military importance, and she may justly state that she fulfilled her engagements with the most perfect loyalty. Austria, on the contrary, disregarding her promises, evinced, in not accomplishing the clauses of that convention, as much obstinacy and bad faith as the Government of his Majesty exhibited sincerity in fulfilling its own engagements. In that state of things, and in the prevision of the complication that may arise, the Government of his Majesty the King of Sardinia considers it its duty to lay before the Foreign Powers the facts and proofs on which it founds that double assertion.. An iniquitous system of spoliation was organized under the name of extraordinary war contributions. A few unfortunate emigrants, guilty of having preferred exile to oppression, were visited with the most illegal confiscations. The Austrian fleet, notwithstanding the terms of the armistice and the formal promises made to the Ministers of the mediating Powers at Turin, began to seize the Italian vessels navigating the Adriatic, and thus perpetrated an act of hostility and violence, contrary to the principle of the liberty of the seas. The Government, confidently relying on the generous mediation of England and France, has already forwarded a protest to those Powers against this manifest violation of the terms of the armistice; against that abuse of force on the part of Austria in visiting with spoliation and death persons who were protected by the most formal conventions and the law of nations; against measures unparalleled in the annals of civilized nations. The Government of the King now deems it expedient to address the same protest to the other Foreign Powers, and to declare that it leaves to Austria the responsibility of the fatal consequences that may result to Italy and the whole of Europe from the violation of the most sacred compacts, and the illegality of its proceedings." When Leopold, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, fled from his dominions in February, as will be found elsewhere detailed, the Prime Minister of Sardinia, Count Gioberti, proposed to march a Piedmontese army into Tuscany, put down the Republic which had been proclaimed at Florence on the 18th of that month, and restore the Grand Duke. This was a bold and politic measure, for Austria would have been thereby conciliated, and the disasters of a new campaign against that powerful monarchy averted. And if Sardinia had shown a firm determination to arrest the progress of Italian revolution and put a stop to the excesses of wild democracy, she might have placed herself at the head of a federal union of Italian sovereigns, and, by the influence thereby acquired, have effectually assisted the cause of real freedom and social improvement. An Italian Republic, "one and indivisible," composed of all the States of the Peninsula, is the dream of enthusiasm and folly, and the attempts to bring about such a result tend only to strengthen the hands of military power and bring ruin upon the people. Gioberti was, however, unable to carry out his plan, which even his Cabinet refused to support. The consequence was that he resigned, and General Chiodo was appointed to succeed him as President of the Council, and the Marquis Vittoria Colli Minister for Foreign Affairs. This decided the fate of Charles Albert, for it was On the 24th of February, the newly-constructed Cabinet issued the following programme of its policy: "Fellow Citizens, The Cabinet to which the King confided the management of his executive power on the 16th of December last, having been modified by the change of one of its Members, we feel it necessary to declare that we firmly profess, and still believe perfectly feasible, the policy proclaimed from the moment we first accepted office. The programme that formed the fundamental condition of our first exist ence, and the principles explained before Parliament, will not cease to be the expression of this opinion and our rule of conduct. The Ministry will remain in power so long as the King and Parliament shall honour it with their confidence as at present, and will be ready to lay down power as soon as the voice of the people, constitutionally manifested by its true representatives, shall call in our stead more able or more fortunate men. A year has passed since the King, following the impulse of his heart, sanctioned the greatest act of his life by calling his people to enjoy constitutional liberties. We trust that none will attempt to destroy the palladium of our liberty and independence by bringing discredit on the authority of Parliament. The Ministry will not fail to defend the Constitution in all its parts, and to maintain the rights of the King and those of the people against all attempts." On the 14th of March, M. Ratazzi, Minister of the Interior, announced to the Chamber of Deputies the expiration of the armistice. He said,-"Our forbearance and the friendly interference of the mediating powers have hitherto proved unavailing. The attitude of Austria has shown that no honourable peace can be hoped for unless won by arms. By waiting longer we should have wasted our strength without