and that done, the matter was to be hushed but the information so communicated was not up, and the petitioners might be uncere-of a nature to compromise, and did not commonionsly dismissed.

promise, the safety of any individual within the reach of that foreign power; nor was it made known to that power by what means, or from what source, that information had been obtained."

The refusal of the committee to allow Mr. Duncombe to be present to examine his own witnesses we at first treated as a mere crotchet; we now view it as a most serious fault. The committee did not desire to There are two points to notice in the examine witnesses against the Government above paragraph: one the description given practice, nor witnesses in behalf of the pe- of M. Mazzini as a dangerous conspirator, titioners, or they could have found them-a description unqualified by any intimawithout the aid of Mr. Duncombe. What tion of the fact, known at least to more will the public think when they learn that even Mazzini, whose case was first brought before the House of Commons,-with whom indeed had originated the whole inquiry, Mazzini, who had petitioned for an opportunity of refuting the calumnies circulated against him by the Sardinian embassy, was never summoned by the committee. These calumnies the committee even repeat in part, while they take no notice of some of a still more serious character industriously whispered among the supporters of Government, as an apology for the conduct of Lord Aberdeen in this particular case.

than one member of the committee, that M. Mazzini enjoys the confidence and respect of many Englishmen of the first rank, and stands for public character and private worth upon as high moral ground as any distinguished foreigner who has visited English shores;-the other point is the denial for Lord Aberdeen of any act of treachery on his part which could have compromised the safety of foreigners resident in England, or of their friends abroad.

We will take the latter first; and let it be again remarked that this denial of treachery is made solely on the evidence of the "Representations had been made to the Bri- parties accused. The committee first detish Government from high sources, that plots liberately refuse to hear the accusing witof which M. Mazzini was the centre were car-nesses, and then take the bare word of men rying on, upon British territory, to excite an whose avowed principle of action is, that insurrection in Italy; and that such insurrec- duplicity is indispensable to affairs of state, tion, should it assume a formidable aspect, and that the inviolability of truth is only to would, from peculiar political circumstances, be respected as a rule for private conduct. disturb the peace of Europe. The British It would be difficult to imagine a more Government, considering the extent to which British interests were involved in the main- striking instance of the absence of comtenance of that peace, issued on their own judgment, but not on the suggestion of any for-government, his lordship says, "NOT A SYLLABLE eign power, a warrant to open and detain M. of the correspondence has ever been communiMazzini's letters. Such information deduced cated to any foreign power." It appears that from those letters as appeared to the British certain parts of the information contained in the Government calculated to frustrate this at- correspondence were communicated to a foreign tempt was communicated to a foreign power;* power. Again, in the House of Commons, on Monday night, Captain Pechell asked whether the charges against Lieutenant Gray had been made by the Admirality, by the Foreign office, or by any foreign government? Mr. Sidney Herbert replied, "No foreign government had ANY THING IN THE WORLD to do with the matter.” Now, what will be thought of this statement, when it is known that, upon the 2nd of June, 1843, the French ambassador presented a note to Lord Aberdeen, in which he said, "He was directed by his government to require," first, that her Majesty's Government would disavow the It is quite clear that Ministers have a standard conduct of the officers of the Bonetta: and, of truth of their own, by which they measure secondly, "that they will institute an inquiry' their parliamentary declarations. When Sir Rob- into the proceedings of these officers, in order to ert Peel was asked whether or not Lord De Grey ensure their punishment. Lord Aberdeen writes, had resigned the Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland, on the 23d of June, to inform Count St. Aulaire, he answered, “There is not a word of truth in the that "orders have been given to institute, withreport." The resignation of Lord De Grey had out delay, a strict investigation." Yet Mr. Sidbeen received at the Home office that morning. ney Herbert says that "no foreign power had When Lord Aberdeen is asked if Mazzini's let-any thing in the world to do with the matter!"ters were opened at the requisition of a foreign ( Morning Chronicle,' August 8th, 1844.)

"Not a syllable of this correspondence has ever been submitted to any foreign power."-Lord ABERDEEN'S Speech.

"Certain parts of the information thus obtained were submitted to a foreign government."-Report of the Lords' Committee.

