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Leader (1850-1860), 17th December 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 15

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      Statesmen's Follies. No Englishman Will ...

      seek for examples of foolish statesmanship abroad , where they undoubtedly abound ,- —as the condition of Italy , Hungary , Austria , the small states of Germany , and Spain , testifies—for they are numerous at home , and the week supplies its usual specimens . " In the last generation the sympathies and admiration of the world were roused for Mexico the rich and magnificent , the treasury of her former masters , and the hope of the enterprising . " Now , " Mexico is in the lowest-depth of degradation her Government alternate tyranny

      far enough to satisfy justice , though it may , on that account , meet less opposition from , the tyrants of the old school . We fancy that many difficulties and even quarrels may be engendered by the diyisipn of a crew into classes , subjected to different laws ,, and yet messing and iiving together . The disciplinarians , however , have had the matter all their own way , and will have it still , and we must wait for time to teach them the folly of retaining corporeal punishment at all , as it has at length taught them the folly of applying it to men who hereafter enter the navy . That they now so far give it up , because they cannot otherwise get men , is a proof of consummate folly in having so long continued it . We make this accusation with some knowledge

      of the facts . We have a pamphlet lying before us , published in the year 1813 , in which the effects . of naval discipline , arbitrary punishments , flogging , & c , in keeping men out of the service , are pointed out . It shows that this system is a consequence and remnant of old barbarity , and that it also is the cause why the fleet does not , at any time , get as many men as it can require . We know that this pamphlet attracted some notice , and that its recommendations were enforced both in the Morning Chronicle and the Times . The author ' s opinions found favour with the Edinburgh Reviewers , and the Whigs , though when they were in office they maintained , like the Tories , the old usages .

      About 1813 , the first restriction was placed on the previously quite-unlimited power of every naval captain to flog or punish the seameii at his discretion . Since the end of the great war the subject has been continually adverted to in Parliament . Reason , justice , humanity , have all pleaded for the abolition of arbitrary flogging , and by the disciplinarians , in spite of these appeals , it has , till now , been obstinately preserved , The effects continue . ; they outrage our youth , and the navy cannot get men . The present . circular , tardily acknowledges the wisdom of the principle which all preceding Admiralties have resolutely the

      pooh-poohed . Through half a century Admiralty , has been deaf and blind to every just and human sentiment . Nothing could rouse the fossilised disciplinarians , and convert them into living parts of civilised life . They found dignity in doing wrong , and to convey a conviction of error to them was impossible till they suffered personally . The moral cuffs they have received from the press have at length prevailed , where the sense of humanity and honour had no force . They were permitted by the Legislature to do wrong , and have degraded the naval service and dishonoured the nation in the eyes of the world , as well as

      wasted millions of money . They supply another example of statesman ' s follies . When we reflect on the mischief statesmanship has done , we can but dread that what it is now doing with our approbation , id just as foolish and mischievous as what it did with the approbation of our fathers and g randfathers , —just as foolish as what Bonaparte did with the applauding shouts of all France . Lord St . Leonards has published , and the Times has repeated his profound conviction that the men on strike foolishly followed a foolish leader to do wrong . The men ave prone to an

      infirmity which seoms universal . They follow leaders in a most unreasonable manner , just like the French and the English , into evil courses , lo go wrong is common to all . mankind . To go in Hocks , or after a fashion , or after some hero , is as natural to men * as to sheep ; and when a loader roes wrong—u clique or society , bo it of builders or carpenters—a , whole community goes wrong too . Culm reflection may make Lord St . Leonards and journalists a little chary in stignmtising the infirmity of the builders , lest they Int . a very glaring vice of fhoir own , and a custom ol the mass of mankind . .

