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892 THE LEADER. [No. 488. July 30, 1859.
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COUNT CAVOUR. The celebrated Sardinian s...
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GERMANY. JuxY&7th, 1859.-Step by step th...
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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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Similar Positions, And The Utmost Person...
navy , all the present regulations called discipline , the inventions of one class to keep another class in servile subjection , will vanish as" if by magic . We only indicate principles , recommendiiig them to the consideration of the new Commissioners who are to inquire into our national defences , and assuring them that ; Armstrong guns and steam rams , and all other mechanical appliance will not be efficient for the national defence unless our seafaring population be numerous , . skilful , strong , and intelligent .
892 The Leader. [No. 488. July 30, 1859.
892 THE LEADER . [ No . 488 . July 30 , 1859 .
Count Cavour. The Celebrated Sardinian S...
COUNT CAVOUR . The celebrated Sardinian statesman , Count Camillo ¦ Cavour , was born in 1810 j and belongs to one of the most wealthy and ancient families of Piedmont . While very young , he manifested a strong tendency to combat the prejudices against intellectual development which existed among the nobility and were strengthened by the political circumstances ¦ of the kingdom . In his youth he entered the military academy of Turin , where he pursued his studies with great honour , and credit , and was appointed to a lieutenancy of engineers . He had ,
involving complicated international questions , had to be provided for ; the contagion of French republicanism and Mazzinian intrigue were to be contended against . Cavour ' s talent and influence had , at this time , much effect in opposing the inroad of democratic passions . After the reverses of the royal arms in 1848 he sided with the minority , who were averse to the immediate renewal of the war . His arguments in favour of prudence and delay were so unpopular , that upon , a new election in Jan ., 1849 , Cavour lost his seat in the Chamber of Deputies . In the summer he was re-elected , and before the end of the session was in a parliamentary majority , and already looked upon as likely to
quire the aid of his comprehensive intej ^ ct and staunch , unswerving resolution . . Should he not soon be able to form a ministry , there is every reason to fear that his labours of the past seven years will be completely lost in the face of actual circumstances .
become the greatest public man in Piedmont . In Oct ., 1850 , he was invited to join the cabinet , and accepted the invitation without demur , although but a secondary post was offered him under D'Azeglio . On the 4 th of November , 1852 , he was called upon to replace Count d'Azeglio , who had retired before a parliamentary demonstration in favour of . a more advanced liberalism than he could accept . At the wish of his sovereign he returned from a tour which he had been making in England and Scotland , and became the King ' s chief adviser . For the next two years , internal economy mainly occupied his attention , and the Government enjoyed a respite frora the litigations with Borne , which had formed a large portion of the cares of the preceding cabinet .
The most important act of Cavour ' s foreign administration was the adherence of Piedmont , at the beginning of 1855 , to the treaty of alliance between France and England against Russia ; an act which he eloquently vindicated in a manifesto , dated March 4 th . The two extreme parties in the Chamber of Deputies opposed this alliance on different grounds . Cavour ' s triumphant reply attracted much attention at the time from the honesty and boldness with which he laid bare his schemes of national aggrandisement , as the result of taking a share in the war . In April , 1855 , Cavour resigned the premiership in order to facilitate an arrangebthe
ment with Rome , rendered necessary y projected law in reference to the convents . The King having been induced by D'Azeglio to act with firmness , and it being found impossible to come to an understanding with the Holy See , Cavour again returned to ^ office a few days after his retirement . That the unceasing efforts of this minister to limit the power of the church have been needed will be seen by the following facts . The revenues of the Spdinian church exceed seventeen million francs , which is equal to a tenth of the entire revenue of the state . In ttie kingdom of Belgium , the population of which is about the same as that of the Sardinian states , the whole expense of religious worship
