6 MAY 1876, Page 2

They are wiser in Italy than in Denmark. In Copenhagen

the King is risking a revolution rather than admit a Radical Minister to power ; but atRome, Victor Emanuel, once aware that the Radicals have a majority, accepts them at once as Ministers, only to find that office suddenly sobers them. The account of their position given by a correspondent of the Times on Tuesday is full of instances of themocking irony of political fate. The Ministry had out of power denounced the grist-tax, but in power they find it essential to the safety of the Treasury, and punish people for petitioning against it. They had been suspected, unjustly, of leanings to- wards Socialism, and their very first act was to send soldiers to put down a Communistic outburst at Corato, near Bari. They had maintained the liberty, not to say the license of public meeting, and have been compelled to suppress a meeting at Mantua, for which act, however, they are ready to ask a Bill of Indemnity. They have been supposed to prefer liberty to order when the two came into conflict, but S. Nico- tera, Minister of the Interior, and an undoubted Radical, has been attacked in the Chamber for being too orderly, and in reply declared that "he was ready, as Minister of the Interior, if necessary to sacrifice his portfolio to the maintenance of public order." The Left are surprised, but irresolute, and the Right of course delighted, though disposed to complain that S. Nicotera goes too far. Victor Emanuel's constitutional sense has, in fact, provided him with an alternative Ministry of new men, who will be rapidly trained to the work of government, and thus help to secure to Italy a fixed internal policy which all parties must equally obey.