Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

168
Ronald E. Coons
A Swiss frane is estimateci at about 40 kreutzera or nearly to a frane and a half of French currency.3*)
In Milan the politicai disturbances have increased since I last addressed
yen, and a few days sinee an occurrence took place in that city, of quite a
serious nature. The Milanese in their opposition to the Austrian govemment
and with a view to diminish the revenues of the Imperiai treasury, determined
on abstaining from ali use of tobacco. At first a circular was distributed, in which
the peonie were reminded that the Americans as a prelude to the war of
independance, had refused to make use of tea, sold them by the English, and
in accordance with that example. ali good citizens were enjoined to discard
tobacco. After this, not content with simply abstaining from tobacco themselves,
the populace attempted to suppress its use by treating ali persons found smoking,
with indignity and violence. An Austrian soldier, meeting with such treatment,
in having a segar rudely snatched from his lips, whilst quietly promenading the
streets immediately returned and reported at the military quarters the cir-
cumstanoe which had occurred. The soldiers incensed forthwith started out in
squads (some alledge that they were sent out by the commander of the garrison),
and paraded the streets with segars in their mouths, with the view doubtless of
courting a repetition of the insult. One of these squads had not proceeded far
when they encountered the mob and met with the treatment which they had
expected, whereupon drawing their side-arms, which alone fortunately they had
been permitted to wear, and charging the crowds, they killed eight persons
and wounded about fifty. Nothing serious bas since taken place. Several procla-
mations have been issued, both by the Emperor and the Viceroy, but these
have been ineffectual in restoring the public tranquUlity; the city remains stili
in an exceedingly unquiet state, and some out-break is momentarily expected.
The whole of this opposition to the government, it is well known, proceeds
from the Italian nobles, and is the result of the other movements throughout
Italy, but they are prudent enough not to make any public demonstrations, and
only act by inciting the populace to deeds of violence and aggression. There
appears to be little or no system in their movements, and they will not be
likely to effect any thing against the immense Austrian force now quartered
among them, unless it be in conjunction with some general rising through out
ali Italy. The Imperiai government bas now a force of upwards of one hundred
thousand men,35) in ber Italian province* quite sufficient to sub due the whole
peninsula, provided they are mot supported by some foreign aid. In the event
of a difficulty, Austria, it is thought, anticipates the anterference of no other
34) I cantoni sconfitti del Sonderbund erano obbligati a pagare alla Dieta la somma di 6,100,000 franchi svizzeri (1 franco svizzero = 1.46 franchi francesi) a rate, il che av­venne fino al 1852; in quest'anno, la Dieta annullò l'obbligo di pagare i rimanenti 2,217,440.79 franchi. Vedi E. BUCHEH, op. cit., pp. 435-436.
35) Nel dicembre 1847, il Hofkriegsrat di Vienna, nel corso della sua ricerca di fondi necessari per mandare 22,866 soldati all'esercito dell'Italia settentrionale, spiegava alla Hofkammer che Radetzky aveva attualmente 55,000 uomini sotto il suo comando. (Hardegg a Kiibcck, in data 6 decembre 1847, FA.W., Geheimprotokollaakten, 3110 ex 1847). Per­ciò le cifre di Stfles appaiono alquanto esagerate. È tuttavia possibile che queste cifre fos­sero quelle che lo stesso Meitcrnich aveva fornito ai diplomatici stranieri; vedi HERMANN RKUCHUN, Geschichte Iiuliens von der Grundung der regierenden Dynastien bis zur Gè-genwart, Leipizg, 1859-1873, voi. Il, p. 78.