scarcely exceeds four millions . In France , where the population is eight times as numerous , the expenses only amount to forty-four millions . The Sardinian episcopacy enjoys ten times the revenue of the Belgian episcopacy , and an equal amount with the French ; and some of its individual members are as rich as the whole episcopal body in Belgium . Again , oivil marriage does not exist in Sardinia , and the lowest priest has a right , after several months of marriage , to separate husband and wife , united by himself , upon the pretext that he has discovered the most distant degree of relationship between them—an occurrence which took
place not long ago . The efforts of Cavour to make the clergy undergo some changes , and submit to the common law , will meet with ready sympathy and appreciation in England , though in his own country he has , in consequence , been held up to opprobrium and infamy by the clerical party . His exertions in maintaining the freedom of the press , and his independent , manly reply to the complaints of Austria in the spring of 1857 will be fresh in the memory of the reader . The answer
he gavQ to the remonstrance addressed to him by Count Buol was a skilful combination of cool reasoning , saroasm , and intrepidity . Its only effect ? however , was to add one more to the numerous griefs of Austria against Piedmont , and which have issued in the war just closed . The prosperity enjoyed by the Sardinian states for several years past , amidst all their political contests and perplexities , and numerous internal grievances and afflictions , is to be traced mainly to the clever statesmanship of Count Cavour . It were greatl y to be deplored that ho should , bo suffered to stand aloof from tho Government at the present critical juncture . Never did Victor Emmanuel so much
ro-However , scarcely commenced hie m the capital , when his family saw reason to fear that his independence of thought and character would retard his success , and it was considered prudent to send him out of the country . He consequently spent . several years abroad , resided alternately in Geneva , Paris , and iiondon , and gained great experience of men , and modes of government . The studyv of English works on the various branches of political economy occupied much of his t ime and attention , as well as the observation of our laws and institutions . It was not until 1842 that he returned to
his own country , where events seemed to be promising much for the future of Piedmont . The King , Charles Albert , was making some timid approaches to a change of system . His patronage of railroads and scientific congresses were favourable indications from which the Count , like the rest of the Piedniontese Liberals , augured well . He speedily united with a few others , most of whom afterwards became conspicuous xo . public affairs , in forming the Associaziqne Agraria , which was most valuable as a medium of national intercourse and discussion .
Its meetings , held in turn in the most important towns in the kingdom , afforded the opportunity of animadverting upon the political state of the country and discussing the means of legitimate reform . This was most distasteful to Austria , whp spared no pains to let her annoyance be felt , and suspended a Milanese journal for speaking favourably of the association . During the ensuing twelve or eighteen months the Kings hesitation and perplexity were extreme , Inconsequence of the difficult position in which lie found himself placed in relation to Austria and
Some . In Nov ., 1347 , a royal decree gave liberty to the press , and then Cavour and his friends established the Misorgimento , a daily paper which became the organ of the aristocratic party , who were in favour of moderate reform . In that year Count Cavour proposed that a Constitution should be demanded for Piedmont . With Santa Rosa , Brofferio and Durando , he drew \ ip a paper informing the King of the popular wish . Charles Albert was opposed to the idea , and for some time hesitated to grant their demand . The Sicilian revolt , which occurred a few months later , induced the treacherous Ferdinand II . to confer upon his subjects the long-desired boon of a Constitution , and the King of Sardinia , as well as the Grand Duke of Tuscany , was compelled to follow his
example . Unfortunately ^ the French revolution ensued , succeeded by the rising of Vienna and the Invitation of the Lombards to the King of Piedmont . It was greatly to bo deplored that tins general excitement should take place prematurely . JNeither Piedmont nor tho rest of Italy was propared for it 5 but to draw . back at that crisis was unpossiblo , and Cavour was most energetic in his exhortations to the King to take up arms . This ho did , but the contest ended disastrously for him and ho eventually abdicated in favour of his son , who was more ready to mako concessions to the liberal tendencies of the times . Cavour sat as one of tho representatives of Turin in tho first session of the Pioanaontese Parliament of 1848 . Hero he distinguished himself aa a skilful debater , and was acknowledged to bo without an equal in financial knowledge . This wjis a trying period . The assembly was quite inexperienced and new to its responsibilities ; a groat war ,
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Germany. Juxy&7th, 1859.-Step By Step Th...
