The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-09
British Opinion upen she Annexation 81

O0v0ys
The British press, and even some members
Of Parliament, seem to be greatly exereiseo
upon the subject OF the Savoyard annexation.
They admit that the people are fIencn"e"
and desire to belong to France, but their fears
are greatly excited for Switzerland, as IL Swift
xerland were not already as accessible to the
armies Of France, whenever she may think
proper to in wade her, as she ever can be made
bv the annexation OF Savoy. Their principal
anxiety il, however, for the honor Of VICTOR
ExASuEL. How, says JOHN BULL, can he
think Of giving up the home Of his ancestors,
the cradle Of his racel There is something,
they think, very monstrous in the idea.
Now, everybody knows that Normandy is
the cradle Of Queen VICToErA's race, and that
her ancestors held possession Of it for nearly
four hundred years after the chief of her fam
race once styled themselves Kings also Of
France, in remembrance Of the claim set up by
EDWARD ILL.,, and prosecuted SO nearly to 4
successful issue by that monarch and his great
grandson, HENRY Well where is tAe era
die of VICToRIA's race now! Does she hold
foot Of territory in Normandy or in any other
quarter of France! If the honor Of VICTOR
EMANUEL be involved in the transfer Of Savoy
=
The King of Sardinia makes the transfer with
cut compulsiOn. The transaction is peaceable,
and with the knowledge and consent of the
people principally interested. VICTOR EMAN-
TEL is willing. the Emperor Of the French is
willing, and the Savoyards are willing. On
the other hand, the ancestors of VICTORIA
lost Normandy by a long war-that is to say,
they were unable to hold it by the sword, and
were expelled greatly against their lncllna-
ton We submit, that VICTOR EMANukLs
case is much the better Of the two Hanover
was the native country Of that branch OF the
Royal family from which VICTORIA is more
Immediately descended. How much of Hanover
submits to her sway at the present moment
1t is true Hanover is sill governed by 4 de-
scendant of GEORGE l., and that it is severed
from the crown Of Great Britain by the opera
ton OF the Salique law. But is the Sallque
law, according TO modern ideas, a more i'm
perative rule of political action than the
wishes of whole people
The continental possessions Of the House OF
Hanover were always a subject of grievance
to Great Britain. They were constantly in
volving her in wars, and entangling her in the
diplomacy of the German States. Enormous
sums Of English gold, and rivers Of English
blood were wasted in their defence. Yet they
never We're of any practical value whatever to
Great Britain, and were always an object of
jealousy to the British people. l was happy
day for Great Britain when the accession Of u
female enabled her to cut them loose, and let
them down the wind. They had nothing in
common with the British nation. They were
Germans of the most decided German taste.
Their language was German, their notions
were German, their politics were German,
their ideas of Government were German
They were Germans in feature and in form,
in tastes and in amusements in gesture and in
manner, in walking abou t and in standing still,
in going out and in coming in. They were
German all over, and nothing else but Ger
man. Why, then, should they be governed by
Great Britain, whose system they could not
understand, whose freedom they despised, and
with whom they bad nothing in common. SO
it is with the Savoyards at this day. They are
Frenchmen, and the Frenchest of the French
more Frenchmen than the French themselves
Their king, on the other hand, although his
family came originally from Savoy, is an 1tal-
ian king. His ancestors have been Italian
kings for centuries before him. His thoughts,
his ambition, his aspirations, are all Italian.
The bulk of his subjects are likewise Italian
Why, then, not allow the Savoyards to follow
their own inclination, since he does net OBJ
ject