The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-15
NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY AUGUST Is, 1859.

TMr Political Rsconstruction OF Itaiy-Thc
News by the Vanderbilt.
The Zurich conference, for the purpose OF eStab-
fishing and cementing the bases Of peace laid
down at villafranca, are on the eve Of being in.
augurated The three Powers engaged in the
late war are to be represented, but none other.
To the Marquis Of Bourqueney are to be confided
the interests Of France. Count Coloredo has
charge of the interests of Austria Sardinia is to
be represented by the Chevalier Desambrois
After the conferences shall have been closed, aud
arrangements made that will be mutually salts.
factory to the three Powers, the plan agreed upon
will be submitted to Congress Of the European
Powers.
The current Of feeling which set in 80 strong
against the Emperor Of the French when the
peace Of Vilafanca became known seems,
by the advices by the Vanderbilt, to have
| undergone q very considerable change since
additional facts have become known, and since
the sober second thought has had time to operate
on mems minds OF course the peace did not
| satisfy the ultra liberal or revolutionary party
with Mazzini at its head. Nothing less than the
overthrow Of all existing things would satisfy
them. But among the thinking conservative
classes Of people everywhere, the act of Napoleon
| In proposing and making peace receives full and
hearty commentator. Even in Italy, where the
first news of the peace was received with doubt
and discomfort, and where Insults were offered
to the French Emperor and nation they have
begun to take much more rational view of the
matter. Garibal6, whose high souled patriotism
none can question, expresses in an order of the
day HE and Italy's gratitude to the Em-
peror and to the valiant French nation
Ratazzi, the new Minister Of the Interior at
Turin in a despatch to the government func
tionaries of Sardinia, acknowledges the feelings
that bind the King and the country to the glo-
rious Emperor and The great nation over whose
des,inies be presides" At q grand municipal fra
termination which took place recently OF Parma
all honor was paid to France. The inhabitants Of
several Of the Italian cities have presented ad.
dresses OF gratitude to the French army. And,
finally, the ladies of Milan propose to pre-
sent to the Empress Of the French a marble
group, representing gratitude and hope. These
are indications of the sentiment of the Italian
people in regard to the gallant and efficient ser
vices Of their French allies.
But, it has been asked what has Italy gained
by the war? What has Austria lost by it
Italy has gained much-gained almost all
The! !1st the most enthusiastic partisan Of
war looked forward to-more than most
people expected she would gain. The kingdom
| of Lombardy has been won from Austrian domi-
nation, and goes to play its part in the future Of
free constitutional Italy. The princely puppets
that governed Tuscany, Modena Parma, and the
quasi viceroyaltes Of Austria, have been set
aside, and the people Of these duchies are now-as
Farini, the Sandman commissioner expresses
it-mssters of their own future, free, organized,
and armed. 1t is only in Venetia that the yoke
of the Austrian still presses; and even there the
movement for freedom is not ended for we see
that deputation of Venetians recently waited
on the French ambassador at Turin to deliver an
address to the Emperor, protesting against being
left under the dominion of Austria, whether direct
or indirect. This determination on the part of the
Venetians will not be without its due weight upon
the conferences at Zurich, though it is not to
be expected that it will have the effect of in
| ducing Austria to renounce her rights to We
! META.
This is what Italy has gained by the short but
sanguinary and decisive struggle in which
France lent her sword to freedom. And what
has Austria lost? Almost everything. She has
lost her great military prestige, which was worth
much to her in keeping together the incongru-
Gus masses that form her empire. She has lost
her fine province Of Lombardy. She has aban-
doned Ferrara and Comarchio, given her by
| the treaty Of Vienna and Plaissance, which she
had purchased from Parma, and fortified as a
stronghold, has dropped from her possession.
Tuscany and Modena and Parma, which were to
all intents and purposes dependencies of hers,
are tree from her control and influence In fact,
all that she had gained in italy for the last half
century is lost TO her. Nothing remains but
Venetia; and even there, as we have intimated,
her rule is by no means secure
In view of these facts how could it be main
tanned for moment that the war had no fruits,
or that the peace was prematurely and incon-
sidera!ely made At first that was the very gene
raj Impression; but now that the mists of passion
and prejudice are clearing away, people see that
the cutlery made against the Villafranca peace
was unwarranted. To be sure, Italian affairs are
at present in rather chaotic condition; but we
may be confident that out Of that chaos will come
order-tbe order OF liberal and enlightened inst.
tutions. 1t will be for the Zurich conferences
| in part, to promote and give direction to that
transition movement. In part, the work devolves
upon the Italian people themselves. So far as
Lombardy is concerned, the annexation to Pied
mont is complete, and the liberal institutions
that are proper to Sardinia are be-
ing inaugurated also among the Lombards
So far as regards the duchies Of Tuscany, Mode
ma and Parma, the question is more complicated,
and the new order Of things to be established is