Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-06-17

IT'S STANDING ARMY OF
THIRTY MEN-ANA-
TON WITHOUT
a PRESS.
la Repubfica di San Marino, the
roots of whose history run down to
the days of Charlemagne.li lies about
twelve miles. southwest from Ri-
mini, land aboat four miles from the
shores Of the AIriatic, in Italy. A
correspondent writes
The republic proper stretches
oyer a territory seventeen miles
long and about half that width, and
has population, ,all told, about 16,-
009 people, the capital. where we
were, having about sec Of them.
They were governed by a council
Of sixty, which is close corpora
tion,Iomiaally composed of twenty
princes, twenty of the middle class,
and twenty OF the peasant class,
but in point Of fact, as l aftezward
learned--and, indeed, as might be
inferred from the fact that they
themselves filed all vacancies, and
the people had no more to do with
the choice of the members of con-
gress--all were mobiles, and if you
were to address one otherwise than
as "nobilissimo," you had better
not have addressed him at all. /
gathered that the real distinction
was that twenty were taken from
the landed gentry, twenty from the
town gentry, and twenty promiscu-
ously from any part of the terri
tory.
This council, independent of all
human control from above or be-
low, elects two executive officers,
who are called captains-regent; it
designates all executive committees,
imposes taxes-in fact, conducts
the government. The regents re-
ceive no pay-another evidence
that San Mariuo is not a republic,
alter CHS Atlantic ideas at any
rate.
Ny readers ore doubtless already
inpatient to know something of
the army, which fer 1900 years
has defed the manifold elements
of disorder that have been fatal to
SO many. dynasties and disinember-
ed SO many larger and more pop
ulous territories in Europe. The
military defense, then. of the re-
public of San Marine is committed
to e regular army of thirty men,
who are supposed to be always
ready to respond to the call of honor
or of patriotism.
A police composed of Eve OF Six
persons protects the property of
the territory, and gives peaceful
slumbers to it's honest burghers. In
emergencies the militia of the conn-
try may be called in aid of its un-
conquered leglons. They have two
judges, who are, however, required
by Law to be taken from without
the Territory. and are changed
every three years. But all cases
of appeal are decided by the court
of cansation, or review, in the
neighboring cities OF Bologna. Pa
dua, Turin or wherever that tribu-
nal may chance to be sitting at the
time.
The currency in ase among them
also, is that of the Italian govern
ment. They had once some sous
coined, the equivalent in value of
our cent-my host at the inn give
me two or three Of them: but they
were not coined in the republic
Their namber Was very restricted
and they are rarely to be met with
except In the collections of numis+
matistss
! 1t is certainly one Of the eeean'
tricities which distinguish San Ma
rino from all other counties tina
it puts its litigation out, as some
families put out their washing, ane
tr AIDES, exclusively with the eurfen
cy Of foreign states. The copntr,
which buys and sells with a cur
rency over which it has no control
!. and submits its differences to for.
eign tribunals for adjustment give
pretty heavy bonds to keep tn
peace with its neighbors, whatever
t be The title it gives to its foim Q
3 government.
5 The expenses Of their govern
f nient will not seem large to a
, American They never exceed 25
OO3 francs-say $5,O00-army,navy
t postoffice, education, prisons, po
/. lice, diplomatic service, represents
Q all included. The revenua is rails
t ed. ont of the profits realized by th
;. goyerpn ent from the purchase {
Q some 100000 pounds of tobacco i
y the leaf, which it manufactures t
r sell at q small advance !; from th
! sale of about 500 sacks of SALT an
4 a trifing stamp tax of three cent
on notarial judicial aud other legs
!. documents.
q The health of the republic
d Cooked after by one physician an
D one surgeon employ by :he stat