THE EMILIAN PROVINCES UNDER VICTOR EMANUEL.
[FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
Ravenna, September, 1864. IF two years have been enough to produce in active Turin changes that met the eye at once, what am I to say of the complete transformation which I see on revisiting the venerable seclusion of Ravenna for the first time since more than ten years? It is indeed a city quite unique in its kind. Everything about and around it is stamped with an impress of its own—an impress of singularity and historical antiquity—an impress of strong contrast both in the aspect of those wide solitary streets of monumental structures and in the type of the human beings who dwell in them with the aspect and type of other cities and other populations. Truly Ravenna is a great monumental sanctuary for that wide lapse of Italian time which has thefigure of Honorius and of Dante standing at either end. It is and has always been a city of proud and reserved seclusion, lying beneath the shade of its hoary pine forest the very type of some unbending champion of an antiquated faith, who prefers to live in sombre solitude rather than accommodate himself to hateful innovation. This character of haughty isolation is extended visibly to all the relations of social life in this province. Nowhere was the antagonism between the Papal rule and the population more painfully visible and irremediably chafing. The children of the Romagna and especially of the Ravenna district are magnificent specimens of thoroughbred nature, full of vigour and daring, and rich in sense ; but they are also fiery and passionate, and even desperate in their hatreds. The exasperation against the Government and against the priests acquired here a quite peculiar acerbity. It was Ravenna which might be called the high seat of Carbonarism. All the signori (and Ravenna pewees a proud
activity of trade, and to the general increase of prosperity, movement which is going on, and to such general affluence among
Still here, as in all human conditions, there are also some the population that in Forli alone, with its 17,000 inha- shadows to be found in the picture which a faithful narrator must bitants, five new primary schools have had to be added to the not omit to notice. The energetic temperament characteristic of seven already at work. Factious discontent is always powerless the Romagnole nature belongs as much to those who in that part in the long run against a Government that does its duty, and are the few adherents to the old Government as to those who are evidence of this axiom is plentifully forthcoming in Italy. One Liberals of various shades of opinion. In Romagna therefore it of the worst populations was that of Ancona. Here at one time is to be observed that all political parties, as a rule, assume the dagger was the ruling instrument, and nothing was more dis- naturally an extreme and violently active complexion. Come- creditable at the time to the Roman Republic than the atrocious quently such devotees to the priestly rule as exist are distin- state of this city. Yet to-day it is admitted even by those who guished by a revolutionary temper and bold fanatical spirit otherwise paint the state of the Romagna in colours of a deep red hue which are in contrast with the merely clandestine plotting that that Ancona is not any longer a Mazzinian stronghold. To what is their fellow-partizans in other parts generally venture on The this change due but to a sense on the part of the mercantile city numbers of these priest-ridden retrogrades are, however, far too of the enormous benefits and increase of prosperity which it is small to make them really dangerous for the new order of things, acquiring,—exactly the same sense which has operated so efficiently in spite of their activity and organization. They never can go upon the once turbulently factious population of Genoa ? I leave into the street and attempt to effect a change by a direct the Romagna with the conviction that here there is nothing to
appeal to any portion of the population, unless they should perhaps avail themselves of some division amongst the Liberals
to concert one of those undarlutad movements which are the A LooKEE-ON. roll of such, men of ancient name and large landed property) passed favourite tactics of faction. Now there is undoubtedly in the their lives in conspiring through secret societies for the overthrow Romagna a considerable number of that party of action which goes of the Pope's dominion, and the state of chronic warfare in standing by the name of Red, and is commonly identified with the subver- lodges was diversified only by the assassination from time to time sive aspirations represented by Mazzini. But this party of action,
of some particularly detested emissary of Government. with which the ecclesiastical retrogrades are coalescing whenever
Long habits of conspiracy especially through means of secret there is a question of making a demonstration against the existing societies, combined with naturally passionate temperaments which Ministry or voting for an election, is really constituted of men have been notoriously prone to indulge in lawless habits of taking who are only surface Radicals, being affected with a certain im- revenge by the knife, are not the best materials for making quiet patience of temperament that springs from the antecedent circum- citizens of a constitutional State. I came here with some misgivings stances of their political life, rather than with anything that about the correctness of the favourable account I had heard of the amounts to Republican convictions. A generation that has been state of the province. I am bound to confers that after staying reared in habits of perpetual conspira,cy and perpetual aspirations here a few days awl seeing a variety of persons qnslified to impart after a revolution which will not be completed as long as the information, the situation bears out fully all I had heard at a priests rule in Rome and the Austrians in Venetia, and that, more- distance. I was peculiarly lucky in happening to come to over, has been taught