THE ITALIAN QUESTION.

Wellington Independent, 30 March 1861, Page 1

THE ITALIAN QUESTION.

Austria positively refuses to cede or sell Venetia. The reason for this rejection is not altogether territorial but ambitious — to maintain her position as the greatest of the German States. Hostilities may be avoided, but it is possible that she may be forced by the popular feeling inlo a declaration of war. In that case Hungary, already preparing, would instantly rise ; Croatia would follow at the rear of Venice, aud before a month the whole Austrian empire would be in a blaze. We might easily carry the pro-

phetio panorama farther, and involve Prussia in a and imagine a French army collected on the Rhine. Distant as such eventualities may be, they are plainly on the cards. Meanwhile, the uneasiness which has ptevuiled throught Naples and Sicily, has menaced gravely, if not the security, at least the repose ol the Sardinian Government.

The disturbances in the Abruzzi have been formidable. In Naples frequent demonstrations, although always put down by a strong/iiaud, have indicated clearly the discontent of tbe people, while in many places the reaction in favor of the Bourbons, has, on several occasions, set in with strength and confidence. Tbere are also two dark clouds on the horizon Rome andiVanice. The exact manner in whioh Ron^is^lijse.ly to fall can be predicted by no man, "but it seems to be pretty generally agreed that tbe crisis of its fate is close at hand, The Pope has pronounced an allocution in sacred consistory, from which it may be clearly gathered that he looks upon temporal power of the Popedom as having nearly run out its time. He complains of the spread of Protestantism, of tbe increased circulation of the Bible, of the treason of Baden abolishing tbe Concordat, of a disposition elsewhere (meaning France) to throw off his authority and set up a Church with out him, and on the general decadence of ecclesiastical domination. This confession of weakness is generally regarded as the precursor of dissolution.