Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-13
strike. but Hear.

After the abusive and vituperative COM
ments of the English press upon the treaty of
Villafranca, which have been echoed on, this
side Of the big water, have been exhausted,
and the walls ofwrath completely poured out
upon the Emperor of the French, it is certain
that reaction will set in, of which we think
the beginning already discernable; and
he may be found, after all, to be entitled 10
the praise due 10 one who has done the best
that could he done, under the circumstances;
and, like bis opponent. yields only to adverse
combinations and events over which be could
have no control. 1t is qnite likely, indeed,
that these critics will jump to the other ex
treme.> and bespatter with praise him whom
they now attempt to bedaub with their abuse.
People who are basty enough to decide on
matters of grave importance before they are
Informed as TO facts, will not hesitate at the
Inconsistency involved in praising with, or
without, cause, one whom they abused with
Just as much reason. As sign of returning
reason on this matter. we subJoin the follow
ing remarks from New York contemporary !:
Putting aside the substantial motives
which exist on the part of some of the
nations interested for quarreling with the
treaty OF Yillafranca, it surprises US to find
the Italian and English journals and section
of the American press, condemning it I'M
qualifiedly, without knowing anything of the
general principles which are to govern the
arrangement. The bases announced in Louis
Napoleons dispatch to his consort and in
the orders of the day of the two emperors, are,
we contend, capable of such notifications
and explanations as will almost entirely alter
their character. 1t is true that Austria is
allowed to retain Venice; that was the one
stern necessity which Louis Napoleon found
himself unable to master. He had to choose
between that and the terrible alternative of a
general war, and he wisely preferred course
which assured the independence of twenty
four millions of Italians to risking the adj
vantages that he had gained for them by
persevering in a vain attempt to secure the
independence of the remaining three. In re-
nouncing the determination, however, TO
rescue Venice from the domination of Aus
tria, he has not abandoned it to hopeless
destiny. By making it member of the
Italian Confederation he places it in very
different position from that which it pre-
vlOusly occupied. We have yet to learn what
are the precise stipulations which have been
made with regard to its future administra-
tion-whether it is to have government
purely national, and whether Austrian troops
are to be excluded from its territory Even
supposing that these concessions have not
been extOrted. it is evident that Austria will
have to make an entire change in her policy
in regard to this remnant of her Italian pos
sessions. If she wishes to keep it she can no
longer hope to govern it by a system of ter
rorism, aud it may be that the liberal ideas
with which Francis Joseph is said to have
been recently inoculated may render their
future condition not only satisfactory to the
Venetians themselves, but even superior in
many respects to that OF the constitutional
States.
1t is objected that the treaty restores to the
Duchies the princes who have rendered them
selves such ready tools OF Austria, and who
fled TO her protection as soon as the war
broke out. If this complaint were well
founded it would, we own, be with us a
strong ground tor the condemnation of the
entire arrangement. Since the peace was
first announced we have, however always
felt certain that Louis Napoleon could not
have committed such cardinal error as TO
attempt to force back on the Duchies the
rulers who had So basely violated their
obligations towards their subjects This
conviction is, we are glad to find officially
confirmed by the announcement made in tie
House OF Commons, on the 22d ultimo by
Lord John Russell, He stated that he had
-
government to the effect that there was no
provision or understanding that those dy-
nasIies were to be restored by military force,
and that ii was not the intention of the En-
peror OF the French to employ force for the
purpose of restoring them" The population
of the Duchies will, therefore, be left free to
accept their old rulers or not, If, indeed. the
new boundary agreed upon with Austria
does not make a disposition of their terrific
vyb lai ~. IL
OF making a choice.
Ifit be true, as suggested, that the river
Panoro is to be made one of the lines of
division of the new Sandman territory to
the South. this would give to the latter the
whole of Parma aud the greater part of
Modena, thus settling the question Of sover-
eighty in regard to these two States.
1t has been attempted to throw ridicule on
the treaty on the ground that it places the
Pope in a false position, the more humilia-
ting from the intention to strip him of his
present limited power, and that it is not pro-
bIble that his Holiness will accept the Pres
idency of the Confederation. Ii our readers
will take the trouble to refer TO Mr.. Maguire's
work on the Roman States, published last
year, they will iind that this very plan was
suggested by The Pontiir himself. during the
troubles of lS47-'4S.
These facts show the absurdity of people
passing wholesale condemnation on political
arrangements of this kind without their
having the full details before them. Nothing
is as yet knoSn in regard to the treaty of
Villatranca which would justify us here in
quarrelling with It's provisions. By this time
The preliminaries are probably published ia
Europe, for we see that Lord John Russell
stated on the 22d that he was in possession
of them, and would lay them before the
House of Commons in few days Until
they reach US, we shall have to rest satisfied
with the knowledge of the only two as yet
certain facts i'll connection with this treaty
that it has created The unity which Italian
patriots have so long been signing for. and
given a virtual death blow tC the German
Confederation.