New-York tribune., 1876-10-11
HOH1N IN HIL y.
election.

WOMAN IN ITALY.
There are few more cheering signs in the
recent history of the world than the de-
velopment of Italy during the first hfteen
years of her independence and unity. Indeed
when we consider that her complete unity as
a nation has only been achieved within SIX
wears and that she has not yet outllved the
disturbances insepaTable from even bcnehcent
changes. we cannot but wonder at the extent
to which all classes of her people have ac-
cepted their forgotten or prohibited duties, rs
citizens of a State and members of the great
family of humanity. The common people are
fast losing their provincial jeaLousles: the
higher classes of society are rising
although slowly and with ditliculty-out
of their former lassitude and indllfer-
ence material undertakings of all kinds
increase and flourish and new spirit Is
working in every field of speculation. liter
allure. and science The same phenomena
which meet MS in the history of the Italian
Rcpnblics of the Middle Ages are reappearinS
under the reign of Victor Emanuel. No
further evidence could be desired to show
that the brilliant natural capacities of the
people, although hampered in their activity
for centuries, have not been lost. The indie
pendence of Italy simply proves that the
Italians have always deserved freedom.
Italy first toward the close of the Middle
Ages. permitted to Woman the free exercise
of distinguished talents. Olympia Morata lee
turcd publicly in Fcrrara, the universities of
Padua and Bologna gave chairs to female pro-
fessors and the study Of medicine, the higher
mathematics, and classic literature was open
To the sex. Shakcspearc's Portia' IL less
than a full type of the accomplished Italian
woman OF that day At this moment, three or
four hundred years later, Germany, France,
and even England are not much IN advance
of the public sentiment which then accepted
such a recognition of womau's capacity; while
no modern university has vcnturcd to go
so far. Already, in the present general
Development of Italy, the women are
preparing 10 claim their ancient privileges. y
new intellectual activity is stirring in the sex:
not only in literature and art, also in politics
and sociology, we are beginning to hear softer
voices. The popular sympathy with the mar
tyrcd Bulgarians, which expresses itself through
immense mass meetings in Rome and Naples,
no less than in London and Glasgow, has
given the Italian women an opportunity which
some of them have instantly seized. Ii Is true,
indeed, that the Italian pocteSs, Signora Fua-
FusnatO has frequently made brief addresses
before societies; but we cannot recall any pre-
yious instance of a woman addressing great
asscmblagc of the people. At the meeting
held in Rome, in the Apollo Thcatcr, on the
81 ult.. the Countess Chlocci appeared upon
the platform, and presented n written address,
which she requested to have published with
the proceedings of the meeting 1t was ac-
ccptcd, and the address would have been
willingly heard by the audience, had the
Countess not lost her courage.
A week aftcrward, an immense multitude
assembled in the atrum of the monastery of
Santa Maria Ia Nova, in Naples. Thousands
upon thousands of all classes of the people
were present The third speaker was Miss
Matilda Casclli, who displayed such remark
able spirit and cloquence. rouSlng the vast
audience 10 such uncomfortable enthusiasm,
that the remaining OratOns in the programme
were instantly suppressed, and the resolutions
adopted by accamatiOn. From the report oi
her speech we find that Miss CaSclll was no
less daring than eloquent. In Naples, the so
long BOurbOnized Naples, she cried To the new
people which is rising ont of the former id>-
.Groni: "The Cross, the emblem ol human
city, can have no brotherhood with the
&" Crescent. the emblem of barbarism We re-
"pudiate the Jesuit policy which now tayorS
the Crescent, rs we reject his authority who
"usurps the name of Vicar Of Christi" To
oppreciate the force of this uttcrance, 1t must
be remembered that the policy which cmanates
from the Vatican has been hitherto uniricndly
to the Oriental Christians and therefore, 80 far
as it may affect diplomacy, favorable to the
Turkish side OF the question. But the freedom
of speech of Miss Caseli is hardly more re-
markable than the readiness with which it was
accorded to her, and the manner in which it
was received by the audience. There are still
many turbid ingredients in the life of Italy,
and if Italian women are as wise and patient
as they are able aud eloquent they may render
noble service to their country.
Some enterprising Democrat could achieve re
novn by rediscoyering the Monaghan ISSUE"