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ITALY.
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Piedmont , arid- ' the actual union of the one with the other by means of parliamentary suffrage , meet the eye and ear of those who examine somewhat below the surface . In-the JEmiliari States , too , the waiting attitude now so long- obscM-ved begins to be felt as somewhat irritating and irlrsome . Nor can it be wondered that the Italians should long for the moment when their political choice shall be nttified by the general consent of tlie governing powers of h'urope , and they be left to pursue their onward course to freedom and prosperity under the guidance of their spontaneously chosen sovereign . Slight differences between the party adherents oICavour and IUtazzi ; the military followers of Gabibai < i > i , Dabormida , and La Makmoka ; the modest , unobtrusive , Evangelicals * and thei haughty , overbearing zealots of the Giobacchino , Archbishop of Florence , school ,
NO W that the projected Congress , seems to have vanished mt <> thin air—to have collapsed , and left disenchanted diplomatists standing , metaphorically , with staring eyes and mouths agape , out of breath with the sudden check placed upon their political movements—the world is anxiously awaiting the next move of the Italian game of chess which has been going on now for twelve months . It is high time that the present confessedly temporary state of tilings in Central Italy should give place to something of a more stable and permanent character . Hitherto , perhaps , ftrw or no ill results hsive followed from the anomalotis position in which the people and their rulers have stood to each other , as subjects and agents of a sovereign afraid to own or countenance their adhesion to his standard . But various hints and rumours of disaffection aird impatience at the dchiy still interposed between the professed annexation of Lpihbardy with
make the friends of Italy somewhat anxious to see the end of the present abnormal condition of tlie Peninsula . True , in the main , the cause of order , freedom , and truth continues to giiiri ground . During the past twejlve months qualities , which deservedly ennoblo a nation have been tritiinphantly conspicuous in both tlie rulers and the ruled ! Nothing short of tl ^ e test to which Italy has been compelled tp submit could . have m ^ ido the world believe that she whs rich in the very qualities and perfections of which she was supposed to be least susceptible . Yet human patience , forbearance , and compliance have their limits ; mid it will be well when the wand of the magician who evoked the sbonn is strotched forth in token that the Imperial " idea , " though somewhat nipdified , is realized ; and that , iVi accordance with it , freedom of action is at length recognised iu
the Peninsula . A general feeling of relief seems to be the prevailing sentiment , as day after day passes over and confirms the notion that no Congrcss will be held . Owing to the opposing interests and wishes' 6 f the powers which would have been represented in it ,. Jt seemed utterly impossible that nny Adequate advantage could have beeni the rqault . Each state had a theory and practice of its own , uttorly at variance with those of all tlio rest ; anil'to have entered Congress under such circumstances would' have been to violate the rules
which have hitherto been hold as inherent in the nature of Congresses , The meeting of envoys or plenipotentiaries to settle an extensive plfrn of political amnjyonients and re-organization , implies something approaching' unanimity , or at least the desire to practise mutual concession and forbearance . The contemplated Congress of * 1860 , so far from promising to realize the objects hitherto kept in view in such solemn assemblages , scorned likely to prove a mere battlefield for the encounter of antagonistic principles of action and the strife of conflicting interests . Though the position of England no a < first clues Power rendered it ii > oilmbuint upon her to tuko her place as suoh > and accept the 1 invitation given to 1 her to shove ixY the contemplateddeliberations , ' she htia no reason to regret that ( hoy aredefvrrud sino die , Itecent appeatanoct ) seem to indicate * that Napoleon III , is willing to adopt tlio principle which England has all along held , that the Italians liavo a right to ohopae their own ruler . But auqh was not tho cuse when the invitations to the Congress were issued : It then eccmed likely that Great Britain )
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and cassocked leaders , and nursing their wrath . against all and sundry the enemies of the Pope . Protestant sovereigns are menaced because they do not fight for the restoration , of his revolted provinces Cathedrals echo with the war-whoop of religious strife ! In Morocco , Spain is Jictually waging a . Crusade . She is kindling a flame in Africa , never meant , perhaps , to be confined to that quarter of the world , and at all events but too likely to spread to our own , Catholic prelates , journalists , and pulpiteers are muttering between their teeth / threats of a European war of creeds , and feverish Evangelicals and interpreters of prophecy are crojiking similar sinister forebodings . It is well , therefore , to examine our securities against such a tragedy ' s ever being enacted at our cost , to look calmly and steadily in the face the facts of our condition . The ghost walks abroad , and must be laid by letting daylight into the haunted chamber . Happily a very slight scrutiny shows the forces to be , after all , so evenly balanced between the two hostile religions , that we may safely postpone preparation for Smithfield . Either the Great Tribulation is not coining on the earth just yet : or if Cardinal ANTOEfELi . 