Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-07-15

united under one government, instead o.
becoming the prey or source of strife 20
those nations, it would have formed .
power equal to either Of them, and the I
wealth, happiness and Improvement Of
that quarter of the world would have
been immensely increased. 1t is not our
purpose, however, torehesrse the endless
quarrels between the different Italian
states, or the wars Of the adjoining ma
tions for the dominion Of Italy; we would
barely remark that the present Is not a
novel subject Of dispute between France
and Austria who shall rule Italy, but has
involved those nations in repeated wars,
and has cost the hses of thousands in
ages past. To correct this state of things,
and unite Italy under one rule was the
object of many of the Italian politicians,
but no single state was of sufficient pow
er to subdue and unite the whole. Many
Of the Popes attempted to expel the bar
barians, las they called the French ard
Austrians) and unite Italy under their
control, but the policy of the Popes,
great as ii was, aided by the superstition
of the times, was unequal to SO great a
task.
/ France, Spain and Austria have each
Repeatedly attempted to reduce the Ital-
ian states under its power, but the
attempt of either nation was sure TO
Iprovoke the interference of the other,
and the power Of France and Spain, and
latterly of France and Austria, were so
equally matched that they accomplished
little except increasing the miseries of
the Italians and of exhaustiug their own
strength.
At the commencement of the French
Revolution the emperor of Austria (then
styled emperor of Germany held do.
minion over Lombardy, and with the ex.
ception of Venice, all the northern part
of Italy. The kingdom of Sardinia ex.
tended over that island and even nearly
the same provinces in the northern par
of Italy that are now held by the present
king. Naples and Sicily were governed
by a king descended from the royal fam.
lily of Spain. The smaller states of Italy
were mostly governed by princes under
the influence of Austria. The emperor
Of Austria and king of Sardinia JOINED
the general confederation of soyereigni
against the French republic, and thu
memorable invasion of Italy by Buona
parte followed in 1896. The victories o
Buonaparte seemed likely to accomplish
one great and desirable object, the unior
e of Italy. The Austrians were driver
beyond the Alps; the kings of Maple
and Sardinia were stripped Of their con
tinental provinces and forced to retire t,
T. their insular possessions, Sicily and Sar
$ dina; the petty princes Of Italy wer
elected from their dominions, and evel
the Pope was stripped of his Temporal
+ power, the whole peninsula was brough
L either directly or indirectly under tn
control of Buonaparte, and Italy enjoye,
D for a time the advantage of having bu
e one master
e The fall of Buonaparte brought a re
q turn of the former state Of things. Aus
! tria regained its old dominion of Lon
II hardy, the Pope and other italian prir
y ces were restored to their former posse:
$, sions and Italy again became a mer
10 patchwork of kingdoms.
N But the idea of being an united an
70 independent people seems from the:
u revolutions to have acquired addition.
u strength with the Italians. From Ii
"a progress of liberal principles this idt
was connected with a general desire
uniting under republican form of go
IN eminent, or at least under limited moi
" archy with representative assembly,
e, This desire Of the people the restor,
re monarehs had no intention of gratifyinI
D. The essence of the Austrian governme
ne is now and has been for centuries a de
OF PotiSm, the most stern and unrelentir
b perhaps in Europe. The government
q the Italian princes has long been despo
~ &c, Not a veStige of a representa-,
o assembly was to be found among them
ie The Austrian government, true to
- principles Of despotism, not content WI
n maintaining arbitrary power in its ov
$ dominions, insisted on the Italian primo
e maintaining the same.principles. and Wi
4 one exception they all rejected the r
~ peated applications of their subjects f
= representative assembly or constit
Is tlonal governments, and entered into. e
? gagements with Austria to that efTe,
p which virtually gave her control OF !
Influence over the whole. One Italis
2 sovereign ouiy had the sense 10 refuse
= enter this combination. The king