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Leader (1850-1860), 11th June 1859, Edition 1 of 3, Page 722, ? aptTV op TOimmwn it BIOGRAPHY Ol *EltDJNAND IE

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      722 THE LEADEK . fPuBtic

      Untitled Article

      Austria to come to terms with France ; but those ¦ who know the obstinacy which characterises the Court of Vienna Whenever it is wrong , do not anticipate , any thing so sensible as a confession of ? defeat . The Adda is not reckoned a strong line of defence ; hut on the Mincio Austria may hold her ground for months , and during that period she may calculate upon regaining by diplomacy what she has lost by war By transporting troops through Bavaria she has compromised the iieutrality of that Power , and will continue her ' ' efforts to force either that or some other German State

      into hostility -withFrance . , These efforts , ho we vei , cut both ways , and would justify Prussia in breaking up the Germanic Confederation , rather than permit one of its members to plunge all the states into danger by acts contrary * to the spirit of their union . The advice given by Russia should be enforced by England ; as the best chance of bringing the war Ito a quick and satisfactory termination , by making Austria feel that the cup of quarrel is her own making , and that she is welcome to drain it to the dregs , if she doos not choose to cry " hold ,

      enough . " We regret to observe that the Tuscans are doing very little for their own emancipation , and this will he the more deplorable if jealousy of Sardinia is connected with the inaction . At such a crisis in Italian history all differences should be set aside , and , as a practical step towards ultimate unity and liberty , all the north of Italy should hasten to acknowledge allegiance to the-Sardinian crown . This may not be the best thing that Italian patriots could conceive ; but the man or the nation that neglects the practicable in search of the ideal incurs a penalty of bitter experience as the inevitable reward of a lack of sense .

      Untitled Article

      THREATENED RENEWAL OF IMPRESSMENT . The greater is the danger of war— -to be prepared for which the whole nation is now arming- ^ -the more incumbent it is on the public to prevent all new measures , and sweep away all old measures , which tend to excite an unwillingness in our seafaring people to serve in the navy . We would fain , hope that Ministers entertain a similar view , for the only measure which they announce in the speech from the throne is a bill to give effect to the recommendations of the commissioners , for inquiring into the best means of manning the navy . In the main , these recommendations consist of concessions of more pay , more

      proviin order to lessen the repugnance of the maritime population to the naval service . Bounties , pensions , and other blandishments , however * have failed to overcome this repugnance . To this day it occasions alarm ] for the public safety , and numerous inquiries have been instituted how it may be conquered . Last year the commission already referred to was appointed in consequence of an address of the House of Commons- It consisted of the Earl of Hardwicke , the Marquis of Chandos , Mi-. Cardwell , Admiral Martin , Sir J . D . H . ElphinstoneCommodore Shepherd , Mr . Lindsay and

      , Mr . Greene , shipowners , and Mr . Shepherd , a Deputy Master of the Trinity House . The commission ended its labours last February , and its report has recently been published . To ascertain the reasons of the acknowledged repugnance of the maritime population to the naval service was one object of the commission , as many of the questions put to the different witnesses distinctly prove . But neither the character and position of the members of the commission , not one of whom belongs to the class whose feelings were to be inquired into , nor the witnesses summoned before it , only one of wlioiu was a member

      of the seafariiiff communities of Shields , Sunderland , Bridport , Yarmouth , Leith , &c , is calculated to" inspire the public with any confidence in the investigations and conclusions of the commission . One of its own members—perhaps the one in whom the seamen might place the most confidence , Mr . Lindsay—dissented from its conclusions , and announced his dissent in a separate report . Thus the latest investigation leaves the subject , so far as official men are concerned , in all its original obscurity , and leaves the country exposed to all the evils of its natural defenders continuing disaffected and unwilling- to serve the State .