      ; and anarchy ; her people sinking yearly lower into the slough of ignorance and helplessness ; her glorious capital , with its palaces and churches , rt-oiiig slowly to decay , and her land returning to a state of nature . " It was the boast of a much-, honoured statesman of that sympathising generation , that he had " called into existence a new world to redress the balance of the old . " It is of little importance that Mr . Canning's vain boast was a plagiarism from a Colonel Davies , then one of the least honoured speakers of the Liberal party , who , in the same words , had recommended some

      time before , only then to be despised , the policy adopted by Mr . Canning ; but it is of consequence to observe , that there have followed , from Mr . Canning ' s interference with the New World , very disastrous consequences to all its then rising republics . In every case , too , we regret to say that the evil influence of the unfledged or bankrupt representatives of Mr . Canning and his successors at the Foreign ' Oil-ice , over the unfortunate fate of these republics may be traced . They never ceased to find in their own superior wisdom , and in the superior wisdom of their employers , a justification

      for interfering with the governments of these republics . The very one in question , now a signal mark , according iCi-the description of the Times , is a special proof of tlu \ s . Mexico has never , since 182 . 5 , been without . a very meddling English representative , nor without numerous English residents , merchan is , mine-owners , and others who have continually harassed the Government of Mexico by the influence of the English Government . We can say , with . some knowledge of the subject , that there lias been no political disturbance there in which- our atrcnts and several of our countrymen

      have not taken a part . They suffer now ; England suffers in her trade ; and Mexico suffers ; and all the republics of South America suffer , from the interference of Knglish statesmanship . Under the pretext of protecting trade it has-weakened and degraded those Governments , just as interference in Turkov weakens and degrades the Sultan ' s Government , it has contributed very much , wo bclicv .-, to briny about the general anarchy in which at length all security for persons and property has disappeared . If Mr . Canning called the new world into ' existence , it was somewhat after the fashion ol' infanticides , to starve or strangle it

      before it could become a rival . The present condition of Mexico , and the other republics of America formed out of the old Spanish colonies , is 1 an unanswerably comment on Mr . Canning's plagiarised wisdom . Thu papers this week , too , full of instruction as they always nrc when they record the facts of our daily lives , have published a circular of the Admiralty , dated Dec-umber 10 th , imposingsome restrictions on the use ol ' the eat "in the Royal Navy . Ihe seamen mv to be divided into two classes , men of an established good character , and of men whoso conduct has not entitled them to a certificate of good character . . All men on first entering the navy or reserves mv to be placed in the first cla . ss . This is a step , therefore , to relievo all soumon , hercaftor , from HoiM ' tniy . Our youthful maritime

      population will , b . Y-and-byo , not bo deterred by a dread of the lion-ill punishment arbitrarily inflicted , or by anything—oxeopt the diabolical reputation , whicli nomsvoriiijj in its uho , so long has naturally acquired for the nuvy—from entering the service . Hero after , as this reputation dies out , and as the new hands and the good hands predominate over the old and tho degraded IuukIh , tlio navy may become an ugreiublo and desirable employment for the multitude , and the scandal will disappear , of her MujoHty ' s naval service being tho only service of tho ' entire empire which over wants , and cannot got , an abundance of men . Wo highly nn < l cordially approvo of this abolition of flogging , _ us forasitgoos ; butwo must add , that retaining Hogging for any purpose , oven when sanctioned by a court martial , is inconsistent . Tho order does not go

      Ffo, 508. Dec. 17, 1859.] The Lead Eb. 1...

      ffo , 508 . Dec . 17 , 1859 . ] THE LEAD EB . 1371

      Looking At Secondary Causes, However, Bu...

      looking at secondary causes , however , but treating the event as one directly under the control of Providence , we may yet be permitted to express our deep regret that Italy should have lost a son sprung from one-of her most illustrious families at a moment when , according to human views , she . has the utmost need of all the talent , influence , and patriotism which can be brought to bear upon her political deliberations and the conduct of hei * foreign and dome ' stic diplomacy .

      The Corsini family have shared largely in the glories and reputation , the vicissitudes and reverses of Florentine history during several centuries . They trace their ancestry back to the eleventh century but were not established at Florence until the thirteenth . Fifty-six Priors and eight Gonfalonieri of Justice were , furnished by them to the Republic . The last to fill the latter office was Neri Corsini in 1295 .

