New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-30
ROME AS CAPITAL.

,-.prrR-THB POPE AS VOLUNTARY PElS-
oXKR-A NEw sENsE OF sECURTTY-rHPoRTANT
n1scovERIEs ON THE PAIATTNE.
,,oS AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUSEl
RoME March 25.-When last approached Rome,
little more than five years ago. there still
stains of blood IN the vineyards of Monte ROtondo
and Montana French and Canadian Zouaves
patroled the streets Of the ancient city and brgands
from the Sabine and Volscian Mountains many Of
them wearing the Pope's silver medal passed me
daily on the staircase of the house where lived, on
their way TO consult with the major domo of the ex
King of Naples who occupied the rooms above mine
At Fiale's reading room it difficult to see Gd
,gnGR ofener than every other day. because of the
censorship; but on the other hand the Easter cere-
monies were celebrated with all the usual ponp, and
Pus TX gave the benediction Urbi Il orbi IN his own
uncomfortable voice. II was still Papal Rome-the
old Rome dear 10 artists the Rome IN which SORT
OF conventional sentiment wept over any ehanse
the Rome of dirt and bad smells, Of picturesque mold
and mellow color Of a close, heavy atmosphere Oh
the Past still undisturbed by the quieksme and car
boo acid Of the Present. Trains came IN ually 10
be sure but they made little noise, they were al
most hidden from sight in a modest station under
the Baths OF Dioeletian. and the sentimental class
ending them so very convenient, spoke of them as
rarely rs pogsible and so retained their consistency
In this age Of the world, no man can be happy un-
less he accepts the Inevitable. There were those
doubtless. who lamented over the introduction of
knives and forks and tOOthbruSheS; and cOnse-
ouently am not surprised TO find many of the old
foreign residents Of Rome filed with a vague. form
less lamentIuOn at the passing away OF the old
order OF things. But tue first impression received,
on reaching here the other evening was of the SIN
gular brightness and cheerfulness OF Rome We
drove through streets which am sure have not be
fore been clean since the days Of Diocletian;
everywhere ricketty houses were repaired old walls
whitewashed and far and wide, behind the crcsts Of
the Quilinal and ViminaI Hills, the scafOlding OF
rows Of new buildings showed above the garden
walls. The streets were crowded as on JestG day,
yet It was only with the new life which pours
through them from dawn I'LL midnight. The kind
services of "a friend had secured quarters in adj
vance OF we should scarcely nave found place 70
lay heads. IL was, at once, another atmosphere
than that Of the Rome knew; and as / never quar-
rel with Time and Progress. can scarcely describe
the refreshment Of the change.
Of course many unnecessary and many unwise
things have been done ID the two years and a half
nuce Sedan gave Rome TO Italy; but with a people
burdened and yet patient the Italians, with
Government accomplishing its period of transition
under such menaces from without We must not be
severe Of Judgment The transfer Of the capital has
has borne heavily the poorer classes. who. dis
possessed II their homes by the sudden increase of
rents found no new ones ready TO receive them.
The law requiring the foundations Of buildings TO
be sunk through the debris of two thousand years 10
the original soil, is OnerOus and expensive vet the
whole civilized world has interest in it's enforce
ment What is now added 10 Rome viii al least
cover no such treasures as are still hopelessly buried
under the old Campus Martius, and especially be-
tween the Forum Of Trajan and the Basilica Julia.
The furnishing up Of the old streets and eiifces
confess. has also been carried 70 an extent
which must exasperate an artistic eve There was
no necessity Of whtewashing those aged belfries
which look so golden nthe sunshine. or Of scraping
of the me.owness Of solid palace-fronts, 10 make
the stone seem new. Then. too, I am told the popu-
latOn is becoming s mixed, that its individual
character VIII soon be lost; the rich dialect the
OroruHd bocca Romano, is heard less frequently-in
short instead of being thoroughly, distinctly Roman,
while retaining It's cosmopolitan interest the city is
fast becoming Italian In a sense which win destroy
al local peculiarites. But this again is Of the
Inevitabes and the next generation viii lose moth
ing by the change. Art viii not suffer much, even
If many artists should be driven away for season;
we shall only have fewer shepherds and pipers
sheepskiu coats sitting upon broken columns and
doing nothing in pensve way.
The new quarter Of the city, after al need only
annoy those who go out OF the old thorOughfares 20
see IT, Il lies within the northeastern curve Of the
ancient walls, including the Pretorian camp, and
will interfere with none OF the classic landmarks.
The site is high and AIRY, and the streets which
are nsing with great rapidity, will probably be
healthy residences in Summer. There is ample
space in TINS direction for an additional population
Of hundred thousand. and as much more could be
ddpd be g
draining Of the Campagna, although attended with
quite exceptional difficulties is not impracticable;
but the sanitary measures already applied in Rome
must very soon manifest their effects IN the IN
creased health Of the population. There always
some cases Of fever among strangers at this season.
when the Is hot and the churches cold when
there are exhalatiOns from all the new excavations
and clammy damps In cTypts and catacombs. With
little caution there need be no danger the breezes
that blow over the Campagna pure and bracing;
the peasants who trim the vines and Oive-rees look
bright and ruddy, and the faces recognizes after
an absence Of years are no older than they would
have grown ID any other quarter of the world. ]
cannot help thinking that quite new life will
come 20 Rome. that the intellectual malaria of
ages has been blown from her seven hills.
The Pope still turns the key Of the Vatican upon
himself, and refuses 70 be considered rs anything
else than prisoner. He is visited almost daily
both by Catholic and Protestant strangers among
whom there Is more than the usual proportion of
American ladies. To all these he complains of his
treatment and sometimes prophesies a speedy and
splendid triumph. One rumor states however. that
he very tired Of bis isolation and would gladly be
recoDciled with the Italian Government if it could
BE- done with dignity. / cannot guess how much
truth there may be IN this, but there are some
strange and yet true stories in circulation That the