The weekly Ottumwa courier., 1860-07-19


Linn in all things" And the heir of
Linn became another man, and an ornament
to his country, and blessing to his tenants
The Kingdom Of the two Sicilies,
The kingdom of the Two Sicilies comprises
all the southern portion Of the Italian penin-
sula, from the southern boundary of the
States Of the Church, and likewise the splen
did island of Sicily. The latter contains
about 10000 square miles, the peninsula
about 81, 900; so that, together, the area of
the kingdom is about as large as that of the
State of Louisiana. The population may be
roughly stated at 1900, ,000 Of which Sicily
contains over two-probably not more than
quarter of the population of the same re-
gion eighteen hundred years ago This
kingdom, and these nine millions of people
are ruled by francesca Secondo, Bourbon,
son of that king who was known throughout
the civilized world by the nickname of Bonn
ba, in consequence of his fondness for bom-
harding his own cities. The occurrence at
Marsha shows that, in this respect the son
treads dutifully in the steps of the father
No part of the globe has been more favored
by nature than the kingdom of the Two ST.
Giles. Blessed with a splendid climate, a
large area of very fertile land, sea coast
even more extensive, in proportion to the in
terror, than that of the United States, a
healthy air, and an admirably central posi-
ton. Sicily and Southern Italy were evil
IDENTIFY intended to be the garden and the
granary of the Mediterranean. But nature
was not satisfied with supplying this happy
region with the ordinary products of fertile
countries. Besides wheat, maize, cotton,
rice, oil, wine, tobacco, olives, fruits, which
it can produce as abundantly as any other
part of the world, the kingdom of the Two
Sicilies contains sulphur, silk, and mamma,
in quantities sufficient-if TIE production
were wisely encouraged-to afford a hand
some public revenue, and to enrich large
population. 1t enjoys variety of climate,
snowy SUBMITS on the Abbruzzi look down
upon delicious temperate regions in the
mountain valleys and tropical plains in South
ern Sicily.
There was time when these advantages
were appreciated by their possessors and
turned to good account. Before Rome, Ia
rentum aourished and rivalled the great cit
les of Asia in splendor. Authentic European
history dates from the great struggle be-
tween Rome and Carthage for the possession
Of Sicily. From the close of that war down
to the dark ages, Sicily was what God inten-
ded it to be-the garden of the Mediterrane-
an. When fierce North winds delayed tho
arrival of Sicilian ships at Rome, rich men
were forced to put up with plain food and tho
poor starved. Nor was Southern Italy less
prosperous. On the hills where the strus-
giles between Rome and Samnium, Rome
and Umbria, and lastly Rome and Hannibal
had been fought out, countless flocks of
| sheep and goats were fattened for the markets
of the Imperial City the shore was studded
with hourishing towns and lovely Roman vi.
Has, Wealth, plenty, happiness and luxury
such is the picture of Southern Italy which,
we find in the historians of the palmy days
| of Rome.
What change now! In the peninsula
portion of the kingdom there is but ono
town Of any size-Naples; in Sicily two
Messina and Palermo monuments Of
the past rather than actors in the movements
of the present day. Ofthe 1900, 900 nhab-
itants about 10000 are priests and monks,
and probably 100000 dependent, directly
and indirectly, on the Church for support
The Church owns nearly one-third of all the
land in Sicily. The foreign trade of the
! country has fallen away to mere nominal
proportions, and would have been extin.
g,.ished altogether but for the indignant re-
Imonstrances of foreign nations. For years
the best men in the kingdom have been eth
er driven to foreign countries or kept in
dungeons at home. The government, sus.
tainedby Austrian troops and Austrian inhu-
cnca, appears to have devoted itself exclu-
sively to the extension Of the power of the
Jesuits, and the crushing out oflberal ideas.
The reports Of the travellers who went
through Calabria after the late earthquake
are fearfully suggestive. In most instances
the only relief obtained by the sufferers
came from foreigners. The English and
Germans raised largo fund for the purpose
but refused to allow any portion Of it to be
disbursed by native officials. The almoner of
the English fund a man of great energy and
courage, went through the devastated region
in person with the money. In one place no
was attacked by robbers; the man who tri-
ed to garrote him, while confederates clutch.
ca at his bag of. ducats, was the village cur.
ate. This was in broad daylight. This is
the kingdom, and these the institutions
which Garibaldi has gone TO war to over.
hrow.--LcHdoR Nesrs.