The New York herald., 1868-08-17


mon action OF the Pruss,an and italian armies Prus
STA would not have stopped short before 0Rmuts
koniggratz or Theriesenstadt, but would have
pushed straight on to Vienna ITSELF and there dictate
terms 20 the Hapsburg, after the tasAion Of the
great Napoleon.
And what was the plan IN faver with the Italian
had not even Termed ps one Count Count dtssde% % and
all the plans OF Prussia; but they were kept in igno
rance OF these OF Italy In thus state OF imperfect
confidence they could Of course only suggest but
be to leave strong corps for the defence Of Turin
and Milan, and, traRersng the Pc, to leave the
tresses to the left and push on towards Leybach,
Trieste and Vienna, not stopping at the Isonzo.
The famous Quadrilateral It Is well known,
is far strongly fortified on its western side in
consequence OF that front being turned to Piedmont
and France and any attempt to pass would be fatal
fact Of which the Emperor Of the French was fully
cognizant after the day OF SOlfernO. On the other
hand the Quadrilaeral to the SOUTH the side OF
Ferrara and Bologna, facing the Papal frontier,
tura difficulties were diminished at that season of
the year, from the rivers being low and the noun
tain torrents almost dried up march in that direc
ton would not have presented very alarming obsta-
cles To these considerations OF the Prussan Minis
ter, generally, La Marmora never made any reply;
and yet the dominant idea Of the Italian government
boastngly published to the world, had been clearly
that OF declaring and carrying on great national
war;
BY what causes was Italy prevented from giving
effect TO this idea? BY the desire Of France to keep
IN check both Italy and Prussia, desire prompting
Iie fTeuCH elOTLS TO lOCailZc tne war as muCn as
possible In Germany the efforts Of France did not
meet with the desired success as Bismarck was play
ing desperate game and would not be driven from It,
lt was otherwise in Italy, where assurances were
obtained that the war should be reduced as much as
possible to the proportion Of series OF mere skir
nlishes, and where q pledge was given by Austria
that in the event OF her being victorious she would
not pass the MincO. The efforts OF France in this
matter were seconded by England, who feared to
displeaSe either Of the great combatanS, Austria
Prussia, and hedged in with France as the safest
course to adopt.
No,u . n +,,;,
tally at variance with the plans and interests OF
Prussia, which had IN vew not the securing of this
or mat piece OF territory but tae breaking up OF the
tainfy Of the the Italian side being thus local.
lied she would have left just troops enough to hold
the fortresses in the Venetian territory, and would
thus have thrown the whole weight of her armies on
her German foes
The other Italian generals completely shared the
views OF Prussia, fOresaw the dangers and ncon-
veniences OF localized war, and attempted TO in
fuse their own into the mind Of La Marmora But
was 1t to be expected that he would accept the
advice Of his brother generasS Such was the state
OF matters-the war was on the point OF breaking
final conncil Of war deciding On the plan Of the cam
pagn, and the Prussian Minister, apprehensve Of
the consequences to both Italy and Prussia
should the former determine on carrying on a
localized war; and still more should an attack be
made on the Quadrilateral at point certain to en-
tail failure determined at least to relieve both his
government and himself from the responsibility OF
wrong decision. Accordingly Count d'Usedom
summed up in a despatch The precise points which
cussion between General La MarmOra, General Bern
haard and himself. 1t must not be forgotten that
all this time La Marmora had been holding, and at
the very moment was still holding, the portfolio Of
Foreign Affairs, and that Count d'Uqedom as repre-
sentative OF Prussia at the Court Of Florence had
been under the daily necessity OF comforting with
him on the political questions, from which the mill
tary questions were at such crisis absolutely in-
Separable.
When La Marmora now complains In the Chamber
OF Deputies that he as commander in chief, received
such military communication from dpOmatlst,
anf nf inra tlaf
time diplomatist himself and required in his diplo-
mauc capacity to treat with his brother minister on
the great interests affecting the two countries. As
to the form OF the despatch which has "red" the
Italians 1t was straightforward, business.like
paper with no beating about the bush which called
a spade spade, and sought to impress upon an
ally just at the outbreak OF the matters of the
most vital Importance to the state which the writer
represented as well as TO the State OF which General
La Marmora commanded the forces
Wen, what did General La Marmora do with this
documents He shelved it. Such is his own adrnis-
sion, his Justification being that he took alarm at
document of such importance being transmitted
through two diplomatic chancelories. 1t is said that
Count dUsedom has expressed himself III very
strong terms about this complaint of General La
Marmora and has observed that, having perfect
fdence in the gentleman attached to the Prussan
chanceory, he had taken for granted equal con-
fdence by the Italian Minister In the Commentators
Cerrutt the only oilcial at Florence who would
have seen the note before it reached La Marmora's
| hands.
Such is the real history Of the "secret despatch
read by La Marmora to the Chamber OF Deputies
the other day. and represented by him an at
| tempt made by Prussia on the very eve of the six
weeks campaign to dictate TO Italy certain strate
gicaI plans about which neither the statesmen nol
the generals OF Italy had been previously consulted
| II was your readears will perceive, about as much
the reverse OF all this as any paper could possibly
be, for Ii was only summary OF numerous discus
sons that had already taken place, and so to speak,
embodied warning ana protest in which the
other Italian generals opposed to General La Mar
morals views heartily sympathized. La Marmora
followed his own devices; disregarding both the
counsels OF his Prussian allies and OF his own mill
tary colleagues, he deliberately Knocked his head
against the iron front Of the Quadriateral at its
hardest spot, and the result was Custozza, speed
lily followed by that other disaster at Lissa.