NEWS OF THE WEEK.
WE may now regard Victor Emmanuel as practically King of Monday evening saw the Reform Bill before the House of
the truth of this view. legislating on American principles. And when Mr. Disraeli oh- The French troops have begun to leave Lombardy ; but we jects to the giving of a third Member to large constituencies, he shall be greatly surprised if they are entirely withdrawn. Aus- may very properly be asked to define the constitutional virtue tria has promised not to cross her frontiers, and the independ- that lies in the number "two." He was far nearer the mark ence of North Italy is held to be secure. But then the Pope when he argued on behalf of the lodger interest, for it is true talks of calling to his aid the valiant soldiers of his younger son that the English people have of late years sensibly approximated of Naples, and it needs no special foresight to see that Neapolitan towards that habit of Mr. Disraeli's Arabian ancestors which led troops in the remaining States of the Church, especially, for in- them to lodge in tents, and that some of the beat elements of a stance, in Umbria and the Marches, would be the signal for a sound constituency do inhabit lodgings. But Mr. Disraeli's con- quarrel between the temporal Sovereign of Rome with the Bour- elusions did not fulfil the earnest of his premises. He objected bon of Naples for auxiliary, and the new kingdom of North to the bill in its whole scope and details ; he described it as Italy. Already the people of Umbria and the Marches are in a "unnecessary, uncalled for, and mischievous," and yet to a bill ferment, and. it would take something stronger than Neapolitan so described he would only offer a verbal opposition, and express bayonets and Papal hirelings to keep them down. 'It may be a hope he could not feel that the bill would be withdrawn ! Mr. asked, indeed, whether the Neapolitan King is pursuing at home Bright, the only other speaker of mark, appeared as the coun- a policy which entitles him to enter on external enterprises with- senor of moderation, and the advocate for confidence in the coun- out alarm. The rival of his father in tyranny, his superior in try. Of course he is not satisfied with the bill, but he accepts it folly, he seems to disregard sound advice in his reckless viola- as an "instalment."
tions of the laws of his kingdom. The state of Naples seriously Mr. Stansfeld, a young Member, who led off the debate on endangers the future tranquillity of the peninsula, and it is Thursday in a practical speech of spirit and promise, also accepts within the bounds of possibility that Francis the Second may the bill as an instalment. It does what it proposes, extends the find himself in front of foreign war and internal revolution, suffrage, satisfies the expectations if not the desires of the conn- As Central Italy is practically united to Piedmont and Lose- try, and goes as far as the House of Commons is disposed to go. baxdy, so we may say that Savoy and Nice are united to France. Mr. Stansfeld desires to take nothing from the fears of any Go- The cession has been, or will soon be, accomplished by a simple vernment, and prefers to legislate with calmness and delibera- treaty between the two monarchs. On a question like this ar- tion. Sir John Pakington, however, is utterly dissatisfied. He gument is useless. Emperors are not obstructed by syllogisms, called the measure " miserable " and "meagre," and remained France claims Savoy and Nice as a guarantee of security. That firm to the bill of the late Government. Mr. Stansfeld and Sir is the pith of M. Thouvenel's despatch to Count de Persigny. John form an instructive contrast. The former, with Radical Not as a security against present, but against future dangers, convictions is willing to accept a small measure which the coun- arising out of possible European combinations inimical to France try will relay. The latter, with Conservative opinions, wants a in which the strengthened kingdom of Victor Emmanuel might larger measure ! Sir John's weak speech drew a hearty out- bear a part. Savoy and Nice were allotted to France in 1814; spoken defence of the Government measure from Sir George Grey, they were taken away in 1815, in order, says M. Thouvenel, to combining an expression of confidence in the working classes keep open the Alpine passes into France. The cession, there- about to be enfranchised with telling answers to Sir John's argu- fore, revokes the treaties of 1815, and so far as Savoy and Nice are concerned, blots out one of the results of the battle of Wa- terloo and the second occupation of Paris. Switzerland protests, and the Emperor, through M. Thouvenel, expresses his "sur- prise," for according to his reasoning, the Swiss have no interest in the matter, the districts neutralized by treaty having been neutralized to protect Savoy, and not to serve as outworks of the system of Swiss neutrality. The whole of Savoy passes into the hands of France, neutral districts and all. Europe is not in the mood to do more than protest ; Prussia alone taking a de- cisive stand by the side of Switzerland. Prussia and Austria are not on amiable terms ; the policy of Russia is wrapped in obscurity ; the course taken by our own Government has not been made known.
These are grave facts which throw a gloomy shadow athwart the sunshine of Italy's prosperous career.
