PREFACE. THE Grand Review was over. The Armed Freemen, who had been paraded, in their thousands, before the Queen of the Isles, had dispersed, and had sought the homes they had shown themselves worthy to guard. The great day, the memorable Saturday, Twenty-third of June, MDCCCLX, was done. The Sovereign, who had surely felt that day that one Throne stood upon foundations of adamant, had retired to her rest. And the QUEEN dreamed a dream. "I know it, PHIPPS," replied MR. PUNCH to SIR CHARLES, as that courteous Courtier announced the fact in MR. PUNCH's breakfast chamber the following morning. "Astounding man!" said SIR CHARLES PHIPPS. "I breakfasted, and am dressed thus early, PHIPPS, knowing that my QUEEN'S ONIROCRITICUS and CONJECTOR would be wanted." "Preternatural man!" said SIR CHARLES PHIPPS. 66 Accompany me to the Palace." "Attend me to the Palace, PHIPPS," said MR. PUNCH, but with a pleasant smile, that spoke forgiveness of the Courtier's lapse. But SIR CHARLES could not forgive himself, and the journey was performed in solemn silence. The State Coach with the Cream Steeds stopped, and in three minutes MR. PUNCH had made The Unapproachable Bow, which he performs in one Presence only. "I have had a Dream, dear MR. PUNCH," said the Royal Lips, with that smile upon them which is reserved for the Chief Counsellor and Favourite of the Lady of Kingdoms. 66 "To save Your Majesty the faintest care and slightest trouble is the object and glory of my life," said MR. PUNCH. Might I venture to recal that Dream ?" "I think you know everything," replied the Majesty of England. "I believe that I do, Madam," responded MR. PUNCH, modestly. "And I know what has come to my Sovereign through the Gate of Ebony." "Ah! it is a true Dream, then ?" asked the QUEEN. "Your Majesty's self shall judge," replied the ONIROCRITICUS and CONJECTOR. my Monarch; but, unless contradicted, I will believe that Her Dream was in this wise." "Tell me," said his Royal Mistress. "It is not for me to question "A Daughter of the House of Brunswick stood on a Mountain, and could see not only the English Isles of her inheritance, and her strongholds in the Southern Lake, which is not a French Lake, yet, if it please Your MajestyThe Royal Eye sparkled. "But all her distant dominions. She saw a broad, happy, loyal American colony, which was preparing all honour and welcome for her Eldest Son. She saw the gigantic Asian Peninsula, recently subdued by her armies, and now her Own in name as well as in fact, and a veteran hero was leaving its shore to receive the laurel at home." 66 Yes, I did see LORD CLYDE," said the Royal Auditor. "She saw her vast possessions in the Austral world, with their rapidly growing peoples, resolved, energetic, prosperous, and, while bent on making their new world what a freeman's home should be, retaining a deep love for the home whence they came." "The Prince of Wales must visit Australia next," said his Royal Mother. "And, Madam, She saw the rest of her Fifty Colonies, and her flag waving over each, and the Englishman everywhere performing his mission of civilisation, order, and law. And then She saw, sailing statelily on every sea, her majestic Fleets. And She beheld, parading haughtily on the plains around her, and in many a far-away land, her gallant Soldiery. And closer yet, and at her very feet, She saw the Household Guard of England-the Guard that stood before her yesterday, and gave her the proud and stern assurance that the manhood of Britain is ready to close with any foe whom the Devil may stir up to do his work." "That-yes-that was the Dream," said the Lady of the Land. "But there was one Thought more," said MR. PUNCH, in a lower voice, and with an inexpressibly arch, yet profoundly respectful smile stealing over his intellectual features. "Was there?" asked his Sovereign, with a frank look of inquiry. "Well, now you mention it-yes." "Dare I complete my story?" said MR. PUNCH. "It was not precisely that something was wanting to the perfect satisfaction and happiness of my QUEEN-let me rather say that She had a hovering impression that it was possible for some additional gem and glory to be added to the period-that some Koh-i-Noor, or other Mountain of Light might be laid at her feet." "I will not deny it," said HER MAJESTY, smiling; "but I cannot recollect what form the new pleasure was to take." Deign, Gracious Mistress, to look upon this Mirror," said the Magician. And, stepping to its side, and waving gracefully his bâton, after the manner of CORNELIUS AGRIPPA before his famous Glass of the Future, "Mormorò potentissime parole. Girò tre volte all' Oriente il volto, "Onde tanto indugiar? Forse attendete But the words had power enough. MEDEA