New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-09
THE UNION OF ITALY.
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STRUG-
GLE By WHICH 1T WAS ATTAINED,

- tho long and bitter struggle seem like por
t,ops If medieval history astray in the modern
neriod In what other wars Of the present CEN
turv we're persons tortured to death with f1re.
not BY murderous camp-followers. but ny gen
cral or in intervals Of peace. subjected 10 uhusu-
Al crueltles in prison. with the consent ana con-
riyance ~ statesmen Between wars and in
SUR. ctions the country was almost as much
~ victim to political brigandage as was
Aouitaine in the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries Medieval anarchy had been cor
rected in every other country. but III l'aiy
IL nourished as Of old. The petty princes
were worthy successors of those relentless
tyrants with whom every means OF destroying
an enemy was deemed justifiable. suggestive
illustration is to be founc in the fate OF Gro
Menotti He was one Of the many who mad a
plan for attaining Italian unity. by bringing the
whole country under the rule or Francesca
d'Este Duke of Modena. The latter was an IN
tensely ambitious man, and he attracted the ao-
miraton % Menotti. as in old times Cesare DOT
ria had won that Of Machiavelli But Meho'us
mis,ake was even worse than that of Machiavelli,
because Francesca was rather below than above
the average Of Italian rulers His whimslcali'y
is shown In the fact tina; when he could not lay
hands on Sir Antony Panizzi. who had escaped to
England. he sent him a bill for the expenses
Of hanging him in efigy. Menotti might well sup
pose that the Duke would be willing to act fairy
when his own ambitions were at stake Inc
trouble waS that Francesca could not conceive
of the unity of Italy. II he could nave adueo
Sardinia To Modena he would have achieved the
great desire Of his life. Apparently, however
Menotti was led to believe that all his plans met
with the Dukes approval and that he had the
nronise of safety whatever happened. This
nromise" adds the author, was given because
he had the opportunity of saving the Duke from
some great peril probably from assassination,
though the particulars were never divulged'
On the eve Of the instruction to which Fran
cesco himself was consenting party ne op-
tanned from spies information with when ne
may have been already more or less famiiiiar.
His first act to have Menottis mousse
surrounded by troops and Menotti and his triehds
arrested This did not quell the outbreak now
ever and Francesca had TO run away; but when
the Austrians had restored him TO his place ana
he felt secure from the popular rage he hanged
Menotti in spite of promises
These things happened in the twenues' ana
Menotti, with his absurd faith In ducal prom
Use and his wild methods on the one mana ana
mic consuming desire for Italian unity on the
other showed himself true follower OF 'he
med,aeval popular leaders and true precursor
~
st;nc,ively. as ages before had been felt by
Dante and Machavelli. that Italian unity must
be attained by the rule of single man and this
was also Garibaldis conviction. Garioaldi now
ever. would have made his single ruler resemble
an old Roman dictator: Menotti would have been
satisfied with one of the Italian princes known
IN him Mazzini never disguised his aspirations
for republic Thus 1t will be seen that. in spite
Of Menotti's irrational exploit. he came nearer
than the others TO forecasting the practical pos
sbilties Of history.
But the most thoroughly medieval aspect OF
the long struggle was due to the attitude OF the
Church There no desire on the part oi
The neonle for reformation or schism as there was
in other parts OF Europe at the beginning OF the
modern period Modern Italian patriotism harKeo
hack TO the ancient cry against the temporal
mower and the Church and the Pope had no
better policy than the one consecra'ed D! ase1
of use Of fomenting divisions for the sake OF
their own supremacy. There was moment al
the accession OF Plus TX. when ne was haiieu d.
the possible savior Of Italy; but he found that ne
could not preserve intact what he had receNeu
from his predecessors and at the same time brihe
about the wished-for national revolution. His IRA
ditions as an ecclesiast and his oath as Pope lei
him little choice as 10 the position ne must assume
Tn the arts of diplomacy he rivalled the popes o.
long ago; but a change had come over the wori'
since the times Of those pontifs, who Waged wa
with all the violence Of secular princes, ana fiu
mt forth his best efforts 10 diminish bioodshcd
When Rome was finally taken he peremptoril!
commanded his troops 10 cease hring "heh
hreach was made in the walls; and when tn
French dsobeyed an order which had only peei
given orally he repeated 1t in writing. In spit
thol of he
he sanctioned the administration Of the sacra
ments to the dying king. Victor Emmanuel an
his first impulse. it is said, was to be himself IN
h..rer n, then AT that hour" says the author
1.-THE man got the better OF the priest: frahci
drove out Dominic. The heart that had beel
made 10 pity and the lips that had been forme
IN bless returned TO their natural function
Judging by her account Of the condition or IN
States OF the Church and Of Rome at the Degin
ming of Piuss reign, he might we'll have felt IN
loss OF the temporal power 10 be personal ooo
while at the same time denouncing the wroh
done TO the legal claims Of the Church. AS sh
views the matter, the temporal power was al
ra.dv dead in the time Of Gregory XVI Gregor
h.a kent railways and gas and suspension
bridges out of his dominions but he had not bee
able 10 heal the processes Of disntegration tn
populace had already Withdrawn It's aHegianc
10 the Papacy In practical poitics ana 'hsuhc'
ively fixed upon Of It's own number as
leader. The case OF Angelo Brunette, nickname
Ciceruacchio. could be paraleled by more ina
one episode In the history OF Italian cues
kent the peace Of the city In July 1884, IN IN
midst OF rumors concerning an Austrian plot
carry off the Pope and stop his proposed REFORM
The author, however. does not represent 'he'
plans OF reform in highly important hsh''
te,.t
,,orsnt Plus TX was under the impression thu
tho nroblem he had taken In hand was erninen
,x simple. A little goodwill on the part OF ever!
hodv an amnesty to heal old sores. ought
,hougb, to set everything right Neither
-. $780, ~ thu Church nor In any other par