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g#g Tke Leader and Saturday Anahjsb. [Ap...
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THE PRICE OF FRENCH AIP. E YENT Christia...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Reactionary Hopes And 13esigns. B Efoke ...
failure arid in the imparting of greater and more vigorous impulse to the onward spirit . of the nation . If the present moderate measure of Reform be not carried this session , there will be an end to all further room for compromise . The masses will raise a loud and bitter laugh-at ' the expense of t hose who would fain have secured , by the pending measure , ; a limited instalment of what they consider their due ; and no public man who has to consult the feeliners of a large constituency , or who looks at all ahead of the torpid coiiditioh through which we are just now passing , will Venture anymore to talk of compromise . The sands of compromise are almost run oxit ; the days of indecision are well nigh numbered . ' . : ¦ ¦
One thing is certain , that whether the present cabal be aimed at the partial breaking up of the Government , or at its total overthrow , differences about the Reform Bill are but the pretexts , not the ' actuating motives of the design . The first and principal object is to drive Lord John RrssELLfrom the foreign Office as an inveterate and incorrigible friend of liberty abroad . His enemies do not dare to attack him openly on this ground , for they know how strong are the feelings of the country regardtt bo
in o- it / They prefer to " harass and thwart him on haaut which there ' is less popular excitability at the moment , namely , Reform . They know that , under the circumstances of the case , this is with him a point of honour , and that either the Bill must be carried or he must resign : He would indeed be . irretrievably disgraced if for the third time he permitted the measure to be snatched or stolen out of his hand . This is well understood oil all sides , and hence the opposition to the Bill , because it is clear that if it be by any means made away with , Lord Joiix must cease to be of the Crown . ; . .- "
G#G Tke Leader And Saturday Anahjsb. [Ap...
g # g Tke Leader and Saturday Anahjsb . [ April 21 , 18 . 60 .
The Price Of French Aip. E Yent Christia...
THE PRICE OF FRENCH AIP . E YENT Christian casuists have decided that a boat full of shipwrecked mariners may throw one of their number overboard , or kill him and eat him under the pressure of dire necessity and for the salvation of the rest . Italy was that shipwrecked crew ; tossed upon the stormy waves of European politics , and morally starved almost to death from the prolonged absence of liberty , which is the food of noble minds . Under these circumstances , Count Cavoub , as ' ' the officer actually in . command , agreed to the sacrifice of Savoy and Hice as the only means by which his country could be saved ; and now that the unfortunate victims are handed over to the civil death of French
despotism , the consenting ogenUri the transaction is vilified far more than he deserves ! Cavouu belongs to the old school of intriguing politicians ; but if his means are fvill of subtlety , _ his aims are patriotic , and Europe deserves to bear the blame of the tortuosities through which lie has been compelled to meander , in order to serve his country and his race . When he stated that the King of Sardinia had no idea of ceding territory to France , he may not have spoken a decided untruth .. The original compact with the French Empeuok is believed to have been that the cession in question should take place on condition of Austria ' s being driven entirely out of the Italian peninsula , and the unsatisfactory peace of Vjllafranctv may be regarded as 'having
completely changed the reciprocal position ol the contracting parties . When that peace was made its author boldly declared that Italy was free , but the falsehood provoked more derision than could be safely encountered , and the provisions of the Treaty of Zurich were set aside , to the infinite disgust of Fkancis Joseph , who found himself the dupe of a more subtle foe . Morally speaking ; Navoleon III . chose the less of two evils , as cheating Austria for the benefit of Italy was a comparatively venial pille-nce . He did not , however , choose to do this without a consideration . " The Empire diplomatizes as well as fights for an " idea , " and the Imperial idea was to get possession of a tract of country which would add to his fame and-gratify tho vanity of France . If Oavour . had not consented to the cession
demanded , or had asked the fulfilment of the original compact as a previous condition , tho French E ^ peiioe would not havo consented to the annexation of Tuscany and tho Konnagna . Tho Italian statesman and patriot wns in a "fix . " From England he could only get fair words : even if the Empire thought proper to turn round and divide Italian spoils with Austria , it was clear that wo should only indulgo in moral reflections or utter sententious advice . No aid could come from Germany—tho southern States were in league with Austria and the Popjo , and tho Prussian Court was too much afraid of liberty , to become the champion of notional ov of popular right . Russia might have protested against any very great extension of 'French power , but if driven to not would certainly not have taken the liberal side . Thus Sardinia , ¦ ns the representative and guardian of Italian interests , could do no better than accept the terms offered by tho dragon of despotism , and , to soy nothing of old Greek dragons ,