Upon this the Standard' says, "We cannot see a shade of inconsistency between the language of Lord Aberdeen and the language of the report." This is the Ministerial explanation! There is not a shade of inconsistency.

mon sense, or a wider departure from the [mittee the benefit of an extreme case. A first principles of common justice, than we pirate, although confining his depredations find in the whole of these proceedings. to French or Spanish shipping, ought not But let us look at the fact; and with the on that account to be allowed the benefit assistance of no other light than is thrown of Portsmouth harbor as a port of refuge. upon it by the report of the two committees. Nothing more true; but to neither pirate First, however, it will be well to consider nor devil ought we to hold out the right what is treachery. What is it constitutes hand of fellowship, proffer a home, protecan act base, infamous, cruel, such as the tion, hospitality, and then put a noose world calls treachery, but for which all the about his neck, and lead him to the scaflanguages of the world have no term suf- fold. We can conceive of many circumficiently emphatic for its condemnation, in stances under which a foreigner in Engan indignant outburst of honest, withering land would have no fair claim to the equal scorn? It is the act of the supposed neu- rights of English citizens;-for example, a tral or pretended friend availing himself of French criminal escaped from the gallies; the confidence reposed in his neutrality or and who, after a re-examination in Engfriendship, but secretly betraying to an land, could not satisfactorily clear himself enemy information which directly or indi- of the charges of which he had been found rectly may lead the betrayed to the dungeon guilty by a jury. Such a man ought unor the executioner. doubtedly to be watched by the police; Well, then, is Lord Aberdeen guilty or but fair and not foul play even towards not guilty of the crime imputed? Guilty, criminals. Let the man know that he is upon his own showing, and the ex-parte watched. Station an officer at his door; evidence of the attempts at exculpation shut him up, if necessary, in stone walls : given in the reports of the two committees. but do not deceive him into a false security; The report of the Lords states that "cer- do not bid him, after a while, depart in tain parts of the information thus obtained peace, and then put the avenger of blood were communicated to a foreign govern- upon his track. ment." The Report of the House of Com- Before Lord Aberdeen hastened to conmons states that "so much of the informa- vey to a foreign power so much information tion was communicated to a foreign power as would suffice to enable that power to as might frustrate the attempt about to be frustrate an attempt to be made by Italian made;"—that is, as might lead to the ap- exiles, guests of England, British honor prehension and imprisonment of any and required that he should have conveyed to every person leaving England or Corfu the exiles themselves the knowledge of his upon the projected enterprise. The Brit-intention. He might have sent for Mazziish Government did this, and, gracious ni and said, "Put your friends upon their God! not a word of warning upon their guard; they are engaged in a project Engimpending fate was breathed to these vic- land cannot countenance. It is my duty tims of a misplaced confidence in British to warn your government of its existence, honor! No friendly hint told them their and I therefore warn you that the plan designs were known, and that, if attempted must prove abortive: put an end to it, to be put in execution, death awaited them that life may be spared." Lord Aberdeen upon the shores of Calabria !* did not do this, and that he did not so act might well be a ground for impeachment; and in such a case impeachment would not be defied if the House of Commons represented popular opinion.

We pray the reader to mark an important distinction. It may very fairly be contended that no country ought to allow an armament to be fitted out in her own ports, against a foreign power, with which it may not be at war, or with which it may have peaceable and friendly relations. Granted; although we were not very nice upon this point in the days of Don Miguel and Don Carlos. We will give the com

* It is known that several, and it is believed that all the Italians who left Corfu, including the elite of the exiles, upon whom the cause was mainly dependent, were immediately seized, tried by a military commission, and shot.

