Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-11-05
MOnntairt democrat,
LETTER IRON WILD mIsHKAN."
IpLEvlLLa, Oct 80. 1859.

never been the disposition or practice Of Kings.
II is easily accounted for being removed from
the spheres Of ordinary mOrtals, they are
equally removed from the orbit Of common
sense If this were not so, history would not
be mere chronicle Of warfare. Kings review
with state, large and we'll appointed armies !;
their feelings swell with accumulated pride a.
they reflect that ell this might and power are
Swnyed at their command. Prompted by fawn-
ing parasites and with the selfish egotiSm pc
CuIiar to their nature and educatiOn-fceling
their own dignity embodied there, they deem
their forces lnvincible, and are incredibly as
tonished and mortified at their defeat We
have seen an example Of this in our own time.
We have seen that magnificent organization,
the innumerablc lcgions that grid the throne
and dOlninions Of the naughty lIapsburg,
hurled against the battalionS Of France Their
velocity was strong and terrible, yet Francis
Joseph, from his watch-tower beheld their de-
feat, and with the imbecility Of passion or
weakness-cricd. Not 80 weak, but more
gloomy, morose and dissatisfied, was Louis XII
Of France, when he found that ell his mighty
expeditions we're vain, and his armies unable
to keep the NcapOlitan crown on his head
lie shut himself up in his palace, and for long
time refused access to every one, and wreaked
also petty revenge on his unfortunate SOL
dicrM
Louis, though being little more spirited,
was little wiser than the average Of Kings
at all events, he rcapcd little wisdom from his
previous campaigns Still holding the Mi
lancsc, the next connection Of Louis with Ital-
ian affairs, was his being party to the league
of bray,-anothcr specimen Of Monarch
ical virtue. The object Of 1t was the partition
Of the proud and prosperous Republic OfVcn-
"a Nk,o
.I,eror Ma xihiiiats, Ferdinand Of AFageR- and
Pope julius II. Louis, filed with chagrin on
account of late defeats, willingly adopted
the prosecution of tho project lie again
crossed the Alps in 1909 at the head Of an
Ovcrpowering army, attended with the same
results AZ his first expedition, bearing down
every thing before him and by the battle Of
Agmadel, at once Inundated Venice, and de-
cidcd the fate Of nc war. Then the warlike
PontiH Julius, who had been mainly inStru.
mental ia forming the league against now
Joined Venice 70 cxpcl the barbaTian& v
Ferdinand Of AragOn soon followed suit and
they with Venice formed what Is known in
history a. the Holy League. In 1912 France
entered the field against the armies Of the al.
lies with formidable army, commanded by
that remarkable character, Castor de Folk,
who. though but twenty-five years OF age, ex-
hibited to perfection the qualities Of great
commander His brief but brilliant career
gained for him the appcllatiDn Of the "Thun.
dcrbOt Of Italy" In few months he achieved
such results AZ served 10 (orcshndow the COM
plctc triumph Of the French, and cause the
allies to tremble for their safety. Having re-
licved Bologna, aad defeated the Venitan ar
Iny under the walls Of BrcSciA he brought the
allies to halt before the walls Of Ravrnna.-
II.Fo hia hriOhf and q te
atcd; for in this, the blOOdicst battle Of the
century, in which twenty Thousand men were
slain, the French we're victorious. but In the
death Of their young and gifted General. their
victory was worse than defeat; tor in losing
him they became diShcartcnch and disOrgan.
lied, and like the British from Salamanca, re-
tired from the scene Of their victory. Being
reinforced sometime after this, they we're de-
fcatcd at the battle Of Novarra, and again at
la Motta in 1913, and were driven once more
beyond the mountains, having to abandon all
their conqucStS in Northern Italy aud in this
manner ended Louis MI designs on Italy,
Death SOom after frustrated all his schemes Of
cOnqrSt and ambition.
History may DC q pleasant pastimc, II can
never be q profitable study" said the brilliant
D'Isracli. Francis would have admired, if
not believed this unphilosophic doctrine lie
succeeded Louis and succeeded him also in
hunting laurcls and crows in Italy. 1t seemed
in this era AZ il each French Monarch felt it
was his destiny to add TO the glory Of France,
by atOning for the blunders and disasters Of
previous Italian expeditions
On the accession Of Francis he sent one Of
q series Of expeditions to Italy for the recov-
cry Of the MilaneSe; but he found in Charles
v, Emperor Of Germany and King Of Spain,
an opponent and competitor too powerful for
him. as well in energy and ability as territorial
influence The star Of Austria-the Spanish
blood and influence, was in the ASCENDANT
that Of France was on the wanc. France ut
any time is no mean enemy and Francis was
not disposed to submit taNcly TO the superior
power Of Charles. This fierce contention or
struggle for the mastery, was not confined 70
Italy alone, but ragged through the fairest prov
inces Of Europe. Francis failed, however, in
gaining any large or permanent accessiOns to
his dOminionG In Italy, he failed in his pre-
Tcntions to the Milancse, notwithstanding his
efforts in that direction scarcely had any ces-
satiOn during period OF nearly thirty years.
From this period, until the reign Of Louis XIII,
the Imperial power Of the AustriAns in Italy
was scarcely questioned by France. Louis
which France has welded in that country in
1nodern times, BY commencing war in 1929,
against the Emperor, King Of Spain and Duke
of Savoy, in favor Of the DHke Of Ncvers TO
tho territory Of Mantua, and with so much
success, that in 1881, by the treaty Of CHER
Assoc, the Duke finally took possession Of that
territory.
The Italian wars of Louis XIV arc full OF
interest; and the record Of them furnishes US
with accounts Of many glorious victories, but
from which nothing sprang permanently ben
fetal to France. The cOmbattants were usual
ly the French and Impcrialists. The Austrian
manages somehow to get beat, and yet retain
his possessions. In these wars the celebrated
Irish Brigade" first became historical. The
reader will remember the period, that Of the
flight Of James II, and the election Of William
Ill to the throne Of England. Those Irish
troops who fought for the fortunes Of that
dwelling representative Of worthless race
after his overthrow, sailed for France and en-
teredthe French service a. q distinct arm Of it
When Savoy (then Duchy, now the kingdom
of Sardinia,) and the Emperor became parties
TO the league Of Augsburg, Louis dispatched
an army Of l8, 900 men under the command Of
Catinct, to Italy; and Of these, Mountcashel's
brigade formed q third.
In 1890, the French defeated the allies com.
'Manded by the Duke Of Savoy and Prince
Eugene, at Staffardo; and again in 1893 at
Marsglia, with loss Of 5000 men. In 1895,
Savoy Joined France and both forces laid siege
to Valenxa, in North Italy. In 1902, in the
.o~uco~1f Nhts vrue onn~-SI ~. r