virtually occasioned the loss of a year to the practical agency of the Legislature. The only advantage gained from the party conflicts, by which the time of Parliament was occupied, was that the state of public opinion and the relative strength of parties were more thoroughly ascertained, and thus the ground was cleared for those important operations in the direction of financial reform, and of constitutional changes, to which the expectation of the public pointed as the work of the ensuing year. CHAPTER VII. WAR IN ITALY.-Unfriendly relations between Austria and SardiniaGrowth of Austrian influence in Italy-Treaties with Tuscany and Modena-Reception of the Austrian Minister by the French Emperor on New Year's-day-Speech of the King of Sardinia at the Opening of the Chambers-Marriage of Prince Napoleon to the Daughter of Victor Emmanuel-Circular of Count Buol to the Diplomatic Agents of Austria-Loan authorized by the Sardinian Chambers-Speech of Count Cavour-Exposition by him of Grievances against Austria-Speech of the Emperor Napoleon at the Opening of the French Chambers-Case of Sardinia against Austria as detailed by the Sardinian Government-Counter Statement of the Austrian Government—Attempts of the British Government to mediate between the Parties-Lord Cowley's Confidential Mission to Vienna-Russia proposes a CongressViews of Sardinia and Austria on this Question-Final Effort of the British Government to maintain Peace-Attitude of Prussia. T the close of last year it was A little thought that before a few months had elapsed a gigantic struggle would take place between the armies of France and Sardinia on the one side, and the army of Austria on the other; and that, as the result of one short campaign, Lombardy would be wrested from the grasp of Austria, the Duchies of Tuscany, Parma, and Modena annexed to Piedmont, and the first great era of Italian independence would begin. Europe was in a state of profound peace, and France had given no indication of wishing to disturb it. Russia, the other great Power, which has generally been looked upon with most suspicion, and as most likely to cause complications by an aggressive and ambitious policy in the East, was wholly occupied with internal reforms, and the inert mass of Austria was known to be so pressed down with debt that wantonly to engage in war would be to court financial ruin. Besides, she had already shown, by her determined neutrality in the Crimean war, that hardly anything short of direct attack would drag her into hostilities. It was from the kingdom of Sardinia that the cloud arose, which soon spread over the political horizon, and involved two mighty empires in a desperate struggle. Ever since the disastrous events of 1848-9, terminating in the battle of Novara, the relations of Piedmont and Austria had been of an unfriendly character, and the undisguised sympathy professed by the Government of Victor Emmanuel for the cause of Italian independence in the north of Italy, which meant simply the throwing off the Austrian yoke, at last led to the withdrawal of the Austrian Minister from Turin. There can be little doubt that the reason why Sardinia took part in the war against Russia in the Crimea a quarrel in which she had no direct conceivable interest-was to conciliate the friendship and engage the alliance of the Western Powers, upon whose protection she might rely in case of a second collision with Austria; and it was to France that Victor Emmanuel chiefly looked for military support-nor did he look in vain. But there were great difficulties in the way of finding a pretext for a war, which the public opinion of Europe would justify-and happily, at the present day, the most ambitious States so far do homage to public opinion, that they endeavour to enlist it on their side before they venture to draw the sword. Lombardy was secured to Austria by treaty, and she held it by as good a title as that by which Sardinia herself possessed the territory of Genoa.* Nor could France dare to assist Victor Emmanuel in an unprovoked attempt to wrest it from her, unless she were prepared to fling the Treaties of 1815 to the winds, and proclaim a war of aggression, which would have arrayed all the other great Powers of Europe in arms against her. But Austria had not confined herself in Italy to the legitimate exercise of the rights confirmed to her by the The second article of the treaty signed at Vienna between Great Britain and Sardinia, on the 20th of May, in 1815, provides that-"The States which composed the former Republic of Genoa are united for ever to the States of His Majesty the King of Sardinia, in order to be, as those are, possessed by him in full property, sovereignty, and inheritance, from male to male, in the order of primo geniture, in the two branches of his house to wit, the Royal branch, and the branch of Savoy Carignan." Congress at Vienna. Her influence extended to and overshadowed the Duchies of Tuscany, Modena, and Parma. Her troops occupied the Legations, and even at Naples her authority was predominant. It was this which kept down and crushed the spirit of Italian independence, which would otherwise have soon overpowered the feeble Governments of Italy; and it was owing to the determination of the French Emperor to relieve the Peninsula from the incubus that thus oppressed it-not, we may well believe, in a spirit of Quixotic chivalry, but with a view to solid advantages for France-that the war, of which we are about to relate the history, arose. We cannot undertake to justify it, on the part of either France or Sardinia, butwe will not affect to be grieved at the result. Our sympathies are with the Italian cause, and we cannot regret that despotism has been exchanged for constitutional liberty-that free institutions have taken the place of Austrian bayonets, and that Lombardy is no longer a garrison held by an alien and hated race. We will first give a rapid sketch of the growth of Austrian influence in Italy independently of her acquisitions of Lombardy and Venetia. In 1815 a treaty, called a "defensive alliance" was concluded between the Emperor of Austria and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, which