The apology offered by the committee is most discreditable to their judgment, for it is founded upon an obvious untruth, which the slightest penetration would have enabled them to detect. They say, referring of course to the evidence of Lord Aberdeen, that "the information so communicated was not of a nature to compromise, and did not compromise, the safety of any individual within the reach of that foreign power." The information alluded to

*

was probably this: That a body of Italians | passing through the Post-office, have been were assembled at Corfu, and contemplated much more full and copious than the evia descent upon some part of the Neapoli- dence of Lord Aberdeen and Sir James tan coast. Of course, while they remained Graham appear to have led the committee at Corfu they were out of the reach of the to infer; and perhaps much more so than Neapolitan government; but what further either of those ministers really believed; clew would that government require to but who can tell to what extent the clerks, obtain a full knowledge of the facts with- employed on this nefarious service, have held? By a secret emissary they could immediately find out the names of every * The Morning Chronicle' of August 17 pubItalian in Corfu; obtain a correct descrip-lishes a letter from a correspondent at Hamburg, who that he had then in his possession govof M. Mazzini; and that names and details were ernment copies of extracts taken from the letters also furnished, directly or indirectly. He adds

tion of their persons, and signalize them to Austria and all the Italian states, so that wherever an Italian from Corfu landed he might be immediately seized; while his connexions in Italy might also be traced and put under arrest.

The consequences of any communications of this kind from one government to another are so certain, that now we are aware of the fact that such communications have passed, we are fully prepared to believe the general truth of the statements made in various quarters, that Poles, and Italians, and foreigners of other nations are at this very moment rotting in prison, while others have perished by the scaffold, through a system of espionage and treach ery, of which a great and free country had ever been supposed incapable.

says

"It is true the parties named were not at the time in this state, but it is also true, when they unsuspectedly returned, they were seized, and are now loaded with irons in a loathsome dungeon! I will simply ask, is this the only instance of communicating with this state? No. This government was informed of every transaction that could be taken from letters of what took place between the parties in England, at the Ionian Islands, and other places, and this will account at once for the numerous arrests at various times. More than this, at the summary trials of these individuals, the strongest evidence produced against them was these very extracts.

"Let us now go back to the Polish revolution, and ask how was it possible that the Russian government obtained such universal knowledge of the correspondence carried on with England, and became so minutely acquainted with every shipment of arms, orders that were given for them, even to the Birmingham houses, the manner of packing them, &c. This was known to the gov ernment as precisely as had the orders been from them; and this enabled them to order the seiz ure, both in Austria and Prussia, of certain quantities of sugar hogsheads and pipes, &c. How did Russia obtain this information? From the letters that were opened by order of the Secretary of State.

How far the past administration is involved in the guilt of the present, we know not; but the obvious bias and class feeling of the committee, their refusal to examine the most important witnesses, and their apparent anxiety to suppress facts, and palliate and excuse the conduct of their respective party leaders, has left a dark "As I intend publishing at large all the prostain upon the character of many public the full extracts of the letters, with dates and names, ceedings that took place during that period, with men, which we can only hope a full inves- as well as other matters relative to that period, I tigation might have, partially at least, re-shall only say that hundreds of men and women moved.

were seized, whipped, and transported to Siberia,

That Lord Aberdeen, or any other Eng-in consequence of such information. lish minister, signed the death-warrant of unfortunate exiles with deliberate intent, we do not believe :-such a monster could not breathe on English ground. The truth is, the Minister never bestowed a thought upon the possible result of his secret communications, as affecting the parties betrayed. Their position was too humble to be deemed an affair of the slightest moment; but that these communications were practically death-warrants in many cases; and in very numerous instances, warrants for imprisonment, no man can doubt who

system does not tell against themselves as well; "Let the Government not imagine that this the foreign governments, knowing that the practice existed, have repeatedly misled the government, knowing their despatches would be read; the result, I informed my lamented friend, Mr. and in one particular instance, being alarmed for M'Gillivray, for the information of Lord *** that he was betrayed, and no doubt this will still be in the recollection of his lordship.

attends to the facts.

We know that the extracts furnished to foreign governments, from private letters.

"It will be seen clearly that it is destructive every way, more particularly so now the affair is so public; and I only hope, after the publication of the extracts, and giving a list of the sufferers, many of whom are still enduring all the horrors of misery, both bodily and mentally, that this infernal machine will be blotted out of English law, for the honor of our country, and for the sake of human morality. "J.H."

"Hamburg, August 10.

been in the habit of trading (like some of office; and in the case of wax seals, the exthe writers in the 'Portfolio') with the se- act appearance of the impression being crets put in their possession. Letