Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-24


! entered into strong alliance, offensive and de-
fensive. with Germany and Austria. a peculiar
interest attaches to a hitherto unpublished let
ter OF the Count Cavour. giving detailed &C
count of his interview with Louis Napoleon Just
before the war of 1859. This important and
piquant recital IS given in the Perseverance,, Of
Milan. 1t is printed in French, and was proba-
bly, written in that tongue, and bears date at
Baden, the Gath of July. 1858. The Count Ca
YOUR and the emperor Of the French met at
PlOmbieres. in the VOsgeS; their first cOnversa-
ton lasted from II am. to pm, and at it
was renewed in the course of drive. in which
the emperor held the reins himself over "a pair
OF American horses" At the moment of Ca
YOURS entrance in the morning the emperor
plunged an naedids res. with declaration which
quarter of century later conveys a striking
impression OF the peculiar faith which this SOW
ereign considered himself bound to observe.
HE began" writes the count, "by saying
that he had decided to support Sardinia with all
his power in war against Austria provided
that the war should be undertaken for a cause
that was not revolutionary. and that could be
justified in the eyes Of the diplomacy and still
more OF the public opinion, Of Europe and of
France" On this invitation CavOur entered on
1.-The search for this cause" He suggested Aus
trian evasion of the commercial treaty with
Sardinia The emperor found the pretext in
sufficient for a war destined to change the
map OF Europe" The count then brought for
ward certain claims of illegal extension of
Austrian power in Italy. The emperor said
they had been produced and ignored in
the congress of Paris in 1856 ''My DO
sltion," the count says, twas becoming embar-
RAISING. l had nothing else very definite to
suggest. The emperor came to my rescue and
we set ourselves to running over all the Italian
states. hunting Tor this cause of difficult
TO ma. After having traversed the whole pen-
insula we got. almost without suspecting it. to
Massa and Carrara, and there we discovered what
we had been looking for with so much ardOr"
The inhabitants of these provinces, subjects OF
the duke OF Modena, were to be melted to pre-
sent their grievances. Victor Emanuel should
support them in''a naughty and menacing note {"
The duke elying on Austria, would respond lin
an lmpertinent manner" The king would Occu-
py Massa. and 1.-THE war would commence" The
emperor thought that such commencement of
the conflict would be popular not only in France
but In Europe and England. 'since rightly or
wrongly, the Duke of Modena was looked upon
as the scapegoat (bOuc eaniSsdire) of despOtisln"
After this charmingly frank arrangement the
count and emperor proceeded to regulate the
future OF Italy" by plan which was not carried
out, and which it is not necessary to describe
"Afterward." says CavOur, 1.-The emperor asked
me what France should have. and ii your mai
esty would cede Savoy and Nice" The count
thought France "might have" Savoy, but that it
would violate 1.-The principle Of nationalities" to
turn over Nice. ''Thereupon the emperor
caressed his mOustache several times and con-
tented himself with adding that these were for
him secondary questions, which there would De
plenty of time to consider"
She afternoon interview was taken up mainly
with the proposed marriage of the Prince Napo-
leon to the Princess Clothilde. daughter of Vic
tor Emanuel. The king had received it with
hesitation on account OF the princes bad repu-
tatOn The count in his letter argues strongly
in his favor and quoting the emperor's remark
that the prince was ''better than his reputation,
and had very good heart" remarks: THAT
his heart is good there is unanswerable proof in
the constancy he has shown toward his friends
aud toward his mistresses" This droll plea for
sutton for the hand Of the young princess
throws flood of light on the counts remark,
''history shows that princesses are exposed to
the danger of a sad life" Happily there is now
no emperor who can, and no king of Italy who
need, be party to such negotiations as Cayour's
letter describes