Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

102
Derek Beale
The Country has emphaticalfy approvati the principia onnouneedbyyou, and by Sir G. Lewis at the Cu Uditali, thal vie ioere opposed lo forcing a Government upon Central Italy. I believe that ifwe lake the mettiture* most likely lo give effect to that principio of action, we sitali have its support. Yet l would add that even ifthis be uncertain, yet if yourproposai beonefavourable topeace and to liberty, we ought cheerfully to stake in so noble and great a cause the exietence of an Administradon. For we have at this moment a power in our hands to pledge the country, whieh will bind ìt to good, or keep il from evil, whether vie are or are noi the instruments throtigli which the Government is to be administered.
Neither do I think there is any force in the argument that when once commi tted we cannai recede For what tue have in view is a mai ter of tight and order. Bui our obligations in that respect are certainly limited by our means. We objected when France, in the last spring, look inlo her own hands the vindication by force of a cause which in the main we believed to be just. Ifwe engagé in this mal ter with Franco, it will be because we think that united with France ice are strong enough to cause justice to be dono. Our engage­ment to ad in union with her will be favourable to this conviction. But to under talee singly the cause for which the two would noi be more than suffi­cienti would be alike beyond the lettor and the spirit of the engagement. We should be no more bound to ìt, than we should have been bound to invade the Crimea, if France had announced to us in July 1854 that she should noi set her foot on Russian territory.
But lastly it is said the proper tinte for adopting your proposai would be when the Congress shall have met.
Il is always agreeable to post pone a criticai and highly responsible decision.
But the question surely is al what lime we can oppose ourselves with the greatest prospect of success, and with lite best hope of preventing a breach of the peace of Europe to the disposition which we know exists to reestablish the expelled governmenls by force
We know, for it is net mere surmise that Austria desires this course to be pursued, we know that she has lolerable grounds for hoping that she may find a majority of votes in the Congress disposed to it. It ivas most justly asked today by Sir George Lewis what change has taken place within the last month, which should induce us to take so great a step in advance as the declaration that we are ready to join France in resisting by force the imposition of a Government upon Central Italy from without ?
I think the change, or the manifestution is threefold Austria has shown what indeed could hardly be doubted, that she meant to feel her way, and to proceed asfar as she could in this direction. Russia and Prussia have shown by tlteir answers to our overtures that they will givo us no righi to count on their co-operation in a direction adverae to that which their traditions dictates [sic]. Above ali the Pope has been brought into the field: and we have been taught that tee have among ourselves a mìnorìty not inconsiderable who are ready, if they find the occasion to maintain his temperai sovereignty, and imprese it upon his subjects for the supposed interests of their religùm, even in derogatton of tkeir allegiance to the Croton of England. Little as I am duposed to strong handed measures, I think that tlie spini lately exhibUed among the Roman CathoUcs of this country is one which tee must resolutely confront, and which the nailon will support us in confrontine.