NEWS OF THE- : Wnli.
At the first view, the attitude of France seems unfavourable ; but it is far better than the most sanguine could have expected a week or two back. It would be too much to assume that the " feeler " in the Journal des Debats strictly represents the definite views of Louis Philippe's Government; yet it may be taken as an approximation to the view which that Govern- ment would wish to avow, and also as betraying the feelings by which the official party is moved. The Debuts is very angry with divers journals in Italy and England, for censuring the coldness that France shows in support of liberty ; is angry with the Court of Vienna, for not having more skilfully maintained the status quo; with the Pope, for not having kept the dispute "purely diplomatical." "The Sovereign. Pontiff," says the French editor, " has been publishing protests of a nature to inflame the Italian people." NOW this is false. We do not of course mean that the highly respectable journalist deliberately states what he feels to be a falsehood ; but his bias is such as to warp his perception ; and,we use the strongest term because no other would express the extent of the misrepresentation. The protests of the Pontiff are not calculated, any more than they are intended, to inflame the Italian people. Before the time of Pius the Ninth, Rothe was on the point of ruin through internal corruption—an effete official despotism struggling hopelessly with a growing spirit of reform, which being unlegalized was revolutionary. Pius began reforms with all the deliberation requisite for safety, with all the sincerity requisite to secure faith in the renovating process. The existence of Austrian despotism in contiguity with liberal institutions would be difficult if not impossible ; and AuStria tries to mar the legal- ized reforms. Nothing could be more calculated than that to inflame the Italian people. Pius issues-protests against that hos- tile intervention; also exhortations to his people against any irregular violenees, and assurances that he will firmly support their substantial interests in a regular and discreet way. It is impossible to imagine any declaration less calculated to inflame the Italian people, or more calculated to sooth and cool their e.nxiety,and indignation. Pius is really what in France and England is called a Conservative Reformer ; and if it were pos- sible to avoid blame in a position so beset with every difficulty, he deserves to'have done so.
In the midst of these testy criticisms, the Dabats makes some important declarations : France, we are told, will interfere if any other country interferes; France will support "all legal and pa- cific reforms,"--[the Sovereign Pontiff evidently contemplates none other]; and will support the independence of the Italian Princes if that be threatened. .Good.
But it is from the very irritation of the Ministerial paper that we -dravirthe most hopeful inference of all. The Government of Louis Philippe has been unable to dictate the course which it wishes affairs to take; hence its splenetic distribution of censure on all concerned. It would best have suited that Government to have no movement in Italy just at present, and accordingly it .hates all who move : it deprecates any step against Austria, with whoin'the King of the French sympathizes ; also any against the
Italians, with whom the French people sympathize. But the tra- ditional policy of France in Italy is too strong for the Govern- ment, and part of its anger is the cry wrung from it by the kneiv- ledge that to that policy they must succumb. The Government of the French nation must take the side of freedom in Italy; hence the bitter anger of the present Ministers, who wish to side with Austria : but that anger is a sign that the Government does recognize the necessity under which it lies; in obeying that, pos- sibly it may learn also to know its real interests. We agree with our contemporary, that if any other country intervene in Italy, France must : we could have informed the respected writer that France also will defend all legal and pacific reforms in Italy:; but it is very satisfactory to perceive that the French Ministers, in spite of their bias, are equally clear-sighted.
