The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-17
PRICE TWO CENTS
COUNT CAVOUR

The Paris correspondent of the National H,teHi
geacer, gives the following biographical sketch of
this Italian Statesman:
ti stated that great efforts are made at Turin sus
tanned several foreign Influences to overthrow the
Ministry OF Count Cavour, the representative ncar-
nate as he has been called, of the Italian party
The great commotiOn of the day is undoubtedly
due in chief part, to his agency. The French mat
rimonia alliance, with its designed consequences is
ascribed also to his influence He is one of the most
observable men of the time, in short, and is liable
to all kinds of biography | shall endeav1r to give
you a short and accurate one. He was born in
1909; the son OF merchant of Nice. His family no
bility is the creation of the late king Charles AL
bert, and his Italian designation is Camille Conte
of Cavour. In 847 he established a constitutional
newspaper, IL RisorJimemo, through which he com
municated to the world some notable papers on
questions of political economy. He grew alike
in public and royal favor, but in the fol.
lowing year, during the contest with Austria. his
influence yielded sensibly to that of parti
sans of less rational faction. The fatal dav
of Novara, the abdicaton of Charles Albert and
the ruin of the Democratic party followed together
They were the immediate harvest of Radetzky's
victory. Count Cavour was summoned forthwith
to the councils of the present king, lS49) first
as Minister of Commerce and Agriculture and sub
sequenty, in 1851, Minister of Finance. He
strove in this latter capacity to repair the losses of
most disastrous war, but in practical financial ad
minstration his success was never remarkable
Finding himself declining in favor and popularity
he suddenly broke from his colleagues Foresta and
dAzeglio, and assumed the leadership of a new
liberal or national party. He overthrew the Min
istry, and, on the 18th of October 1852, organized
new one. He has ever since retained the post of
first Minister of the Crown, achieving entire as
cendancy over the mind of the King, and sustained
at all points by faithful and solid maories in the
Legislature. He has been uniformly the friend of
liberal doctrines of freedom of the press freedom
of religious opinion, of industry, of trade, and of
all popular rights guaranteed by the new constitu-
ton, that OF ls4S.) He has waged ncessant war
against Church influence in matters of State The
! sale OF mOrtmaln nd
cuted by him, and he succeeded to such an extent
in coniscating clerical monopolies as to draw upon
| the king and himself the thunders of the Vatican.
lie was compelled to desist for the time from other
direct measures for the total emancipation of the
| laity; but, with still broader swoop towards it. he
has assumed the leadership in the cause of Italian
independence or, to use the correct phrase, Italian
unihcation. He boldly displayed again the national
iiag, the tri-coor bearing in lS4S the rallyinp
| cross ct Savoy. 1t was Count Cavour who, in
hopes to enlist France and England in the cause,
sent $4,000 Sandman troops to the siege of Sebas-
t0po and in the Congress of Paris his efforts we're
fearless and unceasing to drag to light the deplora-
Bile state of Roman no less than Austrian Italy
| The Congress was declared to be without this ex-
tended jurisdiction; but the brave Sardinian had at
least brought his purpose home to the very council
chamber OF the sovereigns, and from every quarter
OF Italy he received the most marked tokens of
| sympathy and gratitude. A striking evidence of
| these feeling was the open subscription and direct
| contribution throughout the Italian peninsula to
the arming of the citadel Of Alexandria, Sandman
!
the TanarO. Austria, incensed at such demon
stration, hastily recalled her envoy from Turin
/ Diplomatic relations have not been resumed; and
| Count Cavour, rel wing upon the svmpathies of the
| world, upon national sentiment, and popularity
| wonderfully confirmed by the last elections, has
grded himself tearessy but prudenty for coming
crisis. lie is in the meridian of his days; Young at
! fifty; a man of middle height, resembling in some
| degree Mr.. Thiers, but taller and handsomer. A
keen and sarcastic expression, like that of the
French statesman, has been observed in the aspect
OF the Italian; but his general manner, stamped
with the easy se-reliancc of strong mind, is de-
scribed as that of man to whom political station
is but the opportunity of serving his country. In
the Assembly, on ordinary occasions, he is likened
to an lntendant ot some great family giving a
plain straig ightiorward account of his Stewardship.
He is always ready, nevertheless, to provoke dis
cussinn in order to explain everything the more
lucidy; and when the subject is of a more serious
nature, involving changes of policy and action he
occupies the tribune, ''tranStGured," :" to use the
words of French tourist, 'into the impersonation
of a statesman. His language becomes elegant;
his voice sonorous; his ideas come forth in pro-
found logical order; his oratorical action all suited
to the moment, to the emotion; and the statesman,
unveiled commands inevitably the admiration of
the Assembly" Such is the substance of several
weaccredited accounts of King Cavour, as he is
familiarity called, whose royal patron has gen.
cral appreciation in dcferring implicitly to the
master mind of his Minister. King Victor En-
manuel, Il brave soldier, who, everywhere conspic-
III the field of Novara, received about his per-
on that disastrous day no less than seventeen
balls, tif we may credit certain French pamphlet
GERS, but whose early gallantry and more authen-
tic wound at Goito had already made him a youth
tul hero is undoubtedly looking forward for the
active service to which his Minister is striving to
conduct him.