NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Premier of Italy, Signor Crispi, received a grand reception at Palermo on Monday, and made an important speech. Italy, he said, had been "a satellite of the Napoleonic Empire," and the object of her Government was to assume for her an independent attitude as a Great Power. This they had done successfully, making even treaties with first-class maritime Powers on terms of equality, and they had used their new position to preserve peace. It was absurd to accuse Italy of provocation, when an Italian only paid 18 fr. a year for military purposes, while a Frenchman paid 33 fr.,—a statement which requires evidence that expenditure on fortifications is not included. The danger of war recently existed, but it had passed away. As regarded the internal situation, Italy would keep Rome, and would leave the Pope free in the government of the Church and the use of his spiritual weapons. "Let the Church endeavour to frighten Prometheus with the thunder- bolts of Heaven. Our task is to fight in the cause of reason." He trusted the Radicals would quit the Socialists and Anarchists in good time, and hoped to convince the latter while still speculating, lest he should have to repress them when they proceeded to action. The speech was full of eloquence and spirit, and also of Opts, differing curiously in tone from Prince Bismarck's. The natural arrogance of the German is strengthened by a belief in Heaven ; that of the Italian is stimulated by an inclination to defy it. We note that Signor Crispi promises a Poor-Law which "would be a boon even if assured to a people without liberty."
