The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-07-22
Lord John Russell on Italy.

"The proseut condition Of Italy seems to
mo to be this: On the one sdo we have the
treaty Of lsl4, which gave Lombardy aud
Venice to Austria, but Austria was not Ell
titled by that treaty to any other part Of It
Aly. Has she confined herself to the gov
ernmeut Of those territoriesI Hear Far
from it. Hear. II tho year, 1915, sho
made o treaty with the King of Naples, to .
the effect, that ho should not introduce into |
his kingdom any changes or any form Of
government which was not established in the
Italian possessions of Austria. At q lator
time she occupied the Roman States and
Tuscany also, and according 20 Il letter ad
dressed to me by very eminent italian, It
appears from the archives Of Turin, that
Austria was su determined not to allow my
Improvement in the government OF Italy,
that the Austrian minister being asked what
he would do if the King of Naples shouId
of his own accord. grant n constitution to
his subjects. his answer was' Then we in
deed should mako war on tho King Of Na.
pies" TlIear. hear What happened in
Tuscany in ls4gi The people Of Tuscany
had been led by those wild dcmagogucs who
arc followers Of Mazzini, to proclaim re-
public. but afterward, they restored OF their
own choice the authority of the Grand Duke,
and having appointed n provisional govern
ment, they sent delegation to the Grand
Duke to say that they worc ready to receive
him back, but expected him to govern nc
cording to the constitution which be him
self had granted. He answered by different
letters. cories of which ! have, and by pro.
clamation, that he would return to Flor.
euce. that he thanked those who had re-
stored his power, aud that he meant to gov.
ern according to the constitution, and that
a constitutional monarchy was what he in
tended 10 establish in tho Grand Duchy. 1t
was already the law there. No doubt, the
Grand Duke, who is a mild sovereign, would
of his own nature have governed according
TO the constitution; but at this timo a divis-
ion Of Austrian troops marched into 1us-
canv, his promise was violated, and from
that time until the fight Of the Grand Duke
the other day, there has been no question Of
restoring the constitution. Cheers. And
these things account for the anger and the
resentment of the Italians at tho AustraJ
interference. [Choors. 1t is not, merely
as the honorable gentleman who moved th'
nddress appeared to think, that Austria
holds her possessions just as IIor Majest,
holds her different colonies; it has been he
attemps from 1915 to the present day, Il
govern the whole of Italy, to make the law
of Italy conform to tho law of Austria, -
Hear, hear
Let us see, now, what is tho case of Sar
dinia, on the other side. At n late period
Sardinia established her own free constitu
ton Had she not been tempted to do 9th
erwise she might have bocn satisfied will
enforcing her own laws, and enjoying he
own FREQ assemblies, her own free press ant
her liberty of conscience, which is uncxuR
pied in other parts of Italy. Hoar, hear.
She had not beon satisfied with that. Th
Temptation was natural one, but cortall
IL is, that for the last seven or eight year
tho porsons who camo from other parts q
italy to prcsont addresses to the King an
his Ministers on behalf of tho liberty an
Independence of 1taly--who subscribed
the cannon of Alessandria, hoping that OF
day or other they would be the dofcnses
the independence of ltaly--wcro listened
md received with favor, and so there hi
grown in every State of Italy, in tho Il
man States, in Naples. and in Tuscany,
party attached to Sardinia, and looking
Sardinia as the liberator of Italy. lioa
hear The temptation might be very grea
the enterprise might be- vory glorious, b.
il was quito impossible for Austria to COZ
slider those aCtss ns otherwise than provoci
tions and attempts TO destroy her power
ITALY. According to my mind, the prefer
sion on both sidos waB uufoundod but muC
lhDIG htlCbLhDlD vi ilb bllt VI husIllhy U
cause hor attempt was to destroy all libor
and extingush all expression of thought
Italy. while tho object of Sardinia, thong
perhaps mixed with some motives OF ami
tion, vas tho liberty and independence
Italy [Cheers.l She went, however, b
yond her international duties. She had
right to do what she did above all, BhO h
no right TO raise forces in her own kingdo
from volunteers, or parhAps from the co
scripts and recruits belonging to the 9th
StateS Hear, hear At u moment mo
fortunate for Sardinia. sho also obtain
herself the support OF Franco, and fro
tho moment she obtained that support.
cannot tell in what form, but know prct
vol tho datc--her conduct becomes lt
regulated by her international duties, 8
proclaimed moro openly her sympathi
with tho sorrows OF Italy, aud from III
lime think it became evident that sOon
or later, rolying on the support of Fran
she would engage in an armed contest
Lhe Independence of Italy"