Year: 1859

The war now raging in Italy which may, and,


indeed is likely soon to involve ell Europe affords
one of the strongest and most striking of instances
bow impossible it is for poor uneasy mortals to let
well enough alone. We say this with special refer
cnce to the King and people Of Sardinia, ard to
the Emperor Of France, by whose joint dissatisac-
tion with things they are rather us they were,
the present war has been brought about


Whatever may be said Of the rest Of Italy, it is
undeniable that Sardinia was enjoying, at the mo-
meDt that she threw herself, or rather perhaps to
speak more correctly, allowed herself TO be thrust
by Napoleon Ill. into this war, dragging France
after her, and, perhaps, all the rest of Europe-ts
undeniabe, We say, that the Kingdom Of Sardioia
was at that moment enjoying, and with every pros
pcct, too, if she would but let well enough alone,
Of its indefinite continuance, degree of national
prosperity and Of political liberty such as she had
scarcely known before within the period of au.
theniic history. Her material resources were
beginning to be developed BY the railroads by
which her territories bad been penetrated, while
she had obtained the boon Of a constitutional
government not merely conceded on paper
by an unwilling prince, but in full and
practical operatior-the King heartily concarriug
aLd Liberal Ministry in power. She had obtained
too the still greater boon Of free press, and so
far as she was herself concerned, was in the full
enjoyment Of all the bctefts Of Constitutional
Government As she was new in the possession
OF these privileges, what she seemed specially to
need was time for tlcm TO strengthen and mature;
time for the inhabitants to realize the value, and
to instruct themselves in the judicious exercise Of
these privileges; time for the political education OF
her people; and time. before she attempted to
confer on Italy at large the boon of political
unity. first TO establish her own unity BY the ex-
tinction Of thos provincial prejudices which still
have so strong held upon her inhabitants, as yet
rather Sayoysrds Pedmontese, Genoese aud Sardin-
iaLs, than citizens of q common country. Nor was
this opportunity for the Development and maturing
of her own free institutions needle more for her owa
sake than for that of Italy at large. The ~orli
would have much more confidence in the possibility
of erecting Italy into one independent and free
community-that Italy where, for at least two hun
dred years, such things AS external independence
and internal freedom have alike been wanting
could it first see the same thing carried into
effect in part Of Italy experiment successfully
begun in the KiDgdom of Sardinia but which
needed a somewhat longer trial before il could be
regarded as thing accomplished.


Nor can ii be said with any justice or truth tn.
Sardinia vas forced into this premature struggle
BY the cncroachments of Austria. The iadepend-
anea and tha free nstitufous of Sardinia were not
things of which Austria complained. What she
complained Of was that Sardinia had put her army
on a war establishment, and had taken into her
service a body of volunteers with the spparcnt
intent of renewing the experiment of ISIS, placing
herself at the head Of an Italian insurrection, and
driving the Austrians out Of Italy. Beside tho
opposition which Great Britain Was sure to make
to any unproyoked attempt on the part Of Austria
TO subject Sardinia 20 her control and beside .he