King Victor Emmanuel's progress to Tuscany and Romagna might almost
have been written before the event, so completely has the conduct of the Tuscans and Romagnols fulfilled the ex- pectation. The public acts of the people, in all classes, including even the peasantry and the clergy, have justified the assurances conveyed by representative statesmen years before the event, and it proves how admirably d'Azeglio and his political followers have prepared the public mind of every province to unite in con- structing, for the first time in modern history, a united Italy. King Victor Emmanuel had a reception in Florence such as might have been given to Leopold the Great, if he had revisited Tuscany. The honorary ceremonies were distinguished by the presence of three banners in mourning, representing Venice, Naples, and Rome. And, notwithstanding the excommunica- tion, King Victor Emmanuel was blessed in the cathedral by the high episcopal authority of Florence.
The letters addressed by Victor Emmanuel to the Pontiff will stand as one of the most remarkable documents in history. It is blamelessly courteous and considerate towards the head of the Roman Church. It sets forward, with a frankness that is itself a political event, the grounds on which King Victor Emmanuel accepted the cooperation of all the Italian peoples in striving for the complete independence of Italy ; and the King appeals to the ,patriotism of the Pontiff himself to cooperate in restoring union to the Christian Church of the peninsula. The Pope having already replied to this letter in a tone of censure, the King re- joins, and the Pope has sent in a surrejoinder, in which the Pon- tiff avoids any open breach with the leader of the Italian people.
The non-united portion of Italy continues to exhibit precisely the same symptoms that we have reported so often. The Nea- politan Government is preparing its arms, is making arrests, and is endeavouring to spread abroad reports of success in tranquil- lizing Sicily which are manifestly false. The Sicilian insurrec- tion continues, and most likely spreads. It is said that Mazzini is in the island,—not by any means the ground most favourable to his operations ; and yet, under the existing circumstances of Italy, he may even do good in arousing national spirit against the detestable Government which perseveres in its old courses. Of Lamoriciere's movements we know nothing fresh ; and all the facts of the present week render any project of an appeal to arms more desperate than ever it has appeared.