      Some of the conclusions of the commissioners , and some of the statements of the jioh ^ ical witnesses , will excite the surprise of the public . Notwithstanding our experience of the disastrous effects of impressment ^ notwithstanding the assurancegiven to the < commissioners by many competent witnesses , that compulsion could no longer be used that , in fact , it is as dead as Geo . III ., as surely killed by the progress of civilisation as . the custom of wearing swords , the commissioners do not propose to " weaken the force of her Majesty ' s prerogative . " They think she may still require compulsory service at sea ; arid so they keep , as Captain fPim has already informed the seamen , impressment hanging in terrorem over tlip . m . Our semi-barbarous authorities still claim

      to exercise the prerogative of the middle ages , and of a slave state . ' The ci-devant First Lord of the Admiralty to the dirty boy " of Punchy one of the witnesses , is strenuously opposed to " any legislativeenactment which should , in the slightest degree , impair the prerogative of impressment . " Sir James Graham even prides himself on having given a statutory sanction to the old prerogative , though even lie was obliged to " impair" or restrict it . With such opinions entertained by our statesmen , should

      the least emergency arise , the country will again see our unteach able authorities driving , by their arbitrary violence , our natural defenders into the arms of our opponents . A dog returning , to his vomit is not more disgusting than these often defeated and convicted men , ever going back with ardent love to their old dishonoured and barbarous practices . For clodhopping persistence in old ways , for claims to power more absurd than tlie Pope ' s claim to infallibility , commend us to our Admiralty , and all connected with it . Worse than the Bourbons- ^—it never learns that it is

      oven possible to bo wrong . The Queen ' s prerogative is now another name for the Ministers' power ; and in the year 1859 , when such claims are made , the public should at once curtly and decisivel y eay that no jmmistcrs—no Parliament even—shall over jagain bo allowed , on any pretext whatever , to use brutal compulsion towards the seamen , and treat them an if they were the slaves of the throne .

      sions , and less restraints on the seamen ; but all these could be carried into effect by grants of money without further authority from the Legislature ; and therefore we suspect that the bill is chiefly intended to modify the law , as recommended by the commissioners , for more effectually enforcing the compulsory service of the seamen . " In consequence , we feel it our duty to refer once more to this semi-bai'barous method of procuring useful services . It is nothing better than a civil war on a small scale , ruinous in proportion , like all civil wars ; yet high authorities talk complacently of ¦ reviving

      it-There are some things , we must remind the reader , wliich Government ought not to do , such as prescribe or bias religious faith , settle the interest of pioney or the price of corn ; and there are other things , such as defending the nation or raising a revenue in the best manner , which it is bound to do . Our country can best be defended on the surrounding ocean , and its defence must mainly be entrusted to our maritime population- * - bordcrers , everywhere placed nearest to the post of danger , and by nature appointed the defenders of their native land . Their instincts concur with their position . They are fearless , and dislike

      foreigners . Only by retaining their affections and wisely guiding their exertions , can our Government perform its duty of defending the State . It has , however , "been so stupidly arrogant and oppressive , bo blind to facts and reason , that it has overpowered their strong instinct of patriotism by their stronger instinct of self-preservation , and driven tlnena from the naval service and the country . These consequences of prerogative have been known for a oontury , and the conduct ' oi' Government has been condemned alike by moral sontixnonti and oareu ' il observation . Latterly , a thousand peddling little improvements in pay , pensions and provisions , badges for good conduct—no one will give Government euoh a badge—have been matlo

      ? Apttv Op Toimmwn It Biography Ol *Eltdjnand Ie

      which the liberal world is deeply indebted for the liberal lessons she imparted eleven years ago . The birth-place of the immortal Giovanni Pivaino the learned Baron Casimiro Pisani , and the seat ' Parliament during eight centuries , this city , which dethroned kings because they could not or Would not maintain its free institutions , boldly cast the gauntlet of defiance at Ferdinand the Second , and under the humble roof of a man of law drew up a proclamation which would have been characterised as a mere foolish bravado ,, had it not been followed bv definite results .

