Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-05-13

I afford a line drawn across the peninsula at right
angle with the coast from sea to sea. The boun-
darv lines are somewhat in the shape of an S
from South West up to North East. On the top
North Piedmont and Lombardo- Venetia extend
from West to East, each Of them furthcring
their most Southern posts along the sea
side on the pcninsula-the former on the
Mediterranean down to the mouth of the
Magra, the latter on the .Adriatic down to
the Punta della Folle, so as to take a strong
hold Of the Peninsula as a member of the SAINT
body. So much for the main geographical fea-
lures. As for the population, it is we'll pom,
dered and balanced, in order to warrant n pro-
per and equitable rcpartition OF influence in
the union. Piedmont and Lombardo Venetia,
1000, 900 each, yield for the population of the
I North a surplus of one million and-a-half on
the Southern Kingdom of Naples, which is
$500, 600. But this want is thoroughly COM
pcnsated in the States Of the Church, where.
ont of =, 900, 600 inhabitants, the half are South
erncrs.
To prevent this well-balanced population Of
the North and South from eventuating into a
separate and Independent policy, for the want Of
n moderator, there remains the 1000. 600 OF
! Tuscany, the 900, 900 Of Parma and Modena
combined. and the half Of the Papal States;
averaging. altogether, 5000, 000-just the hall
of either the South or North. Such are, in
round figures. and out of eXaggeration. the clc-
mcnts of an Italian union, and the condition in
which it could be brought into play.
Few, very few countries indeed, can boast OF
such n fortunate combination OF elements, nj.
ready gathered into Montgomery bulks of many
millions each. However, this is n great work
to do. not so much on account Of any %intrinsi-
cal difficulty, as Of its paramount Importance
in the future of Europe. The united States Of
italy are the great national theme of modern
Europe, and By modern we intend Europe OF
/, three centuries past and of one.half century To
cornc
When speaking of Italy it is often complained
that too much is said Of the past; but still.
wherever there is a past it must be taken into
account; we say past, not antiquity. Two ccntu-
rics in the life of nations, are no more than %
years in the life of individuals, and who will
dcnv that the actual line of conduct of single
individuals, is, in many instances, but the cx.
pansion or the continuation of such n step adj
hcrcd to, n score of years ago, of such 4 view
of things and affairs, or such character of per
Sonal intercourse ameng fellow citizens, rs was
inaugurated and actuated either by ourselves.
or even our fathers?
The true ancestors of the Italian question.
as it was understood in France. and is now re.
vived with great energy by the Government of
Louis Napoleon, are Henri ". and Cardinal
de Richclicu. One, however, ought not to dc-
duct that the question, from the fact of being
so old, can be indefinitely postponed. The
events of 1921, 1881, 1916, ISIS. arc the pa
irons of the revival of the question; it is not
the work of the learned; events imposed it to
diplomacy, and diplomacy hcraldcd ii to Flu.
rope.
History proves us that the views of Henri
the Fourth were not of conquest, but OF a bet
ter arrangement Of things. In those troubled
times of his, We read in the celebrated Sully's
Economics Royaits' sin order to show that it
was not for the purpose Of possessing more
States besides his Kingdom of France, the
King offered to make, as a previous step, n cess
sion of his right to the Kingdom Of Naples
and Sicily for the benefit of the Ecnetians. -"
The right spoken of here is the one by which
the present King of Naples Of the Bourbon
family. holds his dominions. The sudden as
sasSinatlon of Henri ". left the work undone,
and ultimately lead to the disastrous war Of
Trcntc ans.