each member could only regard as a violation of principle under pressure which it would have been madness to resist . Gaiubaldi has raised Iris name by his indignant protests against the unfortunate act ; but while we honour the man who will not bend to evil circumstances and makes honour his guiding . star , we acknowledge with regret that the state of society affords little support to such characters , and plaees practical power in kss scrupulous hands . Count Cavour could do no better for his country than to recommend them to accept and- ' swallow what he called "the bitter cup ; " "he knew it was not the way to be popular , but it was the way ' to- servo the future of Italy . The state of the-country ' was , not so health y as certain deputies seemed to think ; and whoever believed that the danger had passed , let him look beyond . the Mincio . "
we may affirm that from the days of the Dragon of Wantley downwards , no creature of the class has consented to be useful for so small a pay . . If Europe will aet with a little firmness and reason , the Swiss valleys of Savoy may be saved from the Imperial maw , and those which are French in nature may as well be French in fact . The Nice question is more ugly , arid will long rankle in Italian hearts . We do not blame Cavour for an act of inevitable expediency ; we do not blame the Sardinian Chamber for consenting to sacrifice a member of the community for the sake of preserving the whole , but it is a misfortune for parliamentary government that the Senate of a free state should be obliged to smother the discussion of such a question , and ignominiously consent to what
Lauiiknti RobAXDi , a member for the county of 2 s ice , produced a great impression upon the Sardinian . . . Chamber by exposing the conduct of the French Government in order to procure a majority in favour of its schemes . Pietki , the French senator and confidential agent of the Empehok , Likqxis . the provisional governor and the M at or of Nice , - " all behaved as if the country were . already French , whilst -French .-regiments garrisoning the town and the frigates in the harbour inspired terror in the inhabitants . . . Circulars without . name , but printed by the Grovernment lithographer , were scut to the country threatening those who should vote against the annexation ; , and exhorting the ofticials to neutralize the eflbrts hostile to French interests . The priests already , chanted at the altar , " Poininc , satvum . fac Iniperatorem nostrum Napoleonem ; " and the bishop
declared " it was a matter of conscience to vote for annexation . ' Such was Robandi ' s narrative , and we have no . doubt it is true in all the main features , although we cannot believe these disgraceful manoeuvres would have been so thoroughly successful as the Moniteur . tells ua , unless a considerable number of the inhabitants were willing partisans of France . By and by we shall know more of this bad business ; " meanwhile ,, in the ' words of Count Mamtami , the Sardinian iiiini-ster of Justice and Instruction , Imperial France has proved an " Amazon terrible in her embraces , " and Italy has " cut oil "
a limb to save the whole body . " That body , however , stands in the presence of new dangers , and , unless Europe interposes , the Imperial dragon will devour another limb as the price * of further aid . Sicily is in insurrection , arid the Count of Svr . utsk , uncle of the young King , has given him somo-excellent advice , urging a liberal policy and union with Sardinia . Napoi . kon III . does not want n powerful and united Italy ; and if the ( Jivnt European Powers were wise , they would ensure the Italians against all intervention to prevent their carrying out this idea .
A witty continental papenytho Bk \ i-lCIre Social of Brussels , sketches a " year of annexations , " and depicts the progress of this Napoleonic innncouvve , while the various States of Europe remain apathetic and jealous , each enjoying the other ' s misfortunes , ' und becoming a victim in its turn . There is no doubt some danger of this prediction being realized , and European statesmen Would do well to try to concert sonic common ground of action . England could only sirpport popular rights , find must stand by and see dynasties perish and the . balance of ]) ower overthrown , rather than aid them in opposition to liberal principles ; but while our support might be given to Jtuly upon broad oud noblo grounds , tho despotic Powers , liko Russia and
Prussia , might come to the samo conclusion by iv different rout <* > and see tho advantage of thoroughly emancipating tlt ^ whole l > eninsulu from tho dangerous friendship of Imperial France ; and' this could onl y bo accomplished by poi'sundiiifj' Austria to withdraw from Vonioe ,- ond forming a league to insist upon nonintervention iu Italian affairs . A very little help of Iliis k " " would make Viotok Rmmanukj , King of all Iluly , exeopl , perhaps , of the city of Koine , which tho Popw might hold I ' "' , " season to accommodate tho views of Austria and France . \> c do not expect tho Great Powers will eomo to so riitinni . l an agreoment , although their interests would bo promoted by Midi a course , and it would involve loss concessions of principle thm *
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1860, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21041860/page/4/
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