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    I^AY f 26/18dt).J fhel^ad^ii^^S SOS

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    FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE. (special) Turin,...

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    Hanover, May 22nd, 1800. 1 FORTUNATELY, ...

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    I^Ay F 26/18dt).J Fhel^Ad^Ii^^S Sos

    I ^ AY 26 / 18 dt ) . J fhel ^ ad ^ ii ^^ S SOS

    Foreign Correspondence. (Special) Turin,...

    FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE . ( special ) Turin , May 19 th , 1860 . OUR Sovereign has returned to his capital , after completing the tour of his new provinces . Nothing could he more striking : and nmnistakeable than the marks of affection and devotion lavished upon him by the population of Central Italy . Probable as it , is that his new subjects may be called upon before long : to make fresh sacrifices for the national cause , it is well that they should have had

    the opportunity of deriving fresh vigour and courage from ihe sight of the monarch who is its staunchest champion . In returning to his usually quiet and sedate capital , however , Victor Emmanuel was not suffered to indulge in any long repose from political demonstrations and loyal greetings . The celebration of the anniversary of the constitution , granted by his father to the Piedmontese , called forth the most enthusiastic expressions of personal regard for the King , who has so well maintained the promises made by his conscientious and self-sacrificing predecessor .

    In the midst of the religious ceremonies with which the Jele of the \ Statuto is always inaugurated , the military display of troops , the firing of cannon , the assemblage of municipal functionaries , the delivery of addresses , patriotic and loyal , songs and hymns sung by the pupils of the public schools , horse and boat-racing , a public illumination , perhaps unsurpassed for splendour , an influx of provincials which at least doubled the population of the capital—by far the most interesting and encouraging feature of the whole was the deep and heartfelt gratitude and love manifested towards the King himself . In spite of floods of rain , women and children mustered in strong force , and it was truly a moving sight to see the mothers hug their babies to their breasts and smother them with kisses after having held them up to see the King , as if the little things were dearer than ever to their hearts because they had looked upon

    the hope of the nation . Truly , the Piedmontese are a gloriously loyal people ! Last year , invasion and war prevented the celebration of the fete of ' the Constitution . This year has , however , amply compensated for the post by -permitting Lombardy , Tuscany , and the Emilia to share in the solemnity . The celebration of the Constitution is " not oniy ~ a homage paid " to liberty , but the proclamation of the pi . ifici . ple of Italian nationality . It is the Constitution alone which has given political life and ^ importance to the subrAlpine people . The Constitution is the tie which binds the Sovereign to his subjects , and is ' lit the same time the force which sustains and Urges them onward . This it is which raises their political position in ' Europe , and places the Government in a condition ^ to defend and advance the national cause , to struggle with absolutism , which , in order to maintain itself , is now obliged to preach a Cathjolic crusade , and summon vagabonds and idlers from other countries to aid in

    supporting tyranny in Italy . The political institutions of Piedmont are intimately connected with its * present comparative greatness and prosperity . No power is so irresistible as the ascendancy derived from a generous , noble , and self-sacrificing policy , carried out with wisdom , firmness , and courager-and—with—the-sole—aim-of—securing—independt ; uee . ^ and liberty for the State and people . The constitutional regime-. has never produced in any country the effects which have accompanied it in Piedmont . It has been the protector of order and quiet ,

    without quenching a single generous and valorous sentiment , arf is proved by the daring policy which , beginning with the Crimean war , has " issued in the liberation of so large a portion of Italy , and so large an accession of glory to Victor Emmanuel . Liberty , which has been the . country ' s strength in the past , must still be so in the future . Absolutism performs its work more expeditiously than Constitutionalism . It assimilates , unifies , and blends together various provinces ' without listening to disputes or opposition . But how long does its work last ? At the first breath of revolutionary storm , it disappears , with the edifice erected upon it .

    Representative institutions alone afford to each province the means ot making known its wants , of guarding its interests , and expressing its desires . Parliamentary representation , by revealing dissentient opinions , opens the way for agreement , for mutual concession and compromise . The power of public opinion will be the greater and the more efficacious just in proportion to the more or less complete freedom of discussion , and as the legislators of the country consult the wishes of the electors and people . Compare the condition of Italy of the past year with its present state . The f 6 te of the Constitution has been celebrated this year from the Alps to Ravenna , from the Doro to the Rubicon . Seven xnilliouB of Italians have been restored to life and liberty . The authority of Austria has been restricted—ia become difficult in the extreme to maintain , and its duration infinitely precarious . Its sceptred satellites have almost all disappeared . The auxiliaries of the Austrian Government are restricted to Rome and Naples , and

    the people , who Htiligroan berieiith Austrian or domestic tyranny , nourish hope , front the re demption of others , that tho hour of their own deliverance is not far distant , While cel e brating tho anniversary of their Constitution , tho Piedmonto . se did not forget that millions of Italians could only take part in spirit in thw national festivity , and that for weeks past tho Sicilians havo been engaged , in terrific strife with BOURBon repression . Groaning under n stato of permanent suffering , tho griefs of the Sicilians have nt length assumed the form ot paroxysm * of desperation , which have neoesunrily resulted in the present movement . However much we may regret that the subjecta of Fkancis II . should have felt compelled to take such a

