The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-29
War I'm Europe.


The latest news from Europe proves that the
situation of affairs in Italy hourly becomes
more serious. The insurgents under Garibaldi
are probably now in Rome. The Italian gov
eminent is still inactive, no further measures
having been taken to check the progress of the
revolutonisrs. Meanwhile, the French EN-
peror has put his threat into execution, and the
French feet so long in readiness at Toulon has
sailed, with the cxpeditionary force on board,
for Civita Vecchia. II is manifest that Victor
Emanuel and his advisers are at their Wits end
They know not what to do. With the Septem-
Der Convention on the one hand, and the
national will on the other, they stand like the
philosoph RS ass between the two bundles Of
straw Their position, we admit, is difficult,
gencies and the inactivity" in this case can
scarcely be said to be "masterly."
In few hours, however French troops will
be in collision with the Garibaldians, and it
will be difficult for the Italian government
longer to hesitate. The Garibaldians alone
are not match for the troops Of imperial
France. But will the Garibaldians be LETT
alones Rather will not the Garibaldians null
tiply until they cover the peninsula and until
no sounds are heard in any part of Italy but
'.Garibaldi' and "Rome?" Even now, so
thoroughly at one are the Italian people in
regard to this Roman question, that in an anti
Garibaldi movement the troops cannot be
trusted. It requires but the presence Of
French soldiers on Italian soil to fan the spirit,
already wild, into uncomfortable fury, and 10
precipitate upon the invader the entire
strength OF the peninsula. In such case
Victor Emanuel and his Cabinet must advance
with the popular torrent or perish beneath it.
1t is a belief which is entertained by many
that Italy will not under any provocation
allow herself to come into collision with France.
We do not share this belief Italy, we admit,
is not in present circumstances a match for
France We do not say this because 100000 900
are not a match for 81 ,OOO,0 900, but because the
Italian kingdom is too young, too poor, too
mperfectly consolidated, even though its
population were larger to meet on equal terms
with one OF the best organized and most power
full military monarchies in the world. But the
blood Of the nation is up; it feels itself him
dered from oh aiming its own, and insulted
before the world and nations in such cir
cumstances are but little in the habit OF calcu-
lating possibilities. Nor, In the event Of war
breaking out between the two Powers, would
the cause Of Italy be altogether desperate.
Italy is not now what she has long been.
Since the breaking up OF the Roman en-
pire almost to tho present time she has
been so weak as to be at the mercy Of every
powerful neighbor; but this weakness was the
result OF disunion. Disunon Is now no more.
The peninsula is no longer cut up into number
less petty principalities or dominated by
neighboring monarchies. For the first time
| during many centuries Italy Is unit and the
Italians have national existence. II Is to
complete and perfect this unity, to round of
into perfect whole this national life, that they
demand Rome. II Il TO hinder this unity,
TO stunt this national life, that France now
invades the Roman territory. In contest
with France, Italians, whatever might be
their drawbacks, would have the incalculable
advantage Of fighting on their own soil for the
integrity OF their territory, for the unity Of their
national life, for the realization Of everything.
in fact which /, most righteous and most
noble in human aspiration. Not soldier