, 1859-03-15
PRESS AND TRIBUNE,


The state Of Italy.
Since the great uproar Of 1s48, Italy has
been the bugbear and perpetual thorn Of
Austria. 1t haa been regarded By her and BY
all European defpotisms, as the centre Of
operations for Mazzlni, Ledru Rol1in and
their destructive associates A bitter hatred
Of Austris and tho German powers whom
they call "Tedcschi," pervadea tho whole
Of Italy, from Genoa to Palermo. The King
Of Naples alone among Italian potentate4,
cordially embraces the black and yellow
standard Of the Hspsburga. There ars two
popular parties in 1ta}y-:the National" and
the "constitutioaa1,'' so-called. Tbs pur-
pose OF the national element il to cousoli-
date tn Italian states under = Republican
government. The constitutionals zee their
saviour in the King Of Sardinia, and they are
eager for u revolution to overthrow the rule
Of strangers in the peninsula, and erect gov
ernment on the constitutional model Of that
kingdom.
The case Of the "Ca:liari," Sandman
steamer, whose capture by the Neapolitan
authorities is fresh in the memory Of the pub
lie, uncovered the loag concealed hatred Of
Sardinia against Austria. Francis Joseph
warmly espouEed the cause Of Bomba, and the
dif'cu1ty WAS settled in way to add further
bitterness to the feelings Of his adyersaries,
the Western powers. Shortly after this set-
Element Count Cavour, the Sandman premier,
made social visit to Plombiers, where his
French Majesty was resting in the bosom Of
his family from the tolls Of government.
Here, tits believed, measures we're considered
and q far as possible, matured for the pun
iehment Of Austria The latter, as is we'll
known, has = secure hold in the Lombardo-
Venltian kingdom, on Upper Italy, defended
by the strong fortresses Of Mantua, Petchiera,
Lcgnago and Verona-forming a square
which would be impregnabic in the face of
any ordinary atsailant So thoroughly have
the Austrians, under the direction of Radet-
zky and other able officers, fortified their Do
minlon in Italy, that Napoleon and Emman-
uel might possibly find stronger Sebastopol
In Lombardy than in the C1imca.
The particular grief, however, which stings
the French Emperor is the growing influence
Of Austria in the Papal States, where ii has
now acquired unquestioned supremacy. The
French commsndant at Rome lately proposed
to his Holiness The Pope, to tortify civita
Veccbia in certain way, which be was kind
enough to prescribe. The suggestion vas po-
litely but firmly declined. France then de-
manded Of Austria that DO troops should be
stationed to defend the Pope. Austria com.
piled with tie request 20 for ns to say she
would withdraw her garrisons whss France
withdre" hers--au arrangement which had
not been effected ut the latest dates.
The letters Of The unfortunate Orsiui, pub.
lished after bis death, arc helieycd to have
been fabricated by Napoleon, and to contain
true exposition Of his feelings and purposes
concerning Austrian domination IN Italy
namely, an appeal to the popular element,
and var Of expulsion. Not long since Mar
shal Castel1ane. in IN official report, called on
bis Majesty to find employment for his troops.
No anfWer was returned, but it is now cyi-
dent that Austria was quietly selected as food
Tor the uneasy bayones which support the
throne Of the Tuillcries. The Prince Napo
leon, combln alton Of the literary man and
professional gambler, with an extensive as
sortmcnt Of the gcntecl vices, happened to
want q wife, but bad been justly kicked ont
OF every European Court in which be had
sought partner Of his joys and sorrows. In
this emergency Victor Emanuel, Of Sardinia,
played the Deus CT machina, and traded llie
daughter Clotilde to tlc French debauchce-
OF course for consideration. This was oiear-
" no less titan the wrestling Of upper Italy
from Austrian clutches. and revision of the
map oi Europe. BY rresipitating war
agsllnst Austria, in behalf of Italian indie,
peadcnce, Napoleon employs his army,
draws the attention OF tue French away from
their own cnslavement, enlists tic masses of
1taly ln favor Of his Own family, gratihes his
sp'tes against Austria, and finally lays the
foundation Of dynasty Of his own o7cr Tue
Kingdom Of Italy, when Emanuel shall have
been succeeded by his daughter. (The Salic
Law which excludes females from the soycr-
lngty prevails in Sardinia.) The Emperor
holds out liberty aud reform as the bait for
Tue ltalians, proposing 10 relieve his Holiness
flus lA. from the burdens Of temporal 60
vcFnment, giving him Rome for homestead,
and bestowing upon Italy q nationality and a
mild, uniform, efficient government Tie
state Of thinge in Rome is rad indeed. The
Eternal City, once the scat Of civilization and
mistress Of the world, has made 10 sensible
progress fiuce the middle ages. Ignorance,
superstition and tyranny have born, their
fruit.
The rabble and beggars Of Italian cities
consist mainly Of those nho have been re-
duced from more prosperous circumstances,
and their descendants. The county popula-
lion, WHO arc far superior to the lxzaroni |
are hardly equal to the pca.antry Of Turkey. |
ihc absence or imbccillty OF the landed pre-
pfletors, the lmpossibi1lty Of the laborcr's Sc
qu1rlng m interest in The soil, and a 1nisera, |
Die agriculture without capital or system.
lave created state Of affatrs worse, if |
possible, than that Of ireland. The shoo]s
arc in the hands Of the JcEults, who teach
onlT the scholastic dogmas Of the middle
ascs. Tho progress Of three centuries of |
attainment has passed BY them un-
Needed. Hence. the educated young men Of |
Italy arc either whining sophists or sparling
Atheists, Tho bAve become acof7:rs at all re- |
lgion, merely because the Jcsuits tried to
prove to them tie existence Of God. The
common people can neither rcad nor write-
even the religious department Of their educa-
ion IL wholly neglected. Few indeed kaow
THAT their religion really il, as il sufficiently
indicated by the state Of morality throughout
The peninsula. sycophaucy, intrigue, perjury
Ind bribery are indigcnou. to The land and
Fou may buy judge or 8 priest anywhere
Tor a stated number of ttscudl."
These things arc not the fault Of Austria
but Of the Italians themselres-tleir nr;ests
md their rulers. The country las been stag.
aant eVer since the palmy days Of the NedioI
aer municipal States ha7e never chauced in
he party qaarrels Of Europe. Since Western
Rome was conquered, Italy has never been
unanimous, never free. Since Odoaccr over