any result. Our finances would be exhausted, and our army, now so efficient and patriotic, would have felt its spirit broken had it been compelled to remain much longer inactive. You understood it, gentlemen, when a few days ago you manifested the wish of the nation. You raised the war cry. The Government has heard it. It is well aware of the perils attending the struggle about to recommence, and of the evils which will be its sad and unavoidable consequence. But between these perils and the shame of an ignominious peace, which would not insure Italian independence, the King's Government could not and ought not to hesitate. On the 12th, at noon, the cessation of the armistice was announced to Marshal Radetzky by a despatch of the Cabinet, handed to him by a superior officer expressly sent to Milan.” The King was already on his way to join the army, and had ap pointed in his absence the Prince. de Carignan Lieutenant-General of the kingdom. General Chrzanowsky, a Polish officer, was also nominated Commander-in-Chief of the army; and the King declared his intention to accompany it, merely as a general officer, at the head of the brigade of Savoy. When Marshal Radetzky was officially informed of the cessation of the armistice, he immediately addressed from Milan the following spirited proclamation to his troops : Soldiers, your most ardent wishes are fulfilled. The enemy have announced their intention to recommence hostilities. They are about to attempt a second time to seize the crown of Italy, but they will soon learn that six months' inaction has not impaired your loyalty, bravery, and devotedness to your Emperor and King. Remember your triumphant march from the gates of Verona, when you compelled that enemy to recross their frontier, and generously granted an armistice, which they have employed in preparing for war, instead, as they pretended, of negotiating peace. Well! we are ready to meet them, and will dictate in their capital the peace we generously offered them. Soldiers, the contest cannot be long. You will have to combat the same enemy you overpowered at Santa Lucia, Somma, Campana, Cuztozza, Volta, and under the walls of Milan. God is with us, for our cause is just. To arms, soldiers! Follow once more your old general to war and victory. I will witness your exploits. It will be the last joyful act of my long military career, if, in the capital of a perfidious enemy, I can decorate the breasts of my brave comrades with the emblem of valour, conquered with blood and glory. Let our watchword be, Forward! Soldiers, let us march to Turin, where alone we can find the peace for which we are fighting. Long live the Emperor and our country." The effective force of the Austrians in Lombardy at this time did not exceed 55,000 men; and that of the Sardinians, including the Lombard corps, which formed the fifth division, was about 70,000. It was a remarkable feature in the ensuing campaign that both the hostile armies crossed the Ticino, the river that separates Lombardy from Piedmont, almost at the same moment, for the mutual purpose of invading the enemy's territory. On the 20th of March, Charles Albert passed the river at the head of his troops at Buffalora, while Radetzky crossed twelve miles lower down the stream, between Vigevano and Pavia. General Ramorino had been ordered to prevent the Austrians from effecting a passage, but he made no attack upon them, and was in consequence deprived of his command. The result of this manœuvre was to place the main body of the Austrian army between the principal division of the Piedmontese, between Trecate and the bridge of Buffalora, and the corps of General Ramorino, which occupied a posi tion to the south in the angle formed by the Po and the Ticino opposite Pavia. This bold advance compelled the Sardinians to change their tactics, and their army was immediately withdrawn from the left bank of the Ticino. The position of the Piedmontese troops at this juncture was as follows: -- The reserve was at Vercelli with the Duke of Savoy, one division at Novara, the head-quarters at Trecate; the Duke of Genoa at Buffalora; and the vanguard, having passed Buffalora, had advanced to within five leagues of Milan. A retrograde movement was, however, now necessary, and the army rapidly returned along the road by which it had advanced, retiring from Magenta to Buffalora, and thence to Trecate and Novara, where, on the 23rd of March, the head-quarters were established. In the mean time Radetzky continued to advance, intercepting the road to Turin; and on the 23rd he had reached Mortava, opposite to Vercelli. Here he was attacked by the Duke of Savoy, with the reserve; the object being to retard the progress of the Austrians, and give time to the main body of the Piedmontese army to march from Novara to Vercelli. But the attempt, as might be expected, entirely failed; the Duke of Savoy was driven back, and on the following day, the 24th, Marshal Radetzky advanced from Mortava to place himself between Vercelli and Novara. It was here that he met the Piedmontese army, and the engagement took place which decided the fate of the campaign. The