1 does mean mischief , and should be fool and fiend enough to light up a conflagration , it is quite as likely to burn down the Vatican as St . Paul ' s . . " , To be « -in with , it is not enough in order to beget concord and co-operation between the two great Catholic Powers , that they both acknowledge one spiritual Head . Whatever such a recognition may be good for in securing unanimity in the belief of nonsense , it has never brought about to any very encouraging extent consentaneousness of political action . If we think it ought to do so , History laughs at our a priori conjecture , and gives the lie to the theory . The everlasting antagonism between France and Austria is proverbial . Especially during the three centuries that have elapsed since the Iteforrnation , they have always been at cross purposes . Luther , in Ins day , saw them fighting in Italy , and only six months ago they were fighting in Italy still . All this time there have never been wanting shoals of zealots in cowls and in lay garb , ; like Lotas Vetjillot , who have raked heaven , earth , and heir for influence to cement amity between the Catholic Princes , and to coax them to unite for the chastisement of the heretic Powers , The saints above have been plied with prayers , and-the sinners belowwithmost honied persuasives , by bigots of both sexes . All has been in vain . Often have England and Prussia stood side by side in the cabinet and oh the field ; France and Austria scarcely ever . Rival candidates for the championship of the Church , Paris and . Vienna have never been able to adjust their relative claims ; Co-ordination runs cpunterto their Catholic andmonarchical instincts , and subordination neither will for long submit to . Hence their eternal bickerings , which , to the scandiil . of many of the pious , the Holy Father is thought to have often fomented . Whether it is that he thinks his two dear sons can never agree except to rob him , certain it is that he has seldom benefited from any exceptional entente cordiale between them . The most miraculous instance of such an alliance was that patched up by Katjnitz , which lasted for forty years down to the French Revolution . That talented minister induced Madia Theresa-to address Madame de Pompadour Ufa ckbre Cousine , for which the empress afterwards begged Gob ' s forgiveness on her knees ; ' The abolition of the Order of the Jesuits , and the establishment of Josephinism in Austria , were boih the work of this period . The latter immense reform , which the Concordat has completely reversed , was mainly carried through by Kaunitz , who used to be styled at Rome II Ministro JEretico . On one occasion , when the Pope gave him as a distinguishing inark of honour the inside of his hand to kiss , the Austrian gave it a . hearty shake- ^ a g&ucfterie of the most enormous character , which , however , admirably illustrates the unceremoniousness with which he was always wont to treat Roman pretensions . How tlie Pope fared' after Naik > i . eon I , had conciliated Austria , as the butcher conciliated the refractory sheep , by knpclung her down and trampling upon her at Austerlitz , is well known , ' —us also how he is likely to fare now that Napoleon III . has repeated the process at Magenta and Sblferino . "* In- short > the Papacy has always had far more to dread than Protestantism from tho agreement of the two Catholic ! Protecting * Powers , ' In like manner the assumed' « urtierioaV ' preponderance 1 of Catholicism , overwhelming ns it'seenta at > first , etSnsfis ' t'O' ulnrm us the instant we begin to analyse nnd ' wergU'those Imposing 1 masses of figure * . There are , so we are' told , thirty millions and ' more loyal ' Papists in France—to , couiitiing ' ttll'theWeiiits and' Atheists' in' an'd out of orders , together with all wh 6 , though 1 ueitlfei * VoltaireansJ or Protestants , huigh most hoi't'ticully at tire \ phUrivarVs incessant jokes on M . Vexhtxpt , and think ilwbrofiftui'e one of the cldveroait hits the Emperor hrfa inadc . ' Even 'of Austria's priest-vidden thirty millions more , how niany nre tl ' te-Ve who do not gnash their teeth atthe Concordat P How innny whe do ndC curse from morn to dpwy ' eve tlie Jesuit camarilla with > which Ui * 'Bavarian mother has Bummuded Francis Joseph P Is there no disafleetion in tho church of St . Stephen , whoso Primato ' lately presented tho Pro - testumts with iv site for a cemetery and chapel P Or , perhaps , Bohemia , after centuries of' ( ire and sword' from the-Husaito And Taborito , and Thirty Years' Wars downwards , 5 s now at lusb quite staunch . Yet it is only aycttvov'twb ngo since a whittper reached us of hundreds of Bohemian priests petitioning to be released from celibacy . The Vienna' statesmen thomeelvea , ptich ns they ur ^ 'hll know ve « y » vo . ll f froin the first that the Concordat was a measuro ' of the ' kill or cure" clnsfl . Jt has certainly not healed the patient . " As to the alternative , Austria , like the other " sick man ? I in the next bed , may tuke n good deal of killing *; On the other hand , it must not bo forgotten that the Jvsuit nicdieiiiep are proverbially draetio . '
vapour to their hearts' content . Bigots may pray themselves , hoarse , but there will be no red rain so long as the wind is in that quarter . ¦ ,
It would be an insult to Prussia to degrade her to the level of her moribund sister , arid it is iio reflection ^ on France to say that England is in every respect her peer . Ourfortv colonies count for something , as well as our . Irish and other difficulties of the sort In like manner , Prussia ' s vast military organisation , the . chivalrous loyalty of her people , her troops more especially , and the support , she commands in Germany , entitle her to something more than a mere arithmetical estimate of her power . If one third of her citizens are Catholics , she may , at least , congratulate herself that they are iiot fanatical to any dangerous extent . Nor must it be overlooked that the very existence of these not unimportant minorities on both sides constitutes one of the strongest and most few
reliable of our guarantees against any such collision as a maniacs would , perhaps , be only too glad to provoke . Of course , » Austria ' s present state of exhaustion and whilst tlie relations between her and France—4 o say nothing of those between 1 n . nce and this country—continue such as they are , the apprehension . . o * anything of the kind is simply ridiculous . The Ultramontanists must beo-in their Penelopob ' s web again . It is only m their small newspapers that the Middle Ages have returned . A few weeks have destroyed the work of many laborious years and many ingenious brains . Public opinion is still a great power , especially whew it assumes tho form of langhter . Pius IX ., and his mimon ANTONEiiiiiwith all their black militia , may fret , and fume , and
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64 TJ& ^ ami tim [ Ja . 21 , I 860 .
Italy.
ITALY .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 21, 1860, page 64, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2330/page/12/
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