress Of the
masses. And in both these regions, rich IN
historical memories, and in the triumphs of
arms, arts, and letters, in the far-otf old times
and in the living present, there exists conse-
quent revolutionary elements, repressed
only by strong handed despotisms, and not
always to be thus depressed These impul
ses, despite all the devices and deceits OF ar
rogant, soyergns and conspiring aristoera-
cies have steadily gained strength, and it
needs no over sanguine faith in human ad-
vancement to believe they cannot always be
overborne
Our present purpose is to inquire into the
actual political condition Of things of course
in the merest outlne-on the Italian PENN
sula. We can do little more, in a brief ar
ticle, than to set forth the manner in, which
this ideal nationality struggling to become
actual and clearly ordained Tin the nature
of thlngs) to become practically embodied
is now existing in fragments; as Well as I'M
der what sort OF ruie, and with what real
tendencies toward cohesion and consenueut
regeneration, it is now kept in check
Singularly, almost every form and decree
OF political Development from the little re-
public of San Marine to the absolutism of
Naples and the crushing foreign denomina-
tons exercised over Lombardy and Venice.
are now existent on this Peninsula.
Descending the Southern slape Of the A ms,
| towards tine shores OF the Mediterranean. Won
come upon Piedmont, which with the Island
of Sardinia, constitutes the kingdom named
from the latter. Politically, this is the only
bright and hopeful spot in all Italy, as at
present organized Constitutional liberty
is here not only recognized, but practically
reigns, under the benefcent administration
| of King Victor Emanuel H. The government
of SARDINIA is perhaps the true model, the
brightest type which rational reformers
will at present seek for the Italian race
inaugurated in its present liberal form
under the auspices OF the noble and patriotic
Charles Albert, whose early death was a
severe blow to the hopes OF tile ideal nation
which fondly imagined he was to be both it's
dellyerer and head this government has done
much Tor Its immediate people during the
past ten years, and fully justified its right to
be the nucleus OF the coming regeneration
This Is what is now expected of SARDINIA,
among the friends of Italian emancipation.
The entire territory of this little kingdom is
less than three fourths as large as that of
the State of Ohio and had in 1857, a popu-
laton of ), l67, 542.
From Piedmont, with it's notable CAPITAL
Turin, in the interior, and its famous sea
port OF GENOA. you cross the Apprentices
eastward towards the Adratic, and come
upon the beautiful plains OF Lombardy-
liere is Milan, one Of the chief cities OF
Italy, and always an Important part in the
latter wars of Europe On the north ,yes-
tern angle of the Adriatic--opposite the rap
idly increasing port of Trieste on the east
ern side--is the once iliustrious maritime
city OF Venice, now yielding her power to her
| Austrian rival over the way as she has her
| independence to the Austrian don, nation.
This northwestern portion of Italy, extend.
ing to the river Po, (Which comes from
Piedmont through gorge ofthe Appenn;nes
| to end its course in the Adriatic arm of tho
! great sea- is known as the Lombardo Nene-
tan kingdom Here Austria rules with a
pitiless despotism. Milan is the head quar-
tiers of n large military force, without which
the people would be kept in subsection for a
| day, and in spite of which, outbreaks were
recently thought to be imminent, and are
still dreaded. They are vet expected in fact,
at no remote day Into the details of this
crushing despotism, this cruel usurpation ON
the bart OF a foreign nation, of totally diff
| ferent race, speaking 4 tongue, even, that
has no Italian atlaitcs, and planting its iron
| heel here, only the better to be able to exer-
else It's domineering sway over the Pope
and the peninsula IN general, we cannot now
enter. This is an incubus that must and
will be tarown of. Every connection in
4 Italy contemplates this result The recent
assurances OF tile King OF Sardinia-pIacing
/ him really, or AZ least in the hopes of his
! eountrymen, in the position of his predeces-
] sor, CHARLES ALBERT, as the head and sup
! port Of Italian nationality to this end,
! The alliance between Napoleon and Victor
Emanuel, is believed to have this ultimate
purpose, at least in the mind Of the latter.
West OF the Appearances, and extending
/ from Piedmont TO the States of the Church,
is the Duchy- OF Tuscany, with its renowned
capital, opu,ent in all the arts,--Florence.
The Grand Duke, Leopold H., is an absolute
monarch, under Austrian influence, and hos
tile to reform or progress His territory ia
about one-tourth us large as that of the Sar-
dinian Kingdom, with population, in 1858,
OF l. t93,9o The states Of the Church ems-
brace Territory Of I7,04s square miles,
with population Of 3, l24,66s The govern
inent under the Pope, is of the most absolute
sort, and is under an Austrian terrorism
between Francis Joseph of Austria, and Plus
tie Ninth, there are the closest relations
the latter being really dependent in all but
the mere spiritual power, and very can pla-
cett in its exercise OF that The little reuub-
lie OF San Marine, even, with its 5000 in
habitants, in an Appennine valley, is now
under Papal protectorate. Parma, Modena
and Massa, Duchies north Of the church ter
Story on the Adriatic side OF the mountains.
are under absolutist rulers, who dare not Of
feDd Austria, and who care nothing for free
dom among the people, except carefully to
hide the appearance of so hated n thing
Oppression and discomfort are the rule here
as elsewhere Together, these last named
duchies have an AREA of 4,26I square miles,
and q population of ,l04,347
Then in the South, we have the kingdom
Of the Two Sicilies, under the absolute sway
ofillfamed king HONDA, or Ferdinand H.,
as he choose to call himself This embraces
the Southern part Of the peninsula, Including
the city Of Naples and the islands Of Sicily.