New-York tribune., 1906-10-22
MARQUIS vISCONTr-vENosTA DEAD.


Italy has sustained great loss through the
death OF the old Marquis Visconti-venosta who
was the principal representative of King Victor
Emmanuel at the international congress at AL
geciras concerning Morocco last spring. He was
indeed. far and away the most distinguished look
ing and important figure at that gathering OF
statesmen and diplomats from all parts of the
world He was almost giant In stature. with a
mighty msne of snow white hair and beard His
manners were of the most fauItless. old school
type, and his diplomatic tact such Talley-
rand might have envied- grand reigneur in
every sense of the word. he a of the
purest character. in both public and private rea-
tons. abhorred notoriety and. as Rudyard Kip
ling says Of Lord Roberts In his verses entitled
"Bobs," Viseont-Venosta does not advertise"
Married to the daughter of the gifted Marquis
Alferi, he bacame thereby a nephew, well as
the favorite disciple, of Cavour. indeed he was
more than any other man the political heir and
successor of Cavour. the creator of United Italy
The late King Victor Emmanuel, his son, King
Humbert. and his grandson. the present ruler of
Italy. all recognized him such. and deferred to
his counsel in great affairs of state as they did to
that of other.
II was to the MARQUIS Visconti-Venosta that
due the action of italy in refraining from
cating herself with Francs in the latters with
Germany in 1870. The late King Victor Emmanuel
was for taking up in behalf of his ally of
Magenta and Of Solferino, and for declaring war
against Germany. Many of his advisers urged
such course, and there is no doubt that 1t would
have commanded the favor of the italian people
Had that policy been adopted. the result of the
war as between France and Germany would prob
ahIv not have been materially altered from what
it actually was. But the subsequent history OF
italy would surely have been far different and
less favorable II was Visconti-Venosta who dis
shaded the King from it. and in SO doing he
save6 italy from a disastrous blunder. He was
not iniuical to France, but he saw thar Germany
was sure to win and he reckoned 1t best for his
country to refrain from identifying herself with
the losing side. So. too, he deemed 1t wise Tor
italy 10 cultivate friendly lions with the victor
and 10 make sure OF the friendship OF that nauon
which was TO be the leading military power on tne
Conttnent for many years. The late King 'lctof
Emmanuel himself is the authority for these facts
For when he paid his first visit TO old emperor
yt,liann at Berlin he accompanied by the
MARQUIS then his Minister OF Foreign Affairs ano
as he presented him TO the Kaiser he remarKeoi
This is the man who prevented iiie iAoiii ~ ~e
war against you"
hItrougn the MARQUIS who will be chiefly re-
nembered in this country the arbiter for the
settlement of tho Bering Sea controversy pet"eeh
the United States and Great Britain, was a re-
Iieious man yet he one OF the princlpal au-
thors of the seizure Of Rome by the Italian gov
arrn,en+ IIo argued that 1t q national neces-
sity that Rome should be made the capltal OF tne
kingdom. No other metropolis WIS Practic@''e,
and none other appealed to the sentiments ana
natriotisn of all the divers races or italy sar-
dirto might he satisfied with Turin, but not with
Naples Sicily might be content with Naples out
not with Turin. and Milan would certainly OBJECT
~ Florence; whereas all would be satisfied with
Home AS soon therefore, as Napoleon III sur
wandered at Sedan the French Empire was aooi-
ished by the French people, and the Frencn army
of occunation was withdrawn from Rome VS.
conti-Venosta declared that the ltallan government
was freed from obligations TO the defunct EN-
nre and might proceed to the fulnlment OF us
manifest destiny by the seizure of the EterhaI Cly
II was a case where his piety came INTO conhlct
u,t, his patriotism and in subsequent years ne De-
ca,ne imbued with the impression that me atinos-
,,berA of Rome was dangerous TO his family oy
reason of the part which he took In transferring
sc so1sreisuty from the Papacy to the italian
GROWN A favorite daughter succunlbed there 10 a
sudden and yrulent attack of diphthera. When
NEXT he returned TO Rome, as Minister or Foreign
.rotrs one Of his sons died OF appendicitis, and
on the third occa sion of his taking office his eldest
oo, became SO seriously Ill that he insisted upon
resigning and upon withdrawing from the Eternal
CITY moved thereto by supersttious dread Tor
tho safetv OF those dear 10 him.
fssIonefng 10 one of the Oldest families Of Lom-
,aray ar the age of nineteen he took leading
-, g., tho ,ns1rrect!on OF Lomt ardy against Aus
.rson hor,instion and shared in the heavy fighting
a., ona around Milan in lS4S Eleven years later,
L-,,o Victor E,u,manuels commissioner he was
ossoc,ated with Garibald and his force of volun-
80 Ga Tho war against Austria, and in 1863 be-
.a sor tho first time Minister of Foreign Affairs.
,or,fo,,o which he was TO hold IN no less than
a. s,,hssnuent cabinets. He of the half
go ooproval knights of the Italian Order OF
-, .rurctatton and as such honorary cousin
OF his sovereign.