The San Francisco call., 1897-09-05

suScSsSIVely Dy Inc HUNS unuer AtHlh auu
Aiaric, by the Goths under Theodoric and his
successors, by the Byzantnes under Belisarius
and Narses. and aftcrward by the Lom bards,
boot-shaped Italy was in a continuous turmoil
from the third to the eighth century. Then
Chariemagne accepted the crown OF the holy
roman empire, and under his powerful sway
Italy enjoyed few years OF comparative tran
guilty. After the death of the great emperor
MS successors OF the Carolingan and later OF
the FRANK dynasty had too much trouble in
france. Lorraine and Germany TO look alter
thelr Italian interests, and now the different
Italian provinces and cities commenced to war
with each other. This kind of warfare was
not interrupted for any length of time till the
close OF the eighteenth century; and the iniu-
rles the Italians inflicted on themselves have
PROBABLY been more bloody and destructive
than any inflicted by foreign foes. Their own
internal quarrels, however, did not prevent
the neighboring countries from using Italy as
lhelr common battlefield, and the German
eEperors, particularly the Saxons, Hohen-
staufens and, ter on, the Hap. burgers, had
an almost uninterrupted foothod in Italy
Inc French also invaded the unfortunate
country time and again, and even the German
Lahdsknechte (freebooters) held the northern
parts u ltaiy in terror Tor many years.
Ihat under these circumstances Italy could
play but very inferior part in Europe is self
evident, though manv OF the Popes partlcu-
larly Gregory VII (Hildebrand). welded an
alI-controlling influence III European affairs
and the cities of Venice ana Genoa acquir,
tame and riches through their commercial
and naval enterprises.
During the last two centuries and during
the first six Y years OF the present century the
Austrians occupied not only Lombardy and
venice, the two richest provinces OF Italy, but
also controlled many of the other prlncipali-
ties; state Of affairs which was interrupted
for few years by the conquests of Napoleon l.
In 1904 Napoleon placed the Lombard crown
on his own head and made hl.hself master OF
Italy, and in 1906 he made his brother Joseph,
and in sos his general Murat, King of Naples.
Alter Napoeons defeat the Vienna Congress
not only res tored TO Austria al. the territories
she had lost By the battle OF Marengo, but also
suffered the ustrian Archdukes to be put on
the thrones OF Tuscany, Parma and Modena,
and Ferdinand tBomba) to be created King OF
both the Siciies, while the two remaining
provinces, the papal dominion aud Piedmont,
were ruled respectively by the Pope and by
the King or Sardinia. Italy, therefore, then
formed a conglomeration OF small independent
states which had no interests i'll common
though all spoke the same language.
The first French revolution had not failed to
stimulate republican sentiment in Italy, which
mismanagement and misconduct of the
Princes. Since 1928 Giuseppe Mazzini had
been the principal leader in oil attempts to
establish a republic, but all these attempts
were checked III the very start by Austria, and
all MazznPs energy would have been OF no
avail 10 Italy If Cavour, the Prime Minister OF
Sardinia and the chief promoter of Italian
unity, had not made common cause with him
in order 10 drive all foreign potentates out of
the country. To all other purposes these two
great Italians pursued different object, for
Mazzini intended to establish republic and
Cavour a constitutional monarchy.
The only Italian Princes who were we'll liked
by their own subjects and by the other Italiaps
were the Princes of the house of Piedmont,
the Kings OF Sardinia. These Princes had
tried repeatedly, though unsuccessfully, to
drive the Austrians out OF Italy. till, at last iE
1853, King Nictore Emanuele, or rather his
Premier. Cavour, succeeded in forming an
alliance with Napoleon III for the purpose of
expeling the Austrians from Lombardy and
Venice In 1859 Napoleon led q large French
army under MacMahon and Canrobert, into
Italy where he was joined by the Sandman
forces, and, after some very hard fighting a
Magenta aud Solferino, the Austrlans were
compelled to cede Lombardy, but retained
Venice. Two years later Garioaldl, secretly
encouraged by Victore Emanucle and Cavour,
started a revolution in the island of Sicily,
crossed over to the ointment and. amid the
acclamation OF the whole civilized world,
drove King Francis II from Naples.
He would undoubtedly have taken Rome also
II that had not been against the intention of
Napoleon. who hurriedly landed a French
army at Civita Veechia-the port OF Rome
thereby forcing Viciore Emanuele to stop
Garibaldi in his victorious march. The Grand
Dukes of Tuscany, Parma snd Modena, how
ever, were expelled, and Victore Emanuele
was proclaimed King of Italy, which now COM
prised All the original states except the pom
tifical dominion, Venice and Savoy, which lat
ter province Sardinia had ceded to France as
compensation for he r services IN 1859.
few years later, in 1866. when the Ger
man Diet had declared war against Prussia,
Cavour entered into negotiations with Bis
marck, which resulted in the attack of Prus-
STA and Italy on the Germsn states and Aus
tria. In this war the Italians were badly
beaten by inferior Austrian land aud sea
forces at CustozZa and Lissa, but the over
whelming defeat of the hustrians ct Konig-
gratz and the consequent advance of the
Prussian army on Vienna made it impossible
for Austria TO continue the war, and she had
to sue for peace. Italy received Venice IS
reward for alliance with Prussia, and was now
free from all foreign occupation.
Four years later, when France lay PROSTATE
at the feet OF Germany, and when Napoleon
III, the self-instituted protector OF Rome, was
a powerless prisoner at the castle of Wilhelms-
hohe, Victore Emanuele marched small
army into defenseless Rome and annexed the
entire papal dominion, thereby completing
the union of all Italy.
This gratifying result was accomplished by
no great valor or exertion on the part of the
TIA iians themselves, and the unity OF Italy
mostly due to fortunate combination OF cir
cumstapces. But the highest credit must nev
ertheless be given to Cavour, for i. was his
mastery diplomacy which brought about the
alliances with France and Prussia. The two
great Italian PATRIOTS Mazzini and Garibaldi,
are, next TO Cavour, the principal factors in
the establishment OF the union.
The population of Italy after the annexation
OF Rome was less than 2S,O00,OO0, her army
was badly organized and equipped. her navy
had shortly before been defeated and four of
her best men-of-war destroyed by very in
ferior naval force, and her finances were in
worse condition than those of any other Eu-
ropean country, not even excepting Turkey.
Still the unity of Italy is hardly completed.
and we see her firmly installed as a great
power. 1t is usually supposed in Europe that
country becomes great power as soon as
She is powerful enough 10 hold her own
AGAINST n ha uai OIL hOriOp tries nd