      Born in 1244 , he was a citizen of great importance in the Republic . He belonged to the popular or ¦ Gruelph party , and constantly opposed the magnates or G-hibillines . In pursuance of this object he caused the erection of the fortresses of San Giovanni and Castelfranco in the Valdarno , against the Ubaldini and the Pazzi . According to the usage of the period and country , the Corsini entered largely into commercial affairs , ^ and the riches and influence which they thus obtained were almost unlimited . Matteo , who lived , in the fourteenth century , was one of the most opulent of Italian merchants . He also occupied himself with

      letter * , and left a book of " Dome ' stic Memoirs , still preserved in manuscript in the Corsini library at Home . A work written by him , called " Dc Quoesti . onibus" is no longer extant , but one bearing the title " Rosa . io della vitla , " was published at Florence in 1845 , under the supervision of Sig . Polidori . The brother of Matteo , Tommaseo , was one of the greatest citizens of Florence , and may be numbered among the wise and great men , who co-operated in rendering the Republic powerful and respected at that , period . He was professor 1353

      of civil law . His political life terminated in . He assumed the device of Knight of Santa Maria Gloriosa , devoted himself , during the _ latter years of Juis existence , to religion , and died in 1366 . Some of his legal consultations exist in manuscripts in the Magliabeccn Library . A legal treatise written by him , " Consilium Matrimoniale / ' was printed at Frankfort , in 1580 . Three sons of Tommaseo each left a name to posterity;—Pietro was bishop of " Volterra and Florence , and also wore the purple . By the Emperor Charles IV . he was empowered to transmit to his episcopal successors the title of Prince of the Sacred Roman

      Empire , which had been conceded to him as a reward for his talents and services in restoring peace between Charles and the other German princes . He had been held in high esteem by Gregory XX . and took a very active part in the new Papal election which was very near conferring upon him the pontifical dignity , but which resulted in the choice of Urban Vl . The great western schism followed , and the opposition election of thuwiUPope , Clement VIl ., jwll 0 ' Pictro accompanied to Avignon , was mainly due to him . For tho part which he took in this transaction , he was excommunicated by the Roman pope , and deprived ol his cardinalate . Repenting of . this error , or at least professing to do so , lie endeavoured to repair it by writing "De ScMsmnto Jugulnndo . IIo }™ s iioneuici auj

      present : at the conclave at wmen .. was elected , and himself convoked a conclave at ViUencuve , near Avignon , in 1405 , where he laid down the principles which were afterwards adopted by the Council of Constance . Giovanni , Ins brother , was grand seneschal to the King of Armenia , and afterwards governor . of Jlhodes . in 1374 the Grand Master of the Order of Jerusalem conferred upon him all the possessions held by tho order in that city . Filippo , the tbird brother , was a oelebrntod juris-oonsult , Jvniuht of tuo GoUlon Spurs , and Count Palatine He honourably ihUUlocl at least twenty-six embassies on behalf of tho Florentine republic , and died umve * -

      DON NERI CORSINI , MARCHES * : DK LAJATIOO . . . . Tiiia recent death of tho Marquis ) do Lajatico , Special Envoy of the Provisional Tuscan Government , ia an event greatly to bo deplored at tiie present critical juncture of Italian affairs , Uosbatched to London by hie countrymen on an lonorablo mission , ho liaa fallen a victim to a loathsome and contagious disease in this capital , where sanitary measures and regulations absorb a larger amount of attention and expense Mian in any other city of the civilized world . Without

      sally rc < rrotted in 1421 . Another Filipno Corsini , who died some seventy vears later , was one of tho brightest ornaments oi the famous Academy of tho Orti Onoellarj , as attested by tho letters addressed » y .. "'»* ™ Lorenzo the Magnificent , preservedin tho Modicean archives . Wo have now reached tho sixteen ^ century , the last century of Italian fi ; eodom , ana tho beginning of tho lengthened period of slavery

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 17, 1859, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_17121859/page/15/