The Portland daily press., 1878-01-10
ITALY.
Death of Victor Emmanuel.
PRINCE HUMBERT PROCLAIMED
KING.

KING.
ROME, Jan. 9.-King Emmanuel.died at 80
p. M. aged 90 years.
Eoe1tng-In the afternoon the sacraments
were administered to King Victor Emmanuel
who received the priest with great serenity
The King then summoned Prince Humbert,
the heir apparent, and his wife, the Princess
Marguerite, to his bedside, with whom he con-
velsed few moments. Afterwards the mill
airy eruption Increased. Tae King then sum-
moned all those who were in the habit of ap
preaching him. He addressed to every one
present few words and a few moments after
died. The news Of his death soon spread
through the city and caused great emotion
among the people, All the shops were closed
and Prince Humbert was proclaimed King of
Italy. He confirmed the present ministers in
their posts.
sgnuer f. Moninelli, Sacristan of the Apostolic
Palace, who was sent to him by the Pope. He
was also visited by Monsignuer Cenni, the
Pope's domestic prelate. The Austrian ambas-
sador was present with Prince Humbert. the
Princess Margherira and state dignatarcs
when the King said the communion of ex-
treme JUNCTION from his chaplain, Anzino. To-
wards 30 O'Clock this afternoon the oppression
under which the King abored Increased and he
was caused to iuhale oxygen, which seemed to
S'FC h4u q Ab'lo Stt0uStu I10 5diQLSQ L0Oe6
present, bending his head twice, then signing
deeply, expired.
The diplomatists being informed of the
death, and of Prince Humbert's accession, pro-
ceeded to the qurinal Immediately to cOndoIe
tho newspapers to appear IN black and remind
their readers that Victor EmmanuePs life was
dedicated to the greatness and happiness of
Italy.
Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy, was the
son of Charles Albert, King of Sardinia,
and was born heir to his fathers throne. He was
educated by the Jesuits. His first military
service was performed in his fathers campaign
against Austria, in 1840.49, when, according to
custom, being the eldest son Of the King, he
commanded the brigade of Savoy. He dis
played great gallantry at Goito and Novara.
On the eve of the latter battl4 his father seeing
the hopelessness of the struggle abdicated in
favor of Victor. who, on account of his con
nection by marriage with the Austrian Emper-
or, might expect to receive better terms from
the vctors. Victor assembled the throne of
Sardinia the 23d of March, 1S49. and from his
coronation his administration of public aft airs
was in every respect excellent. He practlcsd
rigid economy, and encouraged trade and COM
merce by the conclusion of COM mercial treaties
with other nations. He soon brought down
upon his head the thunders of the Vatican,
however, by the restrictions he imposed upon
the powers and privileges of the clergy, but
nothing dauntsd, he obstinately asserted and
maintained his independence of the papacy.
Like his subjects, he was thoroughly DESTROYS of
the unifcation of Italy, but he saw that con-
test, single handed, with the House of Austria
would be madness and would only postp one
the contamination of their desires, and SO he
restrained their impetuosity and patiently bided
his time. To improve bis standing with the
powers, especially with France, he sent an
army of II, 1000 men, under Gen. La Marmora,
to assist the allies 10 the Crmean war, and af-
ter the treaty of Paris entered into close alli-
ance with France, and gave his eldest daughter
Clotilde in marriage to Prince Napoleon, ard
thus strengthened, provoked war with Aus
tria.
The campaign which followed was brief but
decisive. The Austrians were routed at Sol
ferino and Magenta. Italian unity seemed
about to be accomplished when the day was
postponed by the peace of Villa Franco. Sar-
DINA was compelled to cede to France Nice
and Savoy, as the price OF the alliance and got
in return the Milanese, minus the fortresses of
Mantua and Pescbiera An attempt was made
also to force Prince Napoleon on Italy as her
sovereign, but the people Indignantly rejected
him and Tuscany, Modena, Parma and 1.-THE
Romagna renouncing their allegiance 10 their
respective sovereigns voted for annexation to
Sardinia. The unifcation of Italy seemed
again near at hand when it again was
postponed, this time not by the fear of Austria,
but Of France. At the command of Napoleon
III, Victor Emmanuel fastened to disavow all
knowledge of Garibaldrs expedition to Sicily,
though he was known to secretly favor the lat
ter's projects, aud forbade him, after the island
was conquered to pass over the continent
though he subsequently, with the consent of
Napoleon who was DESTROYS of preserving
Rome to the Pope, sent an army to aid him in
conquering Naples, and formally accepted the
sovereignty Of the Two Sicilies In 1862, Carl
baldi, thinking that the conquest of Rome
would be equally acceptable to his sovereign,
to Sicily, raised an army of volunteers
and was rapidly advancing on the capital when
Victor Emmanuel was compelled by France to
put an end to the expedition which be did by
capturing its leader and imprisoning him at
Aspromonte. Though proclaim d by the Sem
ate and House of Deputies King of Italy in
February, 1861, Victor still postponed, on ac-
count of his fear of Napoleon, the annexation
of Rome and Venice. His opportunity came.
however, on the outbreak of the quarrel be-
tween Austria and Prussia for supremacy in
Gprmanu Ia inf
the latter power, and on the 23i of June, 1866.
invaded Ventia. He was defeated at the battle
of Custozza, but nevertheless, his army sue
ceeded in overrunning various parts of the
province and even in penetrating the Tyrol.
The overwhelming disaster which befel the
Austrians arms at Sadows forced her to make
peace and in the settlement of Victor Emman-
uel got Venetia The last detachment of
Franch troops left Rome on August 8. 1870.
and then the grand scheme of unitication for
which the Italians had struggled through
many years, was accomplished and Rome be-
came the capital and seat of Victor Emmanuers
court. The last vestige of the temporal power
Of the Pope passed away with the removal of
Nspoleon's troops and Italy became constitu.
tional monarchy, governed by civil rulers
alone.
Victor Emmanueps reign over the united
kingdom has been an exceedingly happy one.
The internal affairs of the nation have been
wisely managed. Commerce and the useful
arts have been encouraged. education fostered
and that bane of all Catholic countries. the
priest. shorn of a great part of his power for
evil. Italy has at last won place among the
powers of Enrope, her sovereignty is acknowl-
edged by them all aud her opinions treated
with respect. Concerning Prince Humbert.
who succeeds to the throne, little is known, but