Stalq.—The news from Italy is still by no means reassuring.
Miughetti, the Home Minister, whose devotion to the regional theory of Italian government had rendered him very unpopular before the death of Count Cavour, and who only retained office under Ricasoli in order to unite all parties at that grave crisis, has resigned. It is well known that Baron Ricasoli never shared his regional theory of Italian government, and was indeed committed to the opposite view. Minor differences were, however, merged for the time, but have now caused Minghetti's resignation. Baton Ricasoli holds the portfolio of the Interior as well as that of Foreign Affairs for the time, but it is said that he declines to take the double duty for more than two months. Della Rovere is to be summoned home from Sicily to take the War Department at once. Some foolish rumours have been circulated that this modification is due to Ricasoli's unpopularity with the Emperor, and that, as soon as decency permits, he will resign Foreign Affairs to Count Arese, an imperial favourite. Of that gentleman, however, we have heard nothing, except from newspaper correspon- dents, whose appetite for political gossip at this season of the year is very active. Italy will not trust foreign affairs at such a crisis to an imperial nominee.
Father Giacomo, Count Cavour's faithful confessor, lately returned from his Papal persecution at Rome, has been appointed one of the King's private almoners or chaplains. The King resolutely sup- ports-the stout-hearted priests and monks who fall into disfavour at Rome for their objection to the secular authority of the Pope, and has just given the decoration of the Cross of the Civil Order of Merit to Luigi Tosti, a literary monk of the Order of Montecassino, who, though a thorough monk, has adhered faithfully to the principle of abolishing the secular power of the Pope.
The news from Naples is still far from encouraging. The Italian army has been reinforced by 4000 fresh troops ; the official state- ment is that this is only done to replace the worn-out men who are tired with the severity of their labours, not because brigandage is still active, as it is nearly suppressed. We do not, however, feel much confidence in this statement. The Naples correspondent of the Times reports the formation of a Clerical Reform Association called "The Liberal Clerical Association of Southern Italy," intended to assist in forming a United Italy, in supporting the priests suspended by ecclesiastical oppression, and to reform the discipline of the Church : at the dogmas it does not strike. It has affiliated societies in Florence, Pisa, Milan, Modena, and Bologna. It has its journals in Modena, Genoa, and Milan, but the northern affiliated societies are not on so liberal a basis as that of Naples. "The clergy of the south, if more corrupt, are also more liberal than those of the north." They have addressed the Pope after this fashion: " We can no longer observe silence ; to conceal the truth would be treason to our priestly mission, would complete the ruin of the Church, would gravely compromise you, Holy Father. We say it with tears—the faith is in danger ; and the only way of safety is to lighten-the Apos- tolical bark of the heavy and dangerous masses of worldly elements which threaten to sink it, and, above all others, of the temporal sovereignty, which, if not the chief, is yet a very weighty pretext for letting loose against it so fierce a tempest," &c. The Naples reports of brigandage, and military cruelty in suppressing them, are a little less gloomy than they were, and it is said that more confidence is felt in the Government. Cialdini does all • in his power to conciliate the "Actionist" (or Garibaldian) party, as it is called, and with great success. Stories are still told of the vindictive acts of some of the Italian commanders. A horde of briannds, it is said, were burnt out of a forest near Monteverde. e'Three thousand trees, were set on fire, and not one of the band escaped the fire, or the sword, or arrest. This is bloody work, but the accounts are not very authentic, and rumour is apt to exaggerate. But there is no doubt that terrible and barbarous hostilities are still going on.
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