New-York tribune., 1902-03-29
CRISPrS IMPORTANT PAPERS.
QrARREus HETwEEN MS uAuGHTER AND HIS
ENECGTOR.
From The London Morning Post

From The London Morning Post.
The strong personality Of SiGnor Crispi, which
caused many controversies during his life
time continues even after his death to hc the
cause OF discussions and pclemics. Even before
his death the question of the hlstorlcal dotu-
ments which the old statesman was known TO
possess received the consideration of the gov
ernment. and, In order to avoid the disappear
anCe" OF any of them seals were placed on
eleven rooms of the villa Crispi as soon as H.
had expired
BY the will Senator Damlani was appointed
literary executor. and the government tactfully
arranged to avoid any controversy 10y giving 70
Senator Damiani an official mission TO examine
and To control the publication or CrISpl pap RS.
Senator Damiani for ii long period CriSptS
most trusted friend. and those who desired that
the old statesman's memoirs should not be mu-
tiIated to suit surviving politicians were reas-
sured by his appointment literary executor.
Sgnor Crispis only daughter the Princess of
LlnRuaglossa. however seemed to fear that Sen
ator Damiani might be too amcnahle to govern
ment pressure. and might not care To publish
the whole of the documents which constitute the
Justification OF Crspi. and which reveal the
manpuvres Of the men by whom he was prin-
Cpally attacked. She consequently raised
formal objection again Senator Damlanis claim
To have exclusive control Of her fathers papers
and when. on January ., the seals we're about
TO be removed her protest compelled Senator
Damiani to lay the question before the courts.
Senator Damiani has explained 10 an inter
viewer the reasons why he cannot permit any
other person to be present during his eXamna-
tion OF Crispi's papers. In the first place, there
is a library of "a 600 volumes. and the creditors
for Crisp who accused ny his enemies
of having robbed the state right and left lived
very simply and died in dcbt-mght wish to lay
hands the books. The examination VIII re-
quire several months. and the Princess Of Lin
EuaRlossa would probably wish to appoint rep
resentative, instead Of being present I'm person
during the whole operation If one representa-
tive is appointed other Interested parties Will at
tempt to appoint their representatives. SO that
discretion and secrecy would become impossible
Senator Damiani says that there are In
Crisprs archives letters from bismarck, Lord
Salisbury Mr. Gladstone Count Won Caprivt
and m hrS ,hare ~ oh ,pr,ia- of
important documents These things cannot he
allowed to pass through several hands, can
he as an intimate friend and the executor Of
Crispi, allow any other person to aid in inter
pretinR the will
In addition to the documents mentioned, there
Is, in Crspi's archives his diary, extending over
g. period Of more than fifty years OF public life
in which Crispi noted day by day in his brief
sharp style, his imprC sSons concerning men and
events The most important part Of the diary
concerns the period when he was either minis
ter president Of the chamber. or a sort Of row
ing ambassador. Requests made to him by men
who afterward became his bitterest enemies
are noted and commented in an incisive
manner Declarations made TO him by Lord
Granville and Gladstone, by Lord Salisbury and
Bismarck by Count Andrassy and Gambetta
are reproduced in eXtensO. The diary also
throws light on Crispts real aims. and his
action during the Abyssinian War. II is evil
dent that many Of the persons named in the
diary desire that 1t should not be published and
that three great dossiers concerning the three
politicians by whom Crispi was most outrageous
ly attacked should be either DESTROYED or care
but the Princess OF Linguagossa, whose pas
slonate devotion to her father makes her desire
that his detraCtors should he unmasked is de-
termlned that the avenging dossiers shall he
brought to light.
CATTANEO'S DOCUMENTS
One of the incidents OF the controversy which
is raging over Crspi's papers concerns the docu-
ments collected and left by Carlo Cattaneo the
friend OF MaZZni II seems that Crispi bought
these papers from Cattaneo in order to prevent
them from being sold piecemeal To various pur-
chasers. Some Republicans have pretended that
the papers We're only given to Crispi in trust
but the letters OF Cattaneo himself seem to
prove that they became the exclusive property
OF Crispi II Cattaneo's papers are taken into
account the Crispi archives cover much more
than half century. since Cattaneo preserved
the record of all the documents and events
winch constituted the prelude the Risorgi-
mcnto. II is TO the interest OF the whole world
that such an important contribution to the his
tory OF the last century, and especially such
events as the UniflcatiOn Of Italy the fall OF the
temporal Power. the working of the TripIe AL
nance, and the secret policy Of the Vatican as
related almost day by day to Crispi by Vatican
conndants should not be mutilated or sun
pressed out of regard for petty personal con-
slderation.