Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-02
Tbe DestipV of italy.

The Destiny OF italy
At last the most sceptical Napoeophobist must per-
perceive and admit that EmperOrs Italian policy has
had at least definite unfaltering purposes that,
from the beginning, he has looked to the emancpa-
ton of Italy from foreign dOminions The news
brought by the Persia puts end to the idle specu
lations and inconsistent reports with which the half
informed journals of Europe have teemed for weeks
past: and proves that, from the beginning there has
Leen good reason to doubt that the policy of the
| great powers of Europe is now unit In reternce
to Italy and the Papal Church, and that that policy
| is the same that was proclaimed as the policy of
France in the declaration of war which the Emper
or issued in May 1858, and which, by various agen-
cies and influences he has steadily and successfully
pursued to its impending consummatiOn. All Of TIA
y is freed from the foreign opp-essor save the
Papal States and Venetia. The only serious strong
hold of foreign influence the Peninsula however,
| is the Papa States, and it will be by the news
received to-day that the same irresistible power
which drove Austria from the Duebies and the
Bourbons from Sicily and Naples, is fulfilling its
Gberty-giving mission within the territory Of the
| Pope Upon the application of the Umbrians, who,
according to the best accounts, sbamefully per-
secuted by band of foreign mercenaries under the
command of a renegade Frenchman, and who are
/ without law protection of any kind the King of
Sardinia has marched a large army into the Papal
Territories on the north with Instructions to expe
these myrmdons from the Italian soil GarIbaldl at
Naples is prepared to offer the same protection
against foreign Inference to the provinces lying
| south of Rome, while the Emperor of France IS
strengthening the garrison of occupation ut Rome
The result be, it would entirely to dyest
the Pope of all Territorial sovereignty outside of
his capital.
For several years past the Emperor of France has
been trying to persuade the Pope to put his tempo
raj authority upon constitutional and more popu-
lar basis to give his subjects representation in the
government, and to laymen proper proper
ton of judicial and administrative Offices TO these
suggestions the Pope has always turned deaf ear,
his government meantime becoming more and more
intolerable At last the Austrian and Sandman
broke out, and the Emperor's admonitons were re-
peated. Again they were repealed. After the
peace of SOlferino the Pope in his turn became the
complainant; he asked the Emperor to keep his
promise that the Papal territory should not be dis
membered, by the war, and to help him reduce the
revolted Legations The Emperor replied that he
engaged only that the Papal territory should not be
dismembered by the belligerants, but he did not |
guaranty the Pope against the disorders of his own
subjects, and again renewed his recommendations to
the Pope what territory left to him by
making proper concessions to his people But, with |
an infatuation which it is difficult to comprehend |
the Pope persisted in disregardng the commOnest |
dictates of prudence, his government has been
custOmed to disregard the commoDest dictates Of
good sense and humanity. What followed was lnev-
table Sicily rose and Naples followed her example;
their King was put to fight and all Southern Italy |
is the point of being added to the Territories Of
a sovereign whom he chooses TO regard as his most
dangerous neighboT and enemy.
There now seems to be no hope of the Pope re-
tanning any sovereignty in Italy outside of Rome
and its environs-the Vatican and a garden. rs
About styled it. But that he will doubtless be
PEELED TO keep. The Emperor of France is evidently
preparing to protect the Church from any personal
ndignity to its chief, and at the same time prevent
the repository of so much political influence from
finding shelter under any other sceptre than his
own.
Time was, and not long since. when the Pope
might have preserved good share Of his territorial
possessions but it is now too late. In all human
probability they are gone forever What will be the
effect upon his spiritual influence and authority of
curtailing his temporal power so extensively, will
be fertile subject of speculation, especially among
the organs of Professionalism. If the views of his
co-relgionists freely expressed when arguing the
injustice and injury which would result from dmin
ishng his temporal power, are to be taken at full
weight we might infer that in the course of ne dis
tant period of time the Pope of Rome would sink
in influence to the level of Bishop of the Church,
in the first centuries of the Christian era and his
epscopate rank with that of the East, or with the
epscopates of France or Vienna.
Whether the Catholic Church will ever cease to
have one universal head or not is question which
we will not presume to speculate upon but we have
no doubt that the cIrcumscription of the POpe's
temporal sovereignty to the city of Rome and its
suburbs which is now rs much as he can expect,
must materially diminish the political influence Of
the Holy See and its Importance as the friend or foe
to other states of Europe.-Neg York Eeerng Post.