The difficulties of the Italian Government in the South scarcely
diminish. The Mazzinians are most active in urging on the wretched Neapolitan population, which is in political knowledge about on a par with that of Tipperary, to clamour for the annexation of Rome. The last rumour is, that the rest of the Roman territory will be imme- diately given up to its owners, in order to put a stop to brigandage, but that the city will still be kept inviolate as the sanctuary of the Catholic Church. This concession would be of military value, as it would cut off the retreat of the Bourbonists, but of no poli- tical value, as it would leave Turin still the capital, and consequently retard the settlement of the Southern Provinces. The Italians, how- ever, mast wait Napoleon's pleasure, for their army does not yet comprise more than a hundred and fifty thousand good troops, and national enthusiasm, though a grand sentiment, will not arrest French bullets. We are happy to perceive that Cialdini's act in burning Pandelandolfo diminishes on examination from an atrocity into a mere blunder. Not above ten persons were killed, and though the soldiers were ordered to burn the town, they only commenced the work. Why Cialdini should imagine the Italian cause aided by the destruction of Italian cities, remains unexplained : yet Delhi is a great capital only because Sir John Lawrence evaded similar orders.
