New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-22
Il DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE.


delicate diplomatic shuttlecock. Latterly one
side has strengthened its arguments with the
visible array of an army of observation. How
soon the sword thus half way drawn shall be
thrown into tho scale, and the army OF OBJ
servation become an army OF occupation, 1t
would be rash to predict.
The nations which the question alluded to
may at any moment involve in open HOSTILE
ties are those of Italy and San Marno The
latter is, as every one knows, a Republic which
has outlived every dukedom and kingdom
of the Italian peninsula-fOr even the
kingdom of Sardinia had its bright little
candle put out by the greater brightness OF
United Italy. But Popes and Dukes, and
French VicerOys and Austrian Marshals hav-
ing respected the integrity of San Marine, the
Italian King could hardly do otherwise and
the Republic, therefore, still exists and claims
Diplomatic equality with tho most powerful
states of Europe; although the fact that Its
population would be decimated by an attempt
to send diplomatic representatives to the five
great powers has compelled it to remain po-
litically isolated. For the last half century
San Marine has been accustomed to grant
asylum to Italian political refugees, giving
them such spare beds as the Republic
could afford, but seldom keeping them
more than night or two. lest some
irritable policeman should be tempted to
violate the soil of the Republic and drag his prey
from under its protection. Thus when Carl
baldi and his Roman army sought safety in
San Marine, after tho French had entered
Rome, they were permitted to sleep all over
its territory for single night, bus were
politely requested to depart in the morning
before the Austrians could come down upon
them. From harboring Republican refugees
to harboring brigands and other fugitiyes
from Justice is an easy step in Italian estIma-
ton. Just as the Neapolitan bandits are re-
garded by many Italians as the irregular
troops of the Bourbon ex-king, 80 IN
the days before SolferinO the bandit of
the Papal States was frequently, though
loosely, cOnfOunded with the prescribed Re-
publicans. Both were at war with the Papai
Government, and hence San Marine, being
perhaps too small to distinguish between
false and a true syllogism, illogically decided
that they were very nearly the same. The
prescribed Republican has latterly vanished
from Italy, finding it much easier to edit
radical newspapers or to sit In Parliament
than to undertake strictly private revolutions
with a large knife or a rusty fowling-piece.
He is therefore no longer a guest in San
Marine, but in his stead the bandit, who is
perennial, and the general criminal, of what
ever branch of the profession, fly to the
friendly Republic when hard pressed by the
police, and receive its impartial, even if
sometimes disdanful, protection.
Now, it recently happened that there came
to San Marine no fewer than thirty-four
Italian malefactors, whom that Republic, con-
founding them possibly with Republicans,
Bourbonists, or other political offenders, in
discriminatory sheltered. 1t was perhaps with
the view of showing conscientious dis
appreciation of government which has the
bad taste to extend over 80 wide territory
as that of Italy. that San Marino departed
from her usual custom, and declined to
dismiss those malefactors after their first
nights sojourn. Determined to capture them,
the Italian authorities detailed fifteen men to
surround the Republic with Gordon of steel,
and to seize the criminals whenever they
might incautiously step over the boundary.
But the latter were far too astute to walk
into the net thus spread in their sight. San
Marine, though decidedly too small for
persons accustomed to much physical exercise,
was yet wider than a prison CELL SO
thew preferred to lie under its fig-trees
and vines, and TO listen in calm security
to their foes, while the latter shouted to
one another or tossed playful oranges across
the Republic But thiTty-fve Italians of ordi-
nary size, stretched at full length on the
ground, occupied so much space as serious
" to interfere with the agricultural industry
of the State which protected them, and after
a few days of naughty endurance San Malino
requested them to step off the Republic and
permit the Spring seeds to be planted. The
reckless fellows refused and defed their
angry hosts to put them out. At the same
time the Italian Government, weary of a pro.
longed and fruitless exchange of diplomatic
notes, called upon the Republic to expel the
criminals by force The demand was refused
and the defiance of the criminals was disre-
garded For the melancholy truth had forced
itself upon the COnsuls of San Marine that,
while largo part of their army was confined
to the barracks with broken leg and another
large pant was absent on a visit to his brother
in Rome, it was quite impossible to attack
thirty-fve men-some of whom were presume
bly, armed with pen-knives-with the slightest
hope of success.
And here the matter rests, the Italians hav-
ing given to San Marine the option either to
expel the criminals or to be invaded and Oc-
cupied by a corporals guard. 1t is difficult to
see how the latter calamity can be avoided;
for calamity it would certainly be. There is
no reason to suppose that the Italians would
overthrow the Republic; but it is obvious that
State swarming with dozen foreign SOL