Italy. 24 August 1848

Italy.

* From Lugano it is written under date of the 15th that on the 14th a first contribution of 3 million lire was dictated in Milan, which had to be paid in 24 hours.

Turin, 14 August. Lamartine’s France, says L’Opinione, promised us its armed aid at our first cry for help; but there is a difference between orators and politicians; Cavaignac’s France has entered upon the path previously trodden by Louis Philippe and Guizot. It is very fine if the journals assert that Italy’s independence is a fact. The real fact is that Austria rules, just as she did six months ago. France now promises us an intervention on paper. The diplomats say: that’s the same thing! A pity no one believes them. It took six years and more than thirty protocols before Greece’s independence was achieved. How many shall we need for Italy? And in the case of Greece the last and most effective protocol was—the Battle of Navarino. Hence we believe that it will be difficult to help Italy to a peace which at the same time ensures that of Europe, without a few cannons.

* Turin, 17 August. A local journal, il Risorgimento, repeatedly and rightly draws attention to the unceremonious manner in which the deputation that arrived with the Sicilian crown is being treated by the court and the ministry. It has now been here for more than twenty days and is still awaiting an answer. Not a syllable has been vouchsafed it so far. However, yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs at last paid a return visit to Duke Serra di Falco, the president of this deputation. Crowns must have fallen miserably in value if one does not even care to stretch out one’s hands for one that has been lying at one’s feet for twenty days already. Charles Albert has, moreover, more to do with his own crown than he ever dreamed. And the worst of it is that royal shares will have depreciated much more in a few months than they are now. Crowned and uncrowned traitors and weaklings of our own, the most recent times, are in a bad way, because Nemesis, the people’s vengeance, though it may sometimes take an extra day of rest, comes rushing up on the steam-carriage and has capable high-pressure machines at its disposal.

The Franco-British mediation, as the official gazette reports, has, prior to its departure for Alessandria and to Radetzky, received a declaration from the ministry which finds itself in a permanent state of abdication, in which the latter recognises the armistice of the 9th as valid solely with regard to military operations, but in no way as regards its political part, and rejects it as a basis for eventual peace negotiations. In their protest the ministers base themselves on the principle that a general (Salasco) may well conclude an armistice but may not, without express authorisation, carry out any political act, especially when, as is the case here, the treaty is not even countersigned by a responsible minister. The following list regarding the composition of the new cabinet is circulating: General Perrone, Foreign Affairs; Revel, Finance; Franzini, War; Merlo, Interior; Defferrari, Education; Pinelli, Justice; Colla, Trade and Public Works. It seems that all the persons just named have accepted the portfolios indicated; just as in France there was once a “Chambre introuvable”, one may call this a “ministère pendable”—a ministry worth hanging. There are, to be sure, even worse sorts of odd fellows capable of being ministers in Piedmont; but the ones named above are already so bad that we may rejoice at how excellently democracy is being promoted by such ministries. If these ministers are not all hanging from lampposts within a month, it will at least not be their fault. Broglia, one of the generals sold to the Metternich-Jesuit party, has today received a frightful charivari for his impudence in showing himself here. If he were to go to Genoa, he would probably not receive anything, but might well—lose something. In Genoa, work is now proceeding zealously on the demolition of the stronghold located in the centre of the city, Fort Castelletto. The Genoese are securing themselves in every possible way against the return of a tyranny such as that exercised by Mr. Charles Albert of infamous name until 1848. The centre for the army to be reorganised will remain Alessandria, and after the expiry of the armistice, with the addition of the newly