The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-02-22
. nae Roman Leeationa


Crossing the Italian peninsula near its CEN
tire, tho Papal States shoot. up towards the
northwest following the Adriatic Sea to the
mouth of the Pc, whence they proceed west
ward and form a block nearly square, each of
its sides being from fifty 10 sixty miles in length,
which is united with the man body of the.
Ponti6cal dominions by a sort of isthmus be-
tween the Apennines and the sea, from eigh-
teen ito twenty-five miles broad. This geo
bgraphieal excrescence. has on its western Dor
ders the state of Tuscany. and Medena, while
the little river Foglia separates it to the south
ward from that portion of the Papaf States
known as the Marsh of Ancona. Its other
limits are formed by the Adriatic and the Po.
If the reader comprchenas this description he
will be able to form a general idea OF the out
line and extent OF that part of Northern Italy
commonly bat Incorrectly termed the Romag-
ma, and occasionally the legations region
which was revoiutionized last summer, and
which Napoleon declares has, by the :'inexora
bic logic" OF facts, been lost to the Pope for
ever. Let us add that it contains in all about
1000 square miles, with a population slightly
ex ceeding one million souls.
Physically this. region consists of two sepa-
rate states, the larger or square block referred
to, forming part of the northern SLOPE of the
Apennines, while the narrow strip has an iu-
c%iinatiUn from these mountains towards the cast.
The former belongs properly to Northern, the
latter to Central Italy. Bat in both the geo
logic ! formations and natural productions are
pretty nearly alike. There are the same cal
~careous ridges along the Tuscin border, the
same aliuyial plains at the opposite extremity,
the same .foaming streams, with channelsg roov-
ed deeply into the uplands, and spreading out
into dull shee whenapfroaching their mouths;
there arc also corresponding belts of country
devoted to The culture of bempasilk. precious
fruits, and the common. agricultural products.
5 Unlike Piedmont and Lombardy, the Lega-
lions do not afford a very marked contrast be-
tween the ancient and the modern, as if two or
three civilizations were arranged side by side.
They are stamped all over with Roman and
medieval impresses; the modern iissscarcely
visible. Tie Aemitian way; constructed more
than twenty centuries ag5, from RInini CArimi-
NUM- to Piacenza (Placentia), in many places
still serves for a thor)ugfare. Most of the
cities along its route or contiguous to it were
Roman colonies, sevesal of them important
points during the Empire. Ariminum was the
first conquest of Caesar after crossing the Rubi-
con. Ravenna was for some centuries the cap
italof Italy. sEerli is a CORRUPTION of the words
Forum Lf0ij. The word Bologna is but slight
ly altered from the BORoniq of antiquity, aud
the place is, next to Rome, the richest Italian
city in relics. of the middle ages. Ferrara is
got known to have struck its roots so. deeply
into the past, but it is fully up with It's otner
neighbors in the career of declension, exhibit
ing the same ruined, Qualifications, deserted
mansions and 2rass-cOvered streets. A sricul-
ture is conducted without skill or enterprises;
manufacturing industry in an organized form,
has hardly begun to show Itself; commerce has
vacated his part of tire peninsula. Only one
short railroad, from MOdeHa to Bologna, has
beeL built, rs If men feared the neigh of the
iron steed would startle dead heroes from their
sleepof ages and bring them up to shame the
living.
The exr rebate of Ravenna was given to the
Pope by Pepin of France as early as 755, and
the deed was confirmed by Charlemagne; but
it took as many years additional to overcome
tire Tesistauceo of the people and confirms the
Pontlhcal authority over them. AT last Pope
Alexander VI. commissioned his son, Caesar
Borgia, to conquer the country. His success
was accomplished by using all the arts of in
trigue, treacheTy and force then il possession
of the Roman court, and was followed by his
receiving the title of Duke Of the Romaena.-l
In the following reign (Julius H it vas regu
larry annexed to the Pontifcat states, together
with the other Legations of Forli, Ferrara and
bologna. Ecclesiastical bigotry completed
what Faction had begun, and this party Of Italy
almost sank out of sight for centuries, until 1t /
was stirred to new life by the French invasions
of 1897 and 1901 In the latter of which it was
taken from the Pope and handed over to the
Cisalpine Itepublic, to be incorporated after
wards in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy.
The four provinces already named, together
with three others in a different part of the !
Pope's dominion, are styled Legations, because
the local government is administered by a Le-
gate; while the remaining provinces, governed
by Delegates, are termed Delegations. The
former, adjoining Austria's dominions on the
Pc, have long afforded that power an opportu-
NIFTY as well as a pretext for interfering in Ital-
ian affairs, and in a measure debating the poll
icy of its rulers. By the treaty of Vienna,
Austria might, if judged necessary, garrison
the city of Ferrara as well as Piacenza; but she
was not allowed to construct additional fortifi-
cations IN either. So frequently and persistent
ly did she thus interfere, that Louis Philippe,
shortly after his accession to the Treuch throne,
the port of Ancona with a body of
troops for six years, until every Austrian sol
der had abandoned the Papa1 territory But
in lS47, when the present Pope began to in
troduce important reforms, the Austrians once !
more crossed the boundary and occupied Fer
rara, threatening to march to the city of Rome
unless his Holiness ceased to identify himself
with the progressive party. The Pope consent
ed and obeyed; but the people of Bologna un-
furled the standard of revolt, defeated Weldon,
he imperialist General, and only succumbed I
n 1910, when the liberal interest everywhere
mad been crushed to the earth. 7a.s ~ ~
1t will be remembered that the Austrians
began the campaign of last year by marching
IN army southwark as far as Ancona, which
hey took and garrisoned strongly. The same
was done with Piacenza and various other cit
es south of thee.Ro. This foolish procedure
.ffectually weakened their main body con
umed valuable time, and enabled the allies to
lriys them, precipitately from the Lomellina
md the Eonagna. The events which have
ince occurredLthe revolutions in the buckles Z
nd the Legations, the disposition manifested
Q unite with Sardinia, the peaceful organiza-
ion of a new government, the Petugia massa-
demonstrated both the desire and
itness of the Italian people for a degree of
lbertV- and the nnGtnaSs .f thoir fnrninr rnlnra