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Leader (1850-1860), 20th October 1860, Edition 2 of 2, Page 3, VICTOR EMMANUEL TO SOUTH ITALY. r | ^HE ...

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      Oct. 20, 1860] The Saturday Analyst And ...

      Oct . 20 , 1860 ] The Saturday Analyst and Leader . 875 ¦*

      Victor Emmanuel To South Italy. R | ^He ...

      VICTOR EMMANUEL TO SOUTH ITALY . r | ^ HE Sardinian sovereign has addressed to the Neapolitan ! -H- and Sicilians a long proclamation , embodying his views and setting-forth the reasons for his conduct in entering their territory in accordance with the invitation sent to him by all classes of the community . He declares that he educated himself by the example of his father ;¦ but , let us hope he is animated by a juster conscience ' and a nobler impulse ; for Carlo Alberto undoubtedly sacrificed Italy to his own personal interests , and permitted his fear of a republic to make him betray the Italian cause . Part of this story we have long since heard from Mazzini , and we now have the remainder from Louis Blanc , who tells us that the Provisional Government , of which he was a member , despatched 30 , 000 troops to the Italian frontiers , and offered aid to the late Sardinian King , who replied that , if any French soldiers crossed his frontier he would fire upon them ! Thus showing that the wretched interests of his d } r nasty -were dearer to him than the welfare of the whole Italian race . Vicxoa Emmanuel has not had a similar trial , and we hope he may not be exposed to it ; but we must remember these facts in order to understand the generous conduct of Mazzini in supporting the son of a man who certainly proved himself a traitor , and . also , the foolish animosity which Vigtok Emmanuel displa-ys towards the Republican party , to whom he is deeply indebted , and who have shown , their wisdom in giving him an honest and independent support . AVe do not approve of all the Republicans have said or done , but it would be unjust not to . remember that their doubts of Cavour and his master are riot entirely destitute of foundation ; or to refuse to acknowledge the . important services they have rendered in filling all Italy with the idea of unity , and in furnishing those progressive impulses which have enablecl Sardinia to advance * and rendered possible the brilliant success of Garibaldi , who well deserves Bunyard ' s motto , " Sans peur , etsahs reproche . " In the present proclamation Victor Emmanuel makes some sensible observations on the services rendered to Italy ,, by establishing -freedom in . his own dominions ; and he then passes to his relations with the Church . He says , "lavished that : the Catholic religion should be respected ; but , also , that every man should be free in the sanctuary of his own conscience ; and , by strengthening civil authority , I openly resisted that obstinate and scheming faction , which boasts to be the only friend and guardian of the throne , but which aims at ruling in thie name of kings , and placing between the sovereign and the people the barrier of its intolerant passions . " This is a very plain and sensible blow at political Popery , and those principles which the Jesuits support and all the Ultramontane clergy have espoused . With such a policy there can be nothing but war between Sardinia and Rome , until Garibaldi is enabled to fulfil his desire to proclaim the unity of Italy frotn the Quirinal Hill . The part taken by Sardinia in the Crimean war is explained by the desire to " acquire for Italy the right of parti cipating in all acts concerning the interest of Europe . " In the Congress of Paris Victor Emmanuel explains that his ambassadors were able for the first time to speak to Europe of the suffering ' s of the Italians , and show how injurious was the preponderance of Austria . Louis Napoleon is also deservedly complimented for his share in the Italian war , and Victor Emmanuel says , ' If he ; had , been actuated by the personal ambitipn ascribed to his family , he . should have been satisfied with the acquisition of Lornbardy . " This is very much like humbug , but so long as the ambition of the Sardinian King is consistent with the interests of Italy he . needs no excuse for it , but may fairly speak of it openly as a matter of pride , He is quite right as a king in endeavouring ' to make monarchy satisfy the national desires , and all England - " -except , perhaps , its oligarchy— -heartily -wishes him success . He recounts the friendly offers he made to the young Kino op Navi . es , and the obstinacy with which that foolish individual resisted all the counsels of England and France ; and very naturally asks , " when a brave warrior , devoted to Italy and to himself , sailed for Sicily , could he or ought he to have stopped him ? " Then oomes another piece of humbug . "It was feared throughout Italy that , under the shade of a glorious popularity , of a long-tried honesty , a faction should muster which was ready to suorifice the forthcoming triumph of the national cause to tha chimeras of its ambitious fanaticism . " This smells too strong of the shop , and partakes 6 f the vulgar jealousy which monarchs , feel of republican institutions . The Mazssiniana have , all along 1 , helped Viotqb Emmanuel , as he knows , and there was no attempt to gratify any ambitious fanati * ojsm at his expense . It was simply n question of whether the King of Sardinia would , ' loyally to the Italian people , ¦ try to be lung of Itftly , or whether they should be forced to

