The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-23


stands side by side with that of Count Balbo
at the summit of the list that enumerates
these illustrious minds of Italy's revival, ''the
| idea of federafive unity, far from being new
to the Italians is of very ancient date in their
country; il is natural to their genius, to their
| manners and customs, and is in conformity
with the institutions and geographical condi-
| tions of the Peninsula.
confederation, then, OF all the Italian
States, at the head of which should be placed
one enlightened and beloved prince, was the
grand thought that, after sixteen years of
earnest discussion, took positive shape in
1S47. when the voice of Plus TX was heard
summoning the nation, in his name and in
the name of Rome to rescue Italy from the
arrogant pretensions of the Austrian power.
''Fuori 10 straniero" (''Away with the stran-
ger.') was the cry that rang out, at the Pom
tifical signal, from the Alps to the Straits of
Otranto, and it was Immediately echoed by
shouts of ''Viva Pio." all over the Peninsula.
Those words of affection were wrought into
harmonious numbers by the musical and
poetic genius of the hour fred to its highest
flight by patriotic emotion. ''Evviva Pio."
became at once the rallying cry of all the
Italian youth, and the national "Hymn of
Pho Mono" was heard at every threshold, in
every street, in every valley and on every
mountain side. 1t was sung in chorus by
delighted thousands in the pleasure gardens
of Turin, Florence, Rome, Naples, and the
Sicilian cities, and, chanted on the battlefield,
it nerved the young soldiers of the Peninsula
who hocked to the defense of the italian
frontiers. In word, the chief and head of
the Church. proving himself patriot and
true son of Italy, was designated by the new
school of thinkers and writers and by the
| grateful people as the most comprehensive
and universal embodiment of influence,
moral, political, and national, that could be
placed at the head of the proposed confede-
ration. certain analogy was even dis
covered between the position of the District
of Columbia, comprising the city of Wash
! ington, and that of the Papal States, CON-
prising the city of Rome. Plus TX, then
under happy influences, encouraged this
federative idea by suggesting and advocating
the italian Customs League, which was con-
cluded on November g. 1917.
What followed this italian revival, within
few months, is part of the most thrilling
annals of our thrilling time Plus TX be-
came the cynosure of all eyes. His name
was honored and sung in every land. The
fiercest opposition relaxed in friendly smiles
and a new dawn of Cancellation seemed to be
ascending brightly over a world so long dis
cordant. What the influences successfully
brought to bear to obscure this halcyon
vision may have been it would occupy too
much of our space Just here to tell. God
On the night of February %, 1SfS, party
OF Americans, celebrating the birthday of our
first President under the very shadow of the
Pantheon, appealed to the glorious memories
of Rome and hailed the opening of another
splendid epoch under an enlightened and
patriotic pontiff. Of the little band who sat
there that night some are now in the Senate
of the United States; others preserve the
memory of those youthful hours of high faith
and hope amid the labors of secluded paths
On the very next day the echoes of the revo-
lutionary uprising in France were heard around
the Vatican, and within week the trumpets
of the republic rang over the whole Cont
nent. Italy's hour of struggle came; Rome
hoisted the democratic flag; French diplomacy,
then working for reaction, bore Plus X
away to Gaeta for time, and afterwards
carried him back with fire and sword
over the smoking ruins of outer Rome
and the dead bodies of hundreds who
had sung the limo di Pio' only two years
before. The noble scheme of 1947 was, for
a moment, eclipsed, and men ceased to count
Rome as an immediate part of the unity that
was yet to be, so long as the usurpation that
was throned in Paris should still keep its iron
tread also upon Rome. But the work of
Italian confederation went on, in spite of the
possession of the Seven-hilled City by out
side influences Sometimes by arms, some
times by quiet negotiation, State after State
was added to the circle, until united Italy at
length stood forth real thing of beauty and
of power before mankind. Yet all this edi-
fee, noble as it was in its proportions,
remained incomplete without Rome-Rome
which, in the downfall of her physical supre-
macy, seems to have found the secret of an
endless intellectual control. From the hour
when the genius of Cavour proclaimed Ro ne
the real capital of confederated Italy, and, in
SO doing, took up the lofty work of Gioberti
Balbo, and Canine, no statesman, no govern
ment, no party, no prince, no army, no in
fiuence whatever on the peninsula could, Will
be it monarchy or q republic, dared ignore
it. $40 govern" says Machiavelli, ''is to
foresee, and the best way of all to secure
peace is to avoid the causes that may lead tC
war. Victor Emanuel, King of Italy, has
perceived this, and has obeyed the voice o.
occasion and opportunity. The Italian tri
color waves over the castle of St. Angelo
and the heights of the Captioline Hill
amid the hearty acclamations of q race O
whom some "beyond the Tiber" are the truC
descendants of the ancient people. Tn
Vatican, st. Peters, and all the appurte
nances of the ecclesiastical residence am
Court of the Pontif remain undisturbed, AM
Plus X, in ceasing to be the virtual vassal O
France, of Austria, of Spain, or of any arme
Pretorian force that.might be gathered within
the walls of the Papal city; in ceasing to hav
the responsibility Of immediate tempora
power to cramp and compromise him, nov
again has the opportunity to become tn
venerated head of mighty and progressiv
nation of twenty-seven millions of souls owe
. whom he may, at last, freely stretch fort
. paternal hands. The confederation stand
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