could not have chanted more awfully to the palpitating stars. The curtains glided aside, and the Mystery was revealed, the Dream solved, the new Gem and Glory of the Period disclosed. In another moment, bending at his Gracious Sovereign's knee, MR. PUNCH presented his PAGE ON POLITICAL SUMMARY. the 24th of January HER MAJESTY opened Parliament in person, and the following paragraphs from the QUEEN'S speech adequately (Mirabile dictu!) express the political aspect of affairs :— "At the close of the last Session I informed you that overtures had been made to me to ascertain whether, if a Conference should be held by the Great Powers of Europe, for the purpose of settling arrangements connected with the present state and future condition of Italy, a Plenipotentiary would be sent by me to assist at such a Conference. I have since received a formal invitation from the EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA and from the EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH to send a Plenipotentiary to a Congress to consist of the representatives of the eight Powers who were parties to the Treaties of Vienna of 1815, the objects of such Congress being stated to be to receive communication of the treaties concluded at Zurich; and to deliberate, associating with the above-mentioned Powers the Courts of Rome, of Sardinia, and of the Two Sicilies, on the means best adapted for the pacification of Italy, and for placing its prosperity on a solid and durable basis. "Desirous at all times to concur in proceedings having for their object the maintenance of peace, I accepted the invitation, but at the same time I made known that, in such a Congress, I should steadfastly maintain the principle, that no external force should be employed to impose upon the people of Italy any particular Government or constitution. "Circumstances have arisen which have led to a postponement of the Congress, without any day having been fixed for its meeting; but whether in Congress or by separate negotiation, I shall endeavour to obtain for the people of Italy freedom from foreign interference by force of arms in their internal concerns; and I trust that the affairs of the Italian peninsula may be peacefully and satisfactorily settled. "I am in communication with the EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH with a view to extend the commercial intercourse between the two countries, and thus to draw still closer the bonds of friendly alliance between them. "A dispute having arisen between Spain and Morocco, I endeavoured, by friendly means, to prevent a rupture; but, I regret to say, without success. "My Plenipotentiary and the Plenipotentiary of the Emperor of the French having, in obedience to their instructions, proceeded to the mouth of the Peiho river, in order to repair to Pekin to exchange in that city the ratifications of the treaty of Tien-tsin, in pursuance of the LVIth Article of that treaty, their further progress was opposed by force, and a conflict took place between the Chinese forts at the mouth of the river and the naval forces by which the Plenipotentiaries were escorted. "The allied forces displayed on this occasion their usual bravery, but, after sustaining a severe loss, were compelled to retire. "I am preparing, in concert and co-operation with the EMPEROR of the FRENCH, an expedition, intended to obtain redress and a fulfilment of the stipulations of the Treaty of Tien-tsin. "An unauthorised proceeding by an officer of the United States, in regard to the Island of San Juan, between Vancouver's Island and the mainland, might have led to a serious collision between my forces and those of the United States. Such collision, however, has been prevented by the judicious forbearance of my naval and civil officers on the spot, and by the equitable and conciliatory provisional arrangement proposed on this matter by the Government of the United States. "I trust that the question of boundary out of which this affair has arisen may be amicably settled in a manner conformable with the just rights of the two countries, as defined by the first article of the Treaty of 1846. "The last embers of disturbance in my East Indian dominions have been extinguished; my Viceroy has made a peaceful progress through the districts which had been the principal scene of disorder, and, by a judicious combination of firmness and generosity, my authority has been everywhere solidly, and, I trust, perinanently established. I have received from my Viceroy the most gratifying accounts of the loyalty of my Indian subjects, and of the good feeling evinced by the native chiefs and the great laudowners of the country. The attention of the Government