      . set uj > a new programme , and seek their unity through a 3 federation of Republican States . The apjiarent hostility of Cavoue to Garibaldi ' s plans , and the hesitation of Victor ' Emmanuel himself , may have had abundant justification on the ^ groun d of expediency , but the King arid his minister should make proper allowances for other men ' s difficulties as well as , for their own . He cannot justify the occupation of Neapolitan territory by the fear of Republican movements , and it is both folly and hypocrisy to attempt it . He has ,. very properly crossed the boundaries , in spites of diplomatic protests ; and it is abundant justification that his conduct has the support of the jieople among whoni he goes , and tends to advance the national cause . In his concluding ijaragrapli , the King says he will respect the decision the people may arrive at by the electoral voice ; and adds , "My policy may not , perhaps , be useless to reconcile in Europe the progress of the people with the stability of monarchies . " No rational Republican can fail to see that these are not tirhes in which his theory can be carried into practical application , and as monarchy is plainly the prevailing power it is a great gain to find one specimen of it so usefully employed . By distinctly promising to take up the cause of Venice , Count Catour has reconciled his . policy with that of Garibaldi ' s , from which it was never in reality severed , and the union between the two great men is still further shown by his . observations on Rome , and Eurojie now waits -with anxiety to know two things , — -firs'tj whether Francis Joseph will attack or wait to be attacked ; and next , for what purpose the inscrutable man of the Tuileries adds to his forces in Rome . "We . fancy he wishes to entice Austria on , as he did before , and then to pounec upon her , when all Europe will declare she has committed another mistake . That he desires to obtain another piece ; of territory is also probable , and the wisest course for England would be to show such unmistakeable sympathy with Italy and desire for her complete emancipation , as to prevent laei being entirely dependant upon France . The attitude of . Russia is also watched ¦ with anxiety , and it might save a war if she were distinctly-told by England to leave Hungary alone . If Lord John Russell continues his half-witted policy Russia will niake a demonstration against Hungary , and very likely assist the Germans into a war with France , To give lip Austria to appropriate ruin , and to enforce the doctrine of non-intervention , appears the interest and duty of this country . All efforts to save Austria really tend to European war , as they will lead other Powers to blunder , and Louis Napoleon stands ready to take advantage of their faults .

      Oriental Politics. The . Time Is Fa3t Ap...

      ORIENTAL POLITICS . THE . time is fa 3 t approaching when : the part which Europe seems destined to play in settling the affairs of Asiatic nations , will have to be definitively taken . There are . ' two opposite views which are taken : on this question . According to one , Europe should exclusively confine itself to trading with the Hincloos and Chinese , and" keep entirely clear from any interference with their international affairs under any circumstances \ vhateycv . According to the other view , Europe should xinderfcake tbo responsibility of subjecting these untutored populations , and governing them for their own good , pretty much in the same way as a guardian treats his ward during the period of nonage . Practically , however * it has happened that the desire to be meddling has not permitted tlie first theory to be reduced to practice , and in the present fallen state of human nature , when " nothing for nothing" is the ruling principle , they who expect to find a degree of disinterestedness adequate to the realisation of the latter , are likely to be disappointed . They would find themselves at fault in expecting such a thing from individuals ; but that States like Corporations , have , no conscience , had grown into a saying ages ago . Moyeovei ' , in dealing with such unstable and capricious elements as barbarous or even domi-civilized populations , the rigid adherence to any fixed principle is almost necessarily excluded , and no alternative left but a hand-to-mouth systam of temporizing expediency , according to the exigences of passing events . In dealing ¦ with agentH of woll-rogulated conduct , you oan adhere to a fixed plan ; but what arc you to do with the oreaturo of impulse , who bates , ' loves , laughs , cries , rages , and swoons all at once , or in such rapid and oonfused succession , that it is impossible to foresee the next fit that may arise . You qan rely upon a dock ; but what dependance oan you tf laoe upon the fioklo climate of your dear native Bng-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 20, 1860, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20101860/page/3/