Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-05-31
The Italian Question.

The May number of Blackwood's Magazine,
published in this country by Messrs. L. Scott
Co., of New York, contains, among other lnter,
esting articles, the most satisfactory account OF
the difficulty between Sardinia and Austria we
have vet met with. To our surprise, Blackwooo'
notwithstanding IT'S high tory and conservative
bias. espouses the liberal side of the controversy.
Il saws Austria has thurst herself into nearly oil
of the Italian States, having become absolute
ruler of almost all Italy, keeping Sardinia 10 1"
continual state of apprehension, and competing
her TO remain armed at an expense beyond her
ability 70 bear. In word, the course OF Aus
tris is condemned throughout, and that OF Ssr-
DINA fully approved.
The writer has no doubt that Count Cavour'
the Sandman Minister and the ablest Italian
statesman of his day, reluctantly placed the lot
of his country in the hands of the despotlc oo7-
ereign of France. He actually shed tears OF
grief it is said at the failure of all his efforts 10
induce the English Government to take etfectuai
action in behalf of Italy, and finally, as las1 re-
sort, turned to France for assistance. various
motives are assigned for the course OF Louis Na'
poleon in taking sides with Sardinia. In tue
first place there are not wanting grounds for
suspicion that he considers war aud conquest 10
dispensable to the maintenance OF his dynasty
He is also thought to be ambitious OF military
distinction. Moreover, the different attempts 10
assassinsts him, and which have been persisted
IN pnder suoh desperate circumstances, have all
been made by Italians, who have heretofore re-
parded him as one of their oppressors; and bis
personal danger is q strong incentive TO nun 70
strive for such changes as might satisfy the ltai-
ians. and disarm that class of them which Ill
treatment and loss of hope convert into assas'
sins. That this should be one OF the Emperor
motives is not surprising, but it is curious re-
faction that the lives of thousands OF human De-
ipgs may be sacrificed to give safety to the ex-
istence of one man. Lastly, the marriage OF
Prince Napoleon, the cousin OF the emperor,
with the daughter of the King of Sardinia, was
not consequence of the alliance, but rather one
of the conditions on which France engaged her'
self.
Of the King of Sardinia, the writer says that
men act most frequently from mixed motives
Victor Emanuel may feel sympathy and com
passion for the oppressed States of Italy, but
probably even his most ardent friends and sup
porters do not believe that he is not, in some
measure, urged on by ambition.
The war which has now commenced, promis-
es, in the opinion of the writer, to be the most
tremendous and sanguinary the world has wit
messed. Eylau, Borodino, Leipzig, Waterloo, re-
call scenes of dreadful carnage; but II we De
doomed in our day to see great battles like those
they will be more terrible BY the raPidity OF the
destruction. Even since the Crimean war, the
srt of destruction, which then appeared to have
reached a fatal perfection, has made further
strides. To the names of MIME and Enfield Is
now to be added that of Armstrong; and BAT
tie now, with hundred thousand determined
soldiers on each side, would be the most fright
full butchery, within short space of time, ever
yet beheld.
The conclusion to which the writer comes is
that Austria should be compelled to retire with
in her own limits, and forbidden, under pain of
the displeasure and armed Intervention OF the
four other great powers, to send single soldier
across her Italian frontier. There can be no
question that the chief grief and evil of Italy are
the presence and influence of the Austrians