following is an account of the battle, as given by the old Marshal in a despatch addressed by him to Prince Schwartzenberg, on the 24th of March : "The hostile army, which was already cut off from what was in reality their line of retreat, determined, with a force of 50,000 men, again to try the fortune of war in a position near Olengo, close to Novara. The second division, which formed the vanguard, under the command of the brave general of the cavalry, D'Aspré, yesterday marched from Vespolate towards Olengo, and there in the heights encountered the enemy, whose unexpected force made the result of the battle doubtful for some hours, as this division (2nd) could not be at once supported by that which was following its line of march. I had placed the fourth division on the right flank of the enemy, and behind that the first, in order to take him completely in the rear on the other side of the Gogna. His Imperial Highness the Archduke Albrecht, who commanded the vanguard division, for some hours heroically kept the enemy at bay, until the general of the cavalry, Baron D'Aspré, together with the commander of the third division, Field-Marshal Lieutenant Baron Appel, with as much presence of mind as judgment, brought up this division on the two wings of that commanded by the Archduke Albrecht, while I ordered up the reserve division to support its centre. Thanks to the invincible courage and incomparable constancy of my troops, we succeeded in facing the enemy until the fourth division, under the circumspect guidance of its commander, Field-Marshal Lieutenant Thurn, acted so successfully upon the enemy's right wing on the other side of the Agoyna, that this decisive manœuvre made the enemy retreat on all sides in great disorder, necessitating them to seek shelter in a northern direction in the mountains." The Piedmontese army, being thus entirely vanquished, was driven back in two divisions: one commanded by the Duke of Savoy, to Bielle, at the foot of the Alps; and the other, headed by General Chrzanowsky, to Borgo Manero. The result of the battle determined Charles Albert immediately to abdicate; and he issued a proclamation announcing that he had resigned his crown in favour of his son the Duke of Savoy. The unfortunate ex-King quitted his dominions, and took refuge in France, where he soon afterwards died. In the mean time an armistice was concluded between Marshal Radetzky and the Duke of Savoy, now King Victor Emmanuel, upon the terms that the Piedmontese should pay the expenses of the war, and suffer the fortress of Alessandria to be garrisoned by an Austrian corps in conjunction with a Piedmontese corps. The Sesia was to be the line of demarcation between the Austrians and the Piedmontese. Marshal Radetzky at first demanded exclusive possession of Alessandria, Genoa, and a fortress in the Alps, but the King peremptorily refused to accede to those conditions, and the Marshal consented to the foregoing terms. On the 27th of March the new Piedmontese Ministry was formed, consisting of the following members: M. Delannay, Minister for Fo- M. Pinelli, of the Interior. M. Manilli, of Public Works. The Sardinian Chamber of Deputies met in the evening of the same day, when M. Pinelli, the Minister of the Interior, communicated the terms of the "Armistice concluded between His Majesty the King of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel, and Field Marshal Radetzky, on March 26, after the abdication of Charles Albert: he pleases. Article 2. Count Radetzky shall apply to His Majesty the Emperor to grant an entire amnesty to the Hungarian, Polish, and Lombard soldiers, subjects of His Imperial Majesty. Article 3. The King of Sardinia allows 18,000 infantry and 2000 cavalry to occupy the territory comprised between the Po, the Ticino, and Sesia, and onehalf of the garrison of the fortress of Alessandria is to be formed of Austrian troops. That occupation shall nowise interfere with the civil and judiciary administration of the province of Novara: 3000 Austrians shall compose one-half of the garrison of the city and citadel of Alessandria, and as many Piedmontese soldiers the other half. The Austrians are to have a free communication between Alessandria and Lomellina, through Valenza. A mixed military committee shall be appointed to provide for the maintenance of the Austrian troops. The Sardinian troops shall evacuate the Duchies of Modena, Piacenza, and Tuscany, that is, the territories which previous to the war did not belong to Piedmont. Article 4. It being impossible for one-half of the Austrian garrison of Alessandria to reach that place before three or four days, their admission into the fortress shall be guaranteed by the Sardinian Government. Article 5. The Sardinian fleet shall quit the Adriatic, with all the steamers, within a period of fifteen days; and the Piedmontese now at Venice shall be ordered back to their country within the same period. Article 6. King Victor Emmanuel promises to conclude a prompt and durable peace, and to reduce the army to the former peace standing. Article 7. The King of Sardinia regards inviolable all the conditions |