SEQUEL TO THE WAR JN ITALY. Ever since the news
of the peace letters have poured in from all parts of Northern and Central Italy showing how utterly .dissatisfied the Italians are with its terms. The return of the French Emperor and Victor Emmanuel through Lombardy elicited none of that spontaneous joy which broke out like sunshine when they marched from the Sesia to the Mincio with the freedom of Italy from the Alps to the Adriatic for a watchword. Brescia, Bergamo, Milan itself were mournful and silent. The first feeling was one of consternation. There were no fdtes, no re- joicings, the French tricolour disappeared ; portraits of Napoleon gave place to portraits of Orsini. One Turin paper says a " cry of horror" rang through the land. It was felt that Venetia was deserted; it was said openly that Italy was tradita. The Governor of Lombardy, Vig- liani, was obliged to address " a circular to the editors of the journals, calling upon them to assume sentiments of moderation, and warning them that he will order the suppression or suspension of anyjournal which may utter invectives against the recent events by which at the same time the king and his august ally may be attacked." The Italia of Turin wrote- " Yesterday, towards 6p. m., Victor Emmanuel arrived in Turin. There was little crowd in the streets ; cries of Viva PItalia!" Viva il Re ! ' were heard. Together with Victor Emmanuel was Louis Bonaparte." In an- other column it says—" There is in Turin one Pietri, a former police em- ploye of Louis Bonaparte."
This journal was seized.
The Diritto declared that "the responsibility of the preliminaries of peace belongs entirely to the Imperial Government of France. It first conceived the idea of peace ; it proposed the armistice it invited the Emperor of Austria to an interview ; it formulated the bases of the peace ; it got it accepted (and it was very easy to get that !) by Francis Joseph ; and finally, it imposed it upon Italy. This is the pure truth ; this laid down, any one may form an impartial judgment of the recent extraordinary events." The Turin correspondent of the More* .Pose says-- " I have purposely visited every leading cafe to ascertain the feeling. A sullen silence is maintained, or if broken, murmurs, We are betrayed.' "Isis another Sebastopol.' The parvenu is fond of Emperors.' On every countenance there is a gloom : those I have some acquaintance with express themselves in no measured terms. The Romans, the Venetians, above all, are depressed, and the liberator of yesterday is now but the arch-destroyer of their hopes. When it became known that not only Victor Emmanuel was not present nor even consulted uponthe terms of the armistice nor of the peace, that Cavour, when urging an explanation from the Empeier, was coolly put down with an irrelevant allusion to the weather," It fait bien chaud,' all doubt was removed, and the Italian cause was traits."
Great agitation exists in Italy, especially in Tuscany, Modena, Parma, and the Roman States ; the people there especially protesting against the provisions of the treaty which places them without reserve at the mercy of the Sovereigns who had abandoned them. Buoncompagni, Ricasoli, Ridolfi, Salvagnoli, and other members of the Tuscan Govern- ment issued an address, in which they say, "the news of events which interrupt the moat brilliant hopes causes a general and profound grief. The Government shares your sentiments. We must not, however, give way to discouragement. Tuscany will not, in spite of its will or of its rights, be replaced under either the yoke or the influence of Austria."
The Tuscan Council of State, consisting of the most eminent men in the Grand Duchy, unanimously voted on the 12th the union of Tus- cany with the new kingdom of Northern Italy, under the sovereignty of the House of Savoy.
" L That the Government ought to urge in the strongest possible manner on the Emperor of the French, and to use its influence with the other great Powers, that in settling the destiny of this part of Italy regard should be had to the free manifestation of its legitimate wishes. 2. That with a view to a legal manifestation of these wishes, at a fitting time, by an assembly of the representatives of the country, the electoral law of 1848 should be put in operation, and the formation of electoral lists ordered. 3. That an address should be presented to King Victor Emmanuel, requesting him to retain the Protectorate of Tuscany, notwithstanding the conclusion of the peace, and until the definitive organization of the country shall have taken place."
The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post, a person of semi-official confidences, says that "orders have been given to some French ships to protect French subjects and property in Tuscany, in case of need. It has never been intended to support, by the arms of France, the return of the Grand Duke of Tuscany." It is also stated by this writer and Le Nord that a body of French troops, probably 40,000 men, will remain in Italy until the reorganisation of the country, according to the tenor of the peace of Villafranca. The Opinions of Turin states that a protest is being signed in the Duchy of Modena against the separation of that country from Piedmont. The same paper states that Marquis Pepoli, of Bologna, (one of the leaders of the liberal party,) had a conference with the Emperor of the French on the 16th at an early hour.
The following address to Victor Emmanuel is circulated throughout the kingdom, and has already received numerous signatures- ." Sire—The deep sense of disappointment, the profound consternation which was produced throughout the country by the unforeseen announce- ment of a peace so different from what it had a right to expect, has been somewhat mitigated by the universal conviction that that peace was not your work, and that the name of the First Soldier of Italian Independence still remains pure, glorious, and uncontaminated. " The national question is not solved ; it has lost none of its importance ; it has entered a new phase, replete with the greatest difficulty and supreme danger. But that King and that people who have been able to hold their own in a ten years' struggle, and who have everywhere known how to conquer, where deceit and fate were powerless against valour, will also be able to surmount the obstacles which the future has in store. A stroke of the pen cannot annul the dictates of twenty-six millions of hearts.
