The Daily News has done good service by publishing, in
three instalments, the translation of a letter addressed by Luigi Carlo Farini to Mr. Gladstone—an honest statement of the way in which Italy is governed. At the Paris Conference, Lord Clarendon described the disorganized condition and the oppressive government of the Roman states : Signor Farini shows that in the Austrian states peace and property are as ill secured against robbers ; the Romagna, occupied by the Austrian army, is in a state of siege for gentlemen—it is a re- public for robbers. The rigour of the Neapolitan prisons is unrelaxed ; the Inquisition and its auxiliaries in Rome are no better. But none of these atrocious governments could exist if it were not for Austrian support. After the English' Plenipo- tentiary raised hopes for Italy in the Paris Conference, it is be- coming difficult to distinguish between Lord Pahnerston's libe- rality and Count Buol's or Cardinal Antonelli's. But the time has arrived when, if the Western Powers would prevent insur- rection in Italy, and perhaps revolution in Europe, they must choose the alternative, of prevailing upon Vienna to overcome the resistance of bad Governments in Europe, or break off nego- tiation and declare that they will tolerate no intervention in
Italy. This appeal against diplomatic trifling with the welfare of states is impressive for its truth-telling plainness, and is well worth the perusal of Englishmen.'
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