New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15

THE MARQUIS DI RUDINL
for his inherited wealth is very great, while his
ancestry and lineage are illustrious that any
new titular distinction conferred upon him by the
favor Of his sovereign would not add to, but on
the contrary would detract from. his dignity. II
he serves the State 1t is merely from that same
sense of patriotic duty which has prompted SUCH
men as the Austrian Counts Taaffe. Andrassy
and Kalnoky. the Spanish Dukes OF Fernan-
Nunez and Tetuan, and English peers such as
Lord Salisbury and the Dukes OF Devonshire,
Norfolk and Of Rutland to devote their energies
and time to the affairs Of the nation and Of the
crown at the sacrifice Of their personal tastes
and inclinatons.
THEIR RECORDS CLEAN.
While in Republican eyes there may be draw
backs to thus intrusting the destinies or the
people to wealthy arstocrats, yet there is at
least this advantage, so particularly desirable IN
Italy at the present moment that they are abso-
lutey free from any suspicion Of using their
office to serve their private interests. Both the
MARQUIS di Rudini and the Duke Of Sermoneta,
chief of the ancient patrician Roman house OF
Caetani enter upon their duties with hands that
are absolutely clean, with regulations that are
clear from even any breath Of suspicion ana
free therefore, to fulfil what they consider to be
their duty to king and country without any re-
gard whatsoever for considerations arising from
dishonesty or corruption either in the past or In
the present.
Antonio Stavabba di Rudini. Marquis and
High Baron of Sicily Is a tall man OF athletic
build about fifty-six years old. whose once
h,ond beard has become tinged with white
while embonpoint has somewhat impaired the
elegance and elasticity of figure for which he
was formerly renowned With his cold. phleg-
matte demeanor, his sobriety OF speech and
his somewhat supercilious and grave air OF dig
n,tv he conveys to strangers the impression Of
being an Englishman, rather than an Italian
This is perhaps attributable to the strongly
developed strain Of Arab blood In the veins or
sicilians who as nation present striking
contrast to the excitable. loquacous exuberant
population Of the central and southern portion
Of the peninsula.
RUDINI AS A REvOLUTIONIST.
Rudini was barely twenty years old when
he first made his debut in politics, and. to tho
establishment Of everybody. instead OF arraying
himself under the banner Of the Bourbon King
TO whose cause he would naturally be attached
nv tradition, caste. influence and association. he
east his lot with Garibaldi helped to build
barbados In the streets Of Palermo. and in
sn,te of his youth, played prominent part IN
the revolution which resulted in the liberation
of Sicily from the thraldom OF King Francis
After everything had quieted down, he was i'm
prudent enough to visit Naples, and. when his
presence there became known. was on the point
OF being arrested and cast into prison by the
King Warned in time. however he sought
and found refuge on board a man-of-war be-
longing to France. for which country ne mas
ever since perhaps. just on that account, en-
,ertained the warmest sympathy and regard
or course. he took part, jointly with Crispi a
few months later In the Garibaldian expedition
which resulted in the expulsion OF the Bouroons
from Naples and then returned to Sicily where
in 1866 he became Mayor OF his native ely
OF Palermo. There was at the tune terri ,,
on,dernic of cholera, complicated by FAMINE
spd bv q sangunary insurrection. attributed 10
the Malta. the origin Of which has always re-
nafned shrouded in mystery. In the Vi!laees
nrnmnd palermo the flesh of murdered Italian
aendarmes was exhibited for sale by the pound:
while the heads of the unfortunate Caraoin ae
were hurled at the troops sent 10 queh tne us
,wrbances So great was the sagacity. the cour-
age the fertility Of resource ana tne energy
displayed by the young Mayor al TINS cri ar,
49, &c reward for the conspicuous PaIt
which he played In restoring order, ne was hrst
appointed Governor Of Naples ana then MINIS MINIS
ter Of the Interior In the Me ss. go -. ia 81
although he was only twepty-eght years o'o ~
'ne ''''e' EXCLUDED FROM OFFICE
Called upon to choose. year later, between
the interests of his party and those which ne
considered to be the interests OF the nation III
connection with the ordering OF genera. &c
ton, he decided adversely to his party ana mus
brought about the downfall Of the Menaore
Cabinet and his own exclusion from ONCE curing
the next twenty-one years. True seats IN .,,o
Cabinet were repeatedly offered to MIN by tne
Premiers Depretis Minghetti and even Si ,hp.
But he invariably declined on the grouno TIC"
ne could not conscientiously approve OF po,rJS s
so Numerically opposed to the best ec ,on, ne
interests Of the country At length ~ aoy yI, ~
yielded to the urgent solicitations OF King nuit
bert and accepted the task Of forming an A. A.
ministratfon. even going 20 far ~ to accept tne
existing situation and to tolerate the conoi'Vn
Of affairs created by Italy's participation IN Iie
Triple Alliance. Of which he IN no wise approv .
Having taken no share in bringing about the
downfall of Crispi he made the mistake OK
imagining that ne could rely upon the latter
support. and accordingly intrusted the Depart
ment Of the Interior to Baron Nicotera. one VI
Crispis warmest friends
This was a fatal 1t was equivalent TO
the coniiding of the key Of the situation to his
most dangerous enemy. Before long Nicotera
had so successfully intrigued that he had the
majority OF the members of the Cabinet on his
side, and though Rudini was opposed to the
Triple Alliance he was compelled to give his
name to its renewal and TO sanction number
OF other acts Of which he cordially disapproved'