by success to believe in the efficacy of quick Ravenna just at the session of the provincial council, so that I have changes by the sword, cannot but retain to the end the features had an opportunity of conversing with a number of country gentle- so impressed upon them. The men of the Romagna flocked to fill men from various parts of the .province. Now the first great up the ranks of the volunteers who fought for Italian independence. feature which strikes me as indicative of the moral change which In Ravenna alone there are five hundred men who served under has come over the people here, is the manifest good-will which Garibaldi. That these men should retain strong sympathies for exists between it and the military and police-agents of the Govern- their chief, that they should be disposed to fret at the check which mint. Formerly when would a Pontifical delegate in Ravenna appears to have been put upon the consummation of the wishes in have ventured at night to walk about its streets without an escort ? every Italian patriot's breast, and that they should be disposed to At present I can vouch for the fact that no precaution of any kind give vent to their impatience by inveighing against the want of is ever thought of by the prefect, and that all trace has been effaced spirit in those who hold Cavour'a place, and by criticizing, often of that inveterate division in society between official and general unjustly, their measures, is a very intelligible and in my opinion circles. Equally striking is the popularity of the King's soldiers a not very menacing fact. What would be dangerous would when one remembers how the Papal troopers were execrated in be the existence of a spirit in the Romagna of a decidedly Repub- these parts. It is freely asserted by the enemies of United Italy lican and Mazzinian nature, working with perfect consciousness of that the conscription is particularly obnoxious to the population its purpose, and rendered formidable through its meeting with popu- of Central Italy, and that the number of recalcitrants is very lar sympathies. I believe that there is a knot of individuals who great. There is decidedly no foundation for this assertion in are to be put in this category. Especially at Faenza, at Forli, and reference to the Romagna at present. It is true that in the first at Imola, there is an organized party which is penetrated with the year of the conscription there were many who absconded on their pure essence of Mazzinian doctrines, revels in the midnight tactics of names having been drawn. But now the conscription meets Carbonarism, and occasionally employs the detestable weapon of the with so little ill-will that for the whole province there are at assassin's knife. This faction is, however, of a purely local strength, present only forty-two recalcitranta. The Romagnoles are soldiers at and the fact of its being so is proved by the defeat at the recent elec- heart, and as soon as that first indisposition against the regular tion for the Ravenna district of the opposition candidate, although army was removed which was connected with the traditional darts- personally a popular man even with his political enemies. To my tatiou of the soldier's condition in the Pope's service, they took mind it is a matter for wonder that these districts should be so willingly to the King's uniform. I have, taken much pains to get free from any really noxious element. The opposition party that information on this head, and everything I have gathered on the exists is one which grumbles, for instance, loudly at the new excise spot bears out the assertion I had heard before coming here, that in dues—which reads with approbation the diatribes of the Diritio, and the Romagna the army is popular. There is a feeling of cordiality expends its wrath in pungent abuse of M. Minghetti ; but an between people and soldiery, as between the gentry and the Go- opposition party in numbers which entertains any sentiment vernment officials, which must appear a strange moral phenomenon destructive of the monarchical union of Italy I have been unable to any one who had any acquaintance with the Ravenna of past to discover, as I have been unable to find a single person acquainted days. At the same time the national improvements which meet with these parts to testify his belief in its existence. But even if the eye are enormous. Ravenna the remote and the forlorn is I should have fallen into the error of underrating the extent of now the terminus of a railway, while for commercial purposes a confirmed Mazzinianism, I am convinced that it can never hold steamer puts it in connection with Trieste. I have an indelible out against the process of conversion which the Government is recollection of the service of danger it was formerly to pick one's employing by its active introduction of useful works, particularly way at night through the ill-famed darkness of the city's unsafe of schools. At Forli I spoke with the most desponding politician streets, how no signore ventured on such an enterprise without a I have met about here. There was no doubt as to his inward retinue of servants bearing lanterns; but now on my return I find sympathies with the priests, and all his views were unmistakably all adventure on this score effectually put an end to by the intro- tinged with this bias. According to him, one might expect the auction of modern gas into these venerable streets. During my Republican party to make a general rising any day, while the stay of several days here I have had occasion to be thrown together whole Romagna must be one bear-garden of intense political with individuals of all classes, and I can say that without one passions. Yet on going into details this man, who is quite honest, exception they have borne cheerful testimony to the material and although somewhat priest-ridden without any disposition to improvement of Ravenna and its neighbourhood, to the greater personal fanaticism, testifies freely to the immense educational
jeopardize at a critical moment the unity of Italy.
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