"But if the nation is ready., if all the living strength of the country is prepared for the heaviest sacrifices, it is necessary that they should not be deprived of that wise and powerful direction which your Majesty and your Ministry have hitherto given to popular enthusiasm.
" All can understand, 0 Sire, what must be your sufferings. Italy, whose cry of anguish reached your heart, now understands the irresistible elo- quence of your silence. "May you be blessed—may all be blessed who fought by your side for the holiest of causes. If Italy weeps now, her independence and her liberty are worthy the shedding of blood as well as tears. " So long as you, Sire, shall be the champion of Italian regeneration, short will be our despondency, and, relying on herself alone, the country will feel equal to achieve a happier fate.' When Count Cavour resigned, Count Arese, an old friend and partisan of 'Napoleon, was instructed to form a Ministry. He failed. M. Rat- tazzi was next called in. He, it appears, has succeeded. - The Ministry is composed as follows :—
" Signor La Marmora is Minister of War, and also President of the Council ; General Dabormida, Minister for Foreign Affairs ; Signor Rat- tazzi, Minister of the Interior • Signor Egtana, Minister of Finance ; Mar-
quis Monticelli, Minister of Interior; Works ; and Signor Miglietti, Minister of Justice. The post of Minister for Public Instruction is still vacant." The King of Sardinia has requested the new Cabinet to follow as closely as possible the policy of Count Cavour in internal affairs. The Lombards will ere long be called upon to elect deputies for the united Parliament.
Meeting of the Emperors.—Letters from Villafranca, Valleggio, and Vienna give details of the meeting of the two Emperors on the 11th. " The meeting of the two Sovereigns was fixed for nine o'clock. At a quarter of an hour before, Napoleon DIII. arrived at the spot, and he came before the time in order that he might go on for a short distance to meet the Emperor of Austria. Francis Joseph soon made his appearance, and seeing that his late adversary had courteously come to receive him, urged forward his horse. When the two parties had come near, the escorts stopped- short, and the Emperors advanced into the centre of the unoccupied space. The escort of the Emperor Napoleon was composed of Marshal Vaillant, General Martimprey, General Fleury, the officers of the Imperial household and of his staff, and of a squadron of the Cent Gardes and one of the Guides, all in their splendid full dress uniforms. His Majesty rode the fine by horse which he has used since the commencement of the campaign. He wore the undress uniform of a general of division, with the kepi. The Em- peror of Austria also wore an undress cap, and blue uniform frock coat, and was followed by his staff, a squadron of his body guard, composed of nobles, and a squadron of hulans. On the two Sovereigns meeting in the mid- space they courteously saluted and shook hands. The Emperor of Austria appeared pleased with the cordial welcome and open manner of the Emperor Napoleon. The two Emperors remained for a moment alone in the middle of the road and exchanged a few words. They then advanced side by aide towards Villafranca, the Cent Gerdes giving the precedence to the body guard of Austria, who led the way, but the Guides passing before the huhins. At Villafranca, the house of M. Carlo Morelli, situated in the principal street of the town, had been prepared to receive the two Sovereigns. 'When the Sovereigns were about to enter the house the Guards Noble were ranged on the right m the vestibule, and the Cent Gerdes on the left. The Emperor Francis Joseph insisted on the Emperor Napoleon entering first. The Emperor invited Francis Joseph to breakfast; but the latter begged to be excused, as he had breakfasted before setting out. The two Emperors than entered the sitting-room alone. Their Majesties sat down at opposite sides of the table. The Emperor Napoleon laid on the table a few cigarettes in an envelope, and offered one to the young Sovereign, who declined it. During the conversation the Emperor Napoleon, as if mechanically, picked to pieces some of the flowers placed in a vase before him. In Austrian military circles, says one letter writer, it is stated that Louis Napoleon showed certain documents to the Emperor of Austria which removed any doubt he might have felt about the necessity for sacrificing Lombardy. The one document,' said my informant, was a Prusso-Anglo-Russian peace project, which was based on the cession of Venetia as well as Lom- bardy, and the other was a despatch, in which Prussia expressed her resolve not to draw her sword in defence of any part of the Austrian possessions in Italy.' " Prince Napoleon at Verona.—" A most amusing scene took place at the Imperial dinner on the 11th. As the Emperor sat twirling his blonde moustache a tremendous tinkling of horse-bells was heard in the court-yard, and a four-horse chaise rattled in. The officer of the day hastily left the table, and returned to inform his Majesty that Prince Napoleon had arrived. As there were at dinner near the Emperor two of his brother's two cousins, the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and Modena, you can fancy the consternation that was depicted on every face. The morsels on their way remained in suspense on the forks. The Emperor rose, and putting aside his napkin, proceeded into an adjoining room where he received the Prince. A few minutes after he returned, the dinner was hastily concluded, and the guests made a general rush down the back-stairs. The Grand Dukes sent for their swords and caps, left in the room where Prince Napoleon sat, and escaped to their several homes as quickly as they could. A shell bursting in the Imperial head-quarters could not have created so much confusion. Pion- plon ' remained several hours in Verona, and went late in the evening home to his camp and quarters."—Letter from Verona.
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