was declared to have for its object the defence of their respective States, and the maintenance of the internal and external tranquillity of Italy. The following were the principal Arti cles: "Art. 2. The Emperor of Aus tria and the Grand Duke of Tuscany reciprocally guarantee to each other all the States which they possess in Italy, conformably to the stipulations of the general Treaty of Vienna. "Art. 3, On every occasion when the Italian Peninsula shall be threatened with war, the two contracting Powers, after concerting previously together, shall exert their good offices to prevent that war. Should, however, their efforts be of no avail, they now declare, once for all, that they will consider any attack, or any threatening aggression on their respective possessions in Italy as also directed personally against such of the two as might not be attacked. "Art. 4. The Emperor engages to furnish 80,000 men of all arms; the Grand Duke at least 6000 men. "Art. 7. The Emperor of Austria and the Grand Duke of Tuscany engage and promise, in case they should find themselves in a war for the defence of Italy, not to make or listen to any proposition for a truce or peace, and not to negotiate or conclude with the enemy or enemies they may have, without having first come to a mutual agreement on the subject, and having reciprocally communicated to each other everything which may have come to their knowledge of any interest whatever for the safety of Italy and the tranquillity of their respective possessions." A treaty of May 20, 1815, between Austria and Sardinia, confirmed to the latter kingdom the right of reversion to the duchy of Placentia, stipulated for by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, and by the Treaty of Paris of 1768. The Treaty of Vienna (1815) arranged that the duchies of Modena, Reggio, and Mirandola should be possessed by the Archduke of Este and his successors; and the duchy of Massa by the Archduchess of Este, who was also to hold the principality of Carrara and the Imperial fief of Lunigiana. To the ex-Empress of France, the Archduchess Maria Louisa, second consort of Napoleon the Great, were assigned the duchies of Parma, Placentia, and Guastella. Tuscany was secured to the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria. The rights of succession and reversion established in the branches of the Archdukes of Austria relative to the duchies of Modena, Reggio, and Mirandola, as also of the principalities of Massa and Carrara were preserved. The reversion of the duchy of Parma and Placentia was to be determined by common accord between the Courts of Austria, Russia, France, Spain, Prussia, and England, always having regard to the rights of reversion possessed by the House of Austria and the King of Sardinia to the said countries. The principality of Lucca, created into a duchy, was to be possessed in entire sovereignty by Her Majesty the Infanta Maria Louisa and her descendants in the direct male line, an income of 500,000f. being added by the Emperor of Austria and his Imperial Highness under certain contingencies. The duchy of Lucca was to revert to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, if it became vacant by the death of Her Majesty the Infanta Maria Louisa, or of her son Don Carlos, or supposing the Infanta to obtain another establishment." The Marches, with Camerino, &c., were restored 66 In 1847 a Treaty was made between the Emperor of Austria and the Duke of Modena, which was called a "special convention," and the principal Articles were the following: "Art. 1. Whenever the Italian States of the Emperor of Austria or the territory of the Duke of Modena are threatened with attack from without, the two contracting parties are mutually bound to give every support in their power as soon as one of the two parties shall ask for it. "Art. 2. As hereby the States of the Duke of Modena enter into the line of defence of the Italian provinces of the Emperor of Austria, the Duke of Modena grants the right to the Emperor of Austria to march Austrian troops into the Modenese territory and to garrison the fortified places therein whenever the interests of the common defence or military prudence should render it necessary. "Art. 3. Should events take place in the States of the Duke of Modena which might lead to the apprehension that quiet and order would be disturbed, or should tumultuous movements take place of a nature likely to assume an insurrectional character, the suppression of which would exceed the means at the disposal of the Government, the Emperor of Austria, as soon as applied to, is bound to give immediately all the military support necessary to maintain or restore order. "Art. 4. The Duke of Modena pledges himself not to conclude a military convention of any description whatsoever without the consent of the Emperor of Austria." We proceed now with the events of the present year. When the French Emperor received the foreign ambassadors at the Tuileries, on the 1st of January, he addressed M. Hubner, the Austrian Minister, in the following terms:- "I regret that our relations with your Government are not so good as they have been hitherto; but I beg you to assure the Emperor that my personal feelings towards him are not changed." This language from the despotic ruler of France to the representative at his court of a power in amity with France naturally excited. much comment at the time, and people were forcibly reminded of the abrupt and rude remarks addressed by the first Napoleon to Lord Whitworth, the English Minister at Paris in 1803, which immediately preceded the rupture of the Peace of Amiens, and were the ominous mutterings of the storm which burst over Europe and convulsed it for twelve years. With the view of allaying the apprehension thus occasioned the Moniteur, the official organ of the French Government, announced that for some days past public opinion had been agitated by alarming rumours, which it was the duty of the Government to put an end to by declaring that there was nothing in the diplomatic relations of France which warranted the fears which the rumours tended to create. But the result |