GERMANY . JuxY & 7 th , 1859 .-Step by step the exasperation has gone on increasing . It was great on the breaking out of the war , it was greater on the conclusion of ^ the preliminaries , and it tia * How roached its culminating point . The assertion made by the Emperor of the French , that Europe was , at the commencement , unjust towards him , is regarded by all men as an audacious , barefaced attempt to foist a falsehood upon history , in spite of the press and of the universal knowledge of the real facts . The Germans were to a man enraged and ashamed , at the commencement of the war , that their Governments , or rather Prussia ( for she it was that held Hanover , Saxony , and Bavaria back ) would not allow Germany , as a nation , to join Austria against Louis Napoleon . Far from haviner been treated unjustly , never had a monarch of
France freer play for his designs and his ambition . He was supported by twenty millions of Italians ; he had the sympathy of England and Russia ; he had the coffin mand or the sea ; in fact , no hindrances whatever were thrown in his way , and yet he has the hardihood to maintain , in the face of mankind , who know it to be a lie , that Europe treated him with injustice . I can assure your readers that this impudence , for , indeed , no milder term can be applied to it , has cost the Emperor of the French every friend he had in Germany . We know paper is patient , and wi 1 bear any thiner that is put upon it , and history is made of paper , but I doubt whether history will teach , posterity that all Europe was unjust to Louis Napoleon in this Italian war , and , therefore ought to be made answerable for its abortive results * Another
cause of anger against Louis Napoleon personally is the employment of negroes , whom he designates Tureos , against Europeans and Christians ; and certainly if this is to become a system among Christian potentates , we shall have the slave trade renewed with a vengeance . We want to know whence these Turcqs were procured , and how . It is a question of great importance for the French themselves , if Louis Napoleon can procure negroes at twopence or threepence a day , why should not England put her enormous warlike populations of Caflres , Affghans , and Beloochees , under requisition . Where France can obtain her hundreds , England could obtain her thousands , and perhaps Germany too . 11 is no great compliment for the French nation that the Zouaves and Tureos should be
spoken of as forming the elite of the French army . This is , however , a matter for the French to reflect upon . The employment of these mercenaries is a subject for all Europe to ponder upon . On receipt of the first news of peace , holders of produce endeavoured to turn it to account , and for a day or two managed to push a trade , but the general feeling that the peace was too easily won damped all speculation . Not the slightest confidence in the continuance of peace exists , and notwithstanding all Mr . Bright ' s fine theories , and ministers' deprecatory letters and speeches , the pjreat mass of Germans ardently desire tear , and w ar to the knife with France—with that France which will never let Germany rest . The Germans ask : What have we ever done to France ? Have we taken ought of her ? She has often devastated our dissensions and disunited
country—she has sown kept us . She has robbed from us Lorraine and Alsntin , and lias endeavoured , with almost complete success , to Romanise their inhabitants : whereas wo have not taken from France an inch or territory , although twice we , in conunction with our allies , have been masters of the whole country . They threaten ua continually—they threaten to seize our Rhine provinces : and yet we are told to remain quiet , and act like Christens . For two conquering nations like England and France to prench pone © and eelf-denial is like theDovil quoting Scripture . [ do not know what the sentiments of English Liberals are with respect to Mr . Bright and his coadjutors , but this I do know , that his ideas upon peace and war oxclto unmitigated disgust and ridicule among Libernls , and there aro many , and thinking ones , too , on tho Continent . Mr . Bright has perhaps not aeon , as I liave , men dragged out of their beds in tho middle of the night , and hurried off to prison , during the piping times of peac A tyrannical peace ia worse than tho fiercest vvnr . Who would not nrefer bolncr crushed on the field ot
battle , to rotting in a dungeon ? " Peace ! What have we here to do with peace r Get theo behind mo . " To auch a degree has the discontent arisen that your readers may prepare themselves for a military insurrection , should pence be conoluded vory unfavourable to Austria . The armies of Prussia and most states ol tuo Confederation are composed of ull classes of tho population , obtained by impressment—a conscription , us it is softly termed : and thousands of private soldlors ava young men of good education niid woalth . Those inon have ( studied history , and wo hot Ignorant ol the ovigin of nations ond governments . Thoy aro , thovuloro , by no means blind Instruments In tho hands of Government . Your readers will have seen elsowhoro in your columns that it is tho intention of tho Prlnqo ltogont of Prussia in conjunction , possibly , with tho rest of tho l'oderai sovereigns , to reform tho military system , because n i « i » boon discovered that tho landwehr and militia In Kj 3 " 61 ' 1 * 1 do not nnawer the requirements of tho period , 'aims ra
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 30, 1859, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_30071859/page/16/
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