    course as that which they have now entered upon , the revolution in Sicily is a fact , and as such must be accepted . Like the revolution itself , the expedition of General Garibaxdi is a necessity . True , the undertaking receives no support from the principles sanctioned , by international treatieSi and is unsusceptible of defenceOn the technical grounds of politics and legality . But the bonds of fraternity which unite together the Italian people rest not Upon the text of a treaty ; and the sentiment which makes it a duty to help a friend struggling

    for life is / bunded , not upon paragraphs signed by plenipotentiaries , but upon all that is noblest and best in the heart of man . Diplomacy has already uttered loud outcries against the King ' s Government for having suffered Gaeibaxdi ' s expedition to depart , but without reason . But , even had it been despatched under the auspices of Victor Emmanuel and his Ministers , instead of setting- out secretly and in defiance of their orders , as is the fact , in what respect would the case have differed from that of the Roman States , to which volunteers are flocking every day with a view to attack

    Piedmont r Rome is making vast efforts to restore her lost reputation , and render herself again respected and feared ; but her very efforts are such as to diminish the little prestige still remaining to her . The Papacy is in the hands of a faction . Until now , Rome governed by means of a conventicle of priests whose aims extended not beyond the limits of the State , and whose only object was to preserve tl : e Church territory intact . At present , however , the Roman Government is composed of a heterogeneous assemblage of refugees from various countries , comprising French Legitimists , Spanish Carlists , and Austrian Absolutists . The army reflects the image of the Government . At its head is a French General j under him

    are-Swiss subalterns ; the head of the $ taff is an Austrian ; and the ranks are made up of Swiss , Bavarians , and Irish . The most honourable among this mixed multitude are nothing better than political adventurers and knights errant of monarchical despotism and dynastic legitimacy . Their glance extends far beyond the Rotnagna , and they represent a system which is not . confined -merely ' to the regaining of the Legations . The consolidation of the Roman army is connected with vast projects , the result of which would be to jjlunge the world again into darkness , and whose rauiificatiohs ^ extend to every state in which liberty has gained a footing . The

    route followed by General LAMORieiERE on his journey to . Rome indicates the principal points and the most important stations ' of the European plot set on foot by Rome . _ From Brussels the General proceeded to Dresden , where inrconferred with , the Princes of Lorraine ; thence he went to Vienna , to hold counsel with the Duke of Modena and the Emperor of Austria ; and subsequently visited Venice , where he had an interview with the Comtede Citambord . The ' previous policy of Rome was that of inaction . It confined itself to uttering protests , and awaiting the course of events . The policy which prevails now is one of activity—of military ' preparation and menace—of the urging forward of events , and

    the creation of complications . The French element is tending to compromise the already dangerous position of the Papacy , and bring about its total and speedy ruin . It is , however , only lair to allow , that if the policy now pursued must infallibly lead to perdition in one direction , that ot Cardinal Antonelli was as infallibly leading to 1 F 111 anoOIeT , though with less celerity . Whether destruction come by means ot consumption or plethora is of little matter , when the result is the same . By affecting to withdraw , in a measure , from public affairs at the present moment , the Curdinal gives a proof of the characteristic astuteness of his sect and race . He may hereafter be able to wash his hands of counsels and acts conceived and carried out by those who are more fanaticaliuid less fur-sighted than himself . T . ; ir « f ^ mM-nl FrT . AxoiEiu of Names , he may one day step forward

    from his retirement , and boast that he would have been the sheetanchor of the Pontifical system hud his advice and assistance not been despised . ,,, , » -n- i l The pence and security of Italy , so ardently desired by Piedmont , are as yet far from being secured . Much has been done , but much more yet remains to be accomplished . To overcome the dangers and difficulties which atand in the way of the attainment ot complete independence and tranquillity , the wisdom of the sub-Alpine Government and Parliament must be combined with the energy and support of the whole people of the rcgno unitu . Alter the long experience which the Italians havo had of their helplessness to withstand foreign aggression , or to resist municipal preponderance and tyranny when divided into small btates , they will surely now do their best to derive all the benefit possible lrom the partial unification already accomplished , and will steadily pursue it to the end , only keeping iu view the principles of moderation and patience .

    Hanover, May 22nd, 1800. 1 Fortunately, ...

    Hanover , May 22 nd , 1800 . 1 FORTUNATELY , porhnps , for Germany , it is a puzsslo for your ¦ correspondent to decide what items of news and what topics ot discussion are—not the most interesting , but the least du \ U f .. you * readers . Action there ia none , and can he venture to think that the talk would prove instructive or uinusmgP But what is tue talkP Just what it is at this moment in England , I presume—all about Garibaldi in S . cily . Wo are , indeed , not without home matters of debate , but they have been so long before the publ e , without tho slightest result , that they are gladly neglected 1 loi the Bpectacle of Italian action . I can fancy those of y ™ J ™*«* - " { £ folco special interest in Ger . n . m »«> ' ™^«» "nir .. How w it with the ScWswig , or SchleHwiK-HolHtein , affair ? To judge by the iciy oratory vented in the PiUHbiu . i Parliament , a war but woe . 11 « J and Denmark was imminent .. To such a question 1 can only

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 26, 1860, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26051860/page/19/