The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-31
A 0naer Little Rennhlic.

republic of San MarIno In Augustlast. tie say!
1t is especially singular that this little terri
tory, containing only about 5000 inhabitants
should have remained intact for more tina
fifteen centuries, and that now, while all it
powerful neighbors have become merged int
one great State, this tiny republic should b
the only portion Of italian soil possessing
separate autonomy. It was founded by Sal
Marine, who was a native of Dalmatia, ant
came over and. settled at Rimini. Soon afte
/ the persecution of the christians by the EN-
peror DiocIetian commenced, and finding tina
it was impossible to remain in Rimni, Sal
Marine led his little flock out of the city, anC
established a christian colony at the SUNNI
of the highest and most rugged mountain il
\ this part of the country, and which was a
that time probably surrounded by untrodder
+ forests, and from that day TO this the ittlt
State, thus founded, has remained separate
and distinct from the neighboring countries.
4 Immediately we got into the open country
NV driver pointed out the mountain Of SaT
Marine, rising far above the hills in its neigh
borhood, and distant from Rimini nearly fifteen
miles. The road led across an undulatine
and very richly cultivated country. The
peasants were engaged in picking the grape
harvest which, by the way, is this year one
of the worst ever known, from the extreme
dryness Of the early part Of the season. They
were also occupied in picking the maize,
which forms an important item Of the Italian
farmers crop.
When about SIX miles from the mountain,
we crossed a little stream, and my driver told
me that we were now in the republic OF San
Marino The circumference Of the State is
thirty-ninc miles, the mountain, or crag as il
should be rather called, rising nearly in its
centre. The ground, with the exception 81
the rock itself, is everywhere fertile and well
cultivated, and its value is considerably more
than that Of similar ground in the surrounding
country, from the absence of taxation, and
other advantages peculiar to the republic,
chief among which is the freedom from mill
tary CONSUMPTION. Every man in San Marine
is, it is true, soldier; but this is very mi
nor evil when soldering involves no fighting
or absence from home Although all are liza
BILE to be called upon to serve in case of neces-
sity, only those under a certain age are on
ordinary occasions called out, and the strength
of this regular army Of the republic is 500
men Of these, roo form the national guard,
the remaining 100 the body guard Of the
president The uniform Of all is blue. The
facings of the national guard are red, those Of
Tie bodyguard yellow, and of the band white.
The police is administered by a chief and FIVE
carbineers, whose uniform is dark blue, with
white cross belts and gray trousers, and is
very similar TO that Of the Italian service.
These five carbIneers are, of course, always
on duty and are regularly salared police.
In old times affairs were administered by a
grand council composed of the heads of all
the families in the State, but this was found
SO large and cumbrous an assembly that in
I847 a council was substituted of sixty mem
bers-twenty mobiles, twenty citizens, and
twenty farmers or peasants-who were chosen
by the old assembly. A vacancy that occurs
BY death or otherwise in the council is filed
up by new members chosen by themselves
consequently the government is now rather
oligarchic than democratic in this character.
Thirty members must be present to make the
meeting a legal one The council elects two
presidents, or, as they are called, Captain
Regent" every six months One presides
over the upper village, the lower and sur
rounding country. At present, signor limo
cent? Boreli is captain regent Of the city, as
the upper village is called, and Amicae Vita
is captain regent Of The burgo. AT the end
Of six months, and before the election of the
new president is held, there is an inerregnum
of three days, a syndic being chosen by the
council to manage affairs during that time
and during this period any one is at liberty to
impeach the presidents for their conduct dur
inc their term Of Office. The election of the
10 II 81,
ner: Six names are chosen by the council +:
the names are written upon papers, and the
council then proceed to the church, where,
after mass is celebrated and special prayers
offered up, two names are drawn by lot, and
these two are the presidents for the next six
months.
Twice every year there is grand assembly
of the heads Of all the families in the repub-
lie, and these can then protest against any
measure adopted BY the council. None Of the
officers Of State are paid, but the captain re-
gents are allowed seventy-fve francs each for
Office expenses, during their terms Of Office,
and the foreign and home ministers have an
annual allowance Of one hundred and fifty francs
each lor Office expenses, postage, etc. The
commander-in- Of the army receives no
DCCuuldIJ COilSluGldllOL lOI HIS StIhICGS- i LIS
highest paid officials Of the republic are the
medical men-there are two doctors and one
surgeon, who receive two hundred and fifty
scudi, OF thirteen hundred and fifty francs a
year each the doctors render their services
gratis to all the citizens Of the State, but if
they are sent for out Of the towns, the patients
have to provide conveyance.
The revenue Of the State and its expendi-
lures alike amount to f3ooo ayear. Thesum
is raised by profits upon the sale Of tobacco
and salt both, as in Italy, State monopolies,
and by very small tax upon the land pro-
prietors. There is, in addition to this, which
forms the ordinary budget, the sum of 1900
francs a year paid by the Italian government
and which is used for making roads, assisting
the poor, giving aid in case Of losses by fire
OF other misfortunes, and repairing public
buildings. This sum is paid by. the Italian
government for customs duties. or course
San Marine would have right to have
brought its goods in free Of duty, but thi!
would have caused 50 much difficulty at tht
Italian custom houses that the government
agreed to pay, instead, an annual sum equa
to the proportion Of customs dues which
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