in India has been directed to the development of the internal resources of the country; and I am glad to inform you that an improvement has taken place in its financial prospects. "I have concluded a treaty with the Tycoon of Japan, and a treaty regarding boundaries with the republic of Guatemala. I have directed that these treaties shall be laid before you. "I have directed the estimates for the ensuing year to be laid before you, They have been prepared with a view to place the military and naval services, and the defences of the country, upon an efficient footing. "I am glad to be able to inform you that the public revenue is in a satis factory condition. "I have accepted, with gratification and pride, the extensive offers of Voluntary service which I have received from my subjects. This manifestation of public spirit has added an important element to our system of national defence. "Measures will be laid before you for amending the laws which regulate the representation of the people in Parliament, and for placing that representation upon a broader and firmer basis. "I am deeply gratified to observe that the great interests of the country are generally in a sound and thriving condition; that pauperism and crime have diminished; and that, throughout the whole of my empire, both in the United Kingdom and in my colonies and possessions beyond goa, there reigns a spirit of loyalty, of contentment, of order, and of obe tience to the law." PAGE PAGE The whole Speech will be found admirably paraphrased in contrary, these provinces again manifest in a clear manner a wish to be the Essence of Parliament, which, as usual, contains all the events of the Session really worthy of being recorded. As the progress of the Constitutional cause in Italy was regarded with the warmest sympathy by all classes in England, much of the present volume has reference to that interesting struggle, and a brief summary of events will explain many of the illustrations, and the articles associated with them in the present and succeeding volumes. We shall quote somewhat freely from the Annual Register of 1860. By the Treaty of Villafranca, which was signed at Zurich on the 11th of November, 1859, it was agreed between France and Austria that an endeavour should be made to assemble a Congress of the European Powers, to take into consideration the question of the pacification of Italy. The Congress, however, never met; for it was found impossible to arrange a common basis of action on account of the discordance of the views entertained with respect to the question of the Duchies of Parma and Modena and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. France was pledged to Austria to do all in her power to effect the restoration of the Dukes and Grand Duke; but England was opposed to any interference, and wished the inhabitants of those kingdoms to settle their own respective Governments free from the compulsion of external pressure. The consequence was, that a great deal of diplomatic correspondence took place during the latter part of last year without leading to any result. We have, in our preceding volume, quoted the remarkable letter of the French EMPEROR to the POPE, dated the 31st December, 1859, in which he called upon the Holy Father to renounce the Legations, which for the last fifty years had caused so much embarrassment to his Government, and in exchange to demand from the Powers that they should guarantee him possession of the remainder of bis dominions. This added a new element of difficulty, for the POPE was inexorable in his refusal to abandon any part of the dominions of the Church; and they were ultimately torn from him by what, on another occasion, the EMPEROR called "the inexorable logic of facts," or, in other words, the irresistible force of war. The conduct of the people of Italy was well expressed in a despatch written by LORD JOHN RUSSELL to LORD A. LOFTUS, our Minister at Vienna. "In 1848 the people of Europe, misled by wild enthusiasts, attempted to found stable governments on republican theories; but at the present time the people of Italy, in harmony with public opinion throughout Europe, seek for order as well as liberty beneath the dome of monarchy, supported by national consent and equal laws." The people indulged in no visionary dream of a republic, neither were they led into the commission of any excesses, with one melancholy exception-the murder of COUNT ANVITI, at Parma. The Congress did not assemble, and various plans were submitted by England and France, but the POPE's temporalities were ever in the way of an adjustment. At length COUNT CAVOUR addressed a note (in reply to various propositions) to CHEVALIER NIGRA, the