      Francesco Bagnasco published the following programme : — " Sicilians ! our prayers , pacific protestations , demands and supplications , have all proved vain . So far from listening to them , Ferdinand has despised them . We , a people born free , are obliged to humble ourselves and beg for our rights . To arms , then , Sicilians ! Let the morning of January 12 th be the moment when the era of universal regeneration shall commence ! Unioli , order , obedience to your leaders , respect for property ! Heaven second and prosper our holy undertaking 1 Sicilians to anus ! " This

      proclamation began to be cumulated throughout Sicily on the 4 th of January , 1848 . In the evening of the 11 th , every one supplied himself with a stock of provisions . The Government of Palmero awaited the dawn of the 12 th . Patrols of fifty soldiers , pic-: quets of cavalry reinforcements of the guards were attended to . The troops were consigned to their quarters ; the mortal ' s with the artillery of the forts prepared and the matches lighted were undoubted signs that , notwithstanding the incredulity of Government , it was prepared for any event . On the 14 th of January , in spite of the universal excitement ,

      the common desirejand wish of 200 , 000 inhabitantF , the revolution was begun by fourteen individuals only . Of these only one was killed and one woundedj while the other twelve had put to flight , by ten o ' clock a . m ., 1 . 35 soldiers of the line , a picquet of cavalry commanded by the son of Marshall V . iall ,.. and compelled Government to plant four pieces of artillery ' in the . front of the Royal Palace , to command the Via di Toledo , the principal street , a mile and three quarters hi length . These prodigies , accomplished by twelve resolute men , produced their effect . In the evening the city lay in a state of profound silence , broken only by an occasional shot fired from the lloyal Palace . On the 13 th a revolutionary committee was formed , di

      and La Masa , Crispi , and Pilo , assumed the - rection , as far as circumstances woiild permit , of the revolutionary movement . Victory favoured the Palermitans . Without amis , powder , or artillery , they kept at bay , routed , and compelled to ask quarter , an ' army ' of 17 , 000 men , with an artillery of sixty guns . Nine thousand men under the command of Desuget , and the brother of Ferdinand II ., were arrested and routed by 300 combatants . On the 28 th of January , eight steamers bore the relics of 26 , 000 men to Naples ; the rest had fallen a prey to the balls oi the insurgents . Two hours and a-half ' s bombardment , executed by four piece * of thirty-six , and two mortars of sixteen , obliged the fort to yield ; and it is false to say that it yielded in consequence of orders received by the commander from . J * erdinand . His orders , issued between September 1847 , and February 4 th , 184 « , were the

      follow-111 f * & * * | ¦ , * T . Arrest all whom you believe to be opposed to the Government . , 2 . Punish the arrested by beating at the hands of the public executioner . 3 . Fire upon any one who oilers resistance . 4 . Bombard evory two minutes from oacii mortal ' . 5 . Permit the soldiers to make booty . 6 . Promise everything . Use the most energetic moans to arrest the revolutionary chiefs . lett

      These orders were executed to the very er , and the headsman employed his office upon Jrom fifty to two hundred daily , to impose terror upon the people . Hud Sicily not risen in revolt in January , 184 H , the other revolutions which burst out in nlmoHi every country of Europe would , in all probability , have boon unheard of . Palermo , the birthplace oi Ferdinand IT ., was the city moat oppressed ihrougnout his whole empire , and , in ooiiHoqueneo , wot before and since that period , \ wv slinro liny Uccn great in the efforts made to ronist the tyranny oi King Bomba . Had hIio remained imwivo , it w more than probable that Nnploa would Imvo mnuc

      BIOGRAPHY OF FEltDINAND II . NO . If I . ' In Novombor , 1847 , a p 61 itical demonstration , whioh laBtod two days and three nights , took place at Palermo . This niay bo regarded as the proludo and precursor of all tho European revolutions of 1848 . Palermo , tho cnpital of Sicily , is a city to

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 11, 1859, page 722, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2298/page/14/