New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-19
THE FREEING OF ITALY
A STIRRING HISTORY OF ITALIAN RE-
GENERATION


THE DAWN OF ITALIAN INDEPENDENCE. ITALY
fROM HE CONGRE-s OF VIENNA. l9li TO
TIE FALL OF VENICE le4o ny William ko, CO.
Thaycr. In volumes: Emo, PIP. 1oJ4io.
Houshton, Miinin Co.
II is not surprising that the period treated
by Mr. Thaycr in these volumes should have
been almost Stunned by most historians; for the
. patiencc ard labor required to unravel the con-
fused and confusing ENHANCEMENT Of Italian poll
ties during the years concerned might well dauht
the stoutest workman and cause him to rcllr-
quish a pursuit SO little promising Of great re-
turns Nevertheless, the task here assumed was
one which needed 10 be done for the proper
understanding OF even more recent European
notifies. and il was especially fitting that the
work should be assumed by an American author
free from bias of any kind that bias in favor
Of liberty, which to Americans is as natural
as the air they breathe. 1t is. indeed, possible
that some of Mr. Thayers points OF view may
shock the manifestations. No doubt he owes
it partly 10 his habitat that the long-snstalhco
conspiracy against the freedom OF the i'"iidn'
does not present itself to his mind as simple
matter OF politics, but that the lnhumahi'ies'
the tyrannies the treacherics OF winch those un-
fortunate people have been the VICTIMS appear
20 him causes for open indignation anu SUM-
times lead him into scarcely measured "o
nunciation.
man 10 read the record without sharing the en-
ASPIRATION which he finds il difficult TO Iep'cSs'
nsr does the fact that the evils and abuses when
overwhelmed the Italians had been maintained ior
generations tend 70 modify the feeling provoked
nv the recollection of them Yet, wholly apart
from such incidental bitterness the history OF 'he
dawn of Italian independence abounds III lessons
and illustrations of the most pregnant KIM
lessons perhaps especially, in the immense dlin-
Guilty of making names pass for things. for 'he
Italians. above all the peoples of Europe, may be
said to have passed their time
In dropping buckets into empty So, wells nm
Mr. .Thayer opens his history with sketch OF
the italy of the Renaissance, and how strange
and even startling is the analogy between that
period and the first half of the present century.
Twice Italian rulers first sacrificed independence
and proved traitors to patriotism by calling In
the aid OF foreigners 10 overcome rivals OF their
own blood the maxim divide ct lmpera' has
been acted upon 10 the ruin OF the country by
every greedy external power. GuelphS ana
Ghibclncs disappeared onN to give place to
cqialk tnpatriotic and suicidal combinations
cities and provinces were arrayed against one
another. BY degrees a few great powers Ike
Austria acquired "a prcponderanng influence the
petty principalitics-not indeed greatly changed
since the time of the Mcdlcis-bccdme clOVcn
borouels, 50 to say: and the Italian people, cent
ury Ivy century, grew more helpless, more OPP
messed and as WAS inevitable in the circum-
stances, less capable of resisting the established
tyranny that crushed them They were, broadly
eakng, In sentiment, for they all yeirncd
after freedom But they had been deprived OF it
so many generations that they no longer knew
how to seek 1t. or how, suppcS!ng that they Had
cd thc
safeguard their liberties.
So it happened that, like all peoples under like
general conditions, they fell into erievous errors
and deusions Experience of tyranny had taught
them secrctivcncs>, and they conspired But con
spiracy only taught them Il dangerous faith In
mere talk and the results Of trusting to this were
more and mere disastrous as the years rolled by.
Nj Ihayers volumes are marvcolsly full.
clear and coherent record 0 period III which
tearne>s and cohercrce may seem far to seek.
Throughout italy the States and provinces were
arrayed AGAINST one another. Even where there
was nominal union. there 10 real trust. The
astute rulers took that causes OF suspicion
and discussion should be freely spread abroad.
The secret association called the CarbOnar fought
pcrsistcntly AGAINST such inui2ue>. but without
much success Tyranny had Slapped the popular
manhood, and cmgcmdered dstiust everywhere.
The alien police Of course, did their best to foster
such fcelr4S.
Metternich, who is Mr. Tlaycr's pet aversion,
and who certainly stands forth very striking
. example Of that old regime. which resumes all
the most obsolete and offensive opposition to the
extension of human freedom, represents i'll these
Pages all that the spirit OF democratic progress
has most 10 fear and hate 1t may chcefuly be
conceded that Mc'ternch an honest man, ac-
ecrGing to his lights only wl,a; he considered his
IL, l1, G.4,E nfl oE,
of fr,cCom and believers the rights Of the
people lyc then own lives But Mctternch
stood Gncon,prom siiIgly tor principles which the
French Revolution had 50 rudcly called in qucs-
ton that never again could they be accepted by
the worli unque>tionnGly. There mad been
long period during which scarcely any
dreamed Of challenging them. That the masses
lived for any other purpose :han 10 do the rougher
WORK Of the worll 70. the rrcc OF bare sub
sistence never occurred even 10 the most adj
vanced thinkers. tor a long time. Meanwhile, the
people grew used to their collars, and ceased to
feel the chafe of them. 1t was not until the
clos, of the eighteenth century brought TO France
at one ard the same time uneXamplcd physical
suffering and new gospel that change in the
situation became possible; and even this change
was at first, and for some time, change rather
for the worse than the better.
In Italy the new gospel did not make such rapid
Roadway. The people probably were not less Ill
prepared TO act upou il than the French. but they
laborcd under the special disadvantage of being
systematically separated All the small prnci-
palities into which the country was and had been
for so long divided seemed TO weaken the popular
cxprcssion and 10 reinforce the authentic. Aus
tria moreover, set the watchword for Italy, ana
AIetternich spoke for Austria and hc represented
the strongest reactionary views. Nothing but the
La.
thought, and when Napoleon fell he believed that
the last obstacle 10 the success Of his programme
had been removed. And who shall say that he was
very far from being right a. to this Events