Sardinian Minister in Paris, in which he said, "Whatever may be the reply returned by the States of Central Italy, the KING'S Government at once declares that it will accept it unconditionally. If Tuscany declares for the preservation of her self-government by means of the formation of a State distinct from Sardinia, not only will it not oppose the realisation of this wish, but it will frankly aid in overcoming the obstacles which such a solution might encounter, and obviating the inconvenience which may follow from it. It will act in like manner with respect to the Romagna and to the Duchies of Parma and Modena. But if, on the united to Piedmont, we cannot any longer oppose it. Indeed, did we wish to do so, we could not. In the present state of public opinion, a Ministry who should refuse a second demand for annexation, sanctioned by a second popular vote on the part of Tuscany, would not only no longer find support in Parliament, but would soon be overthrown by an unanimous vote of censure." The Provisional Governments of Tuscany and Emilia (which comprises the Duchies of Parma and Modena and the Legations) issued decrees at the end of February, announcing that the people would be called upon, on the 11th and 12th of March, to vote by ballot and universal suffrage on the question of annexation to Sardinia or a separate kingdom. The vote was then taken, and decided by an immense majority in favour of annexation. The result of this appeal to universal suffrage, on the part of Emilia, was presented by SIGNOR FARINI, the Provisional Governor, to VICTOR-EMMANUEL at Turin, on the 18th of March, and on the part of Tuscany, by BARON RICASOLI (Who had succeeded CHEVALIER BUONCAMPAGNI as Provisional Governor) on the 22nd. On receiving the homage of Æmilia the KING said:: "In uniting to my ancient provinces not only the States of Modena and Parma, but also the Romagna, which has already separated itself from the Papal Government, I do not intend to fail in my deep devotion to the Chief of the Church. I am ready to defend the independence necessary to the supreme minister of religion, the POPE, to contribute to the splendour of his Court, and to pay homage to his Sovereignty." A bill was afterwards brought into the Sardinian Chambers to authorise the annexation, and passed into a law. Another actor was now to appear on the scene of Italian politics. FRANCIS THE SECOND had succeeded his father, FERDINAND THE SECOND, on the throne of the Two Sicilies; and he followed his father's footsteps in doing all in his power to alienate the hearts of his people and crush every aspiration of liberty. At the beginning of April an insurrection broke out in Sicily at Palermo, where the Royal troops were attacked, and the city was placed in a state of siege. The revolt spread rapidly over the island, and Messina, Catania, and Agrigentum declared against the Government. Guerilla bands traversed the interior, and the movements of the insurgents were directed by a secret revolutionary committee, the names and locality of which were unknown to the Royalists. But in the meantime GARIBALDI was collecting volunteers to take part in the insurrection. He all but openly organised an expedition to Sicily in the dominions of Sardinia, and at length, on the night of the 5th of May, sailed from Genoa with a body of about 2000 men. On their voyage GARIBALDI issued the following proclamation :—— "Italians!-The Sicilians are fighting against the enemies of Italy and for Italy. To help them with money, arms, and especially men, is the duty of every Italian, "Let the Marches, Umbria, Sabine, the Roman Campagna, and the Neapolitan territory rise, so as to divide the enemy's forces. "If the cities do not offer a sufficient basis for insurrection, let the more resolute throw themselves into the open country. "A brave man can always find a weapon. In the name of Heaven, hearken not to the voice of those who cram themselves at well-served tables. "Let us arm. Let us fight for our brothers; to-morrow we can fight for ourselves. "A handful of brave men, who have followed me in battles for our country, are advancing with me to the rescue. Italy knows them; they always appear at the hour of danger. Brave and generous companions, they have devoted their lives to their country; they will shed their last drop of blood for it, seeking no other reward than that of a pure conscience. "Italy and VICTOR-EMMANUEL!'-that was our battle-cry when we crossed the Ticino; it will resound into the very depths of Etna. "As this prophetic battle-cry re-echoes from the hills of Italy to the Tarpeian Mount, the tottering throne of tyranny will fall to pieces, and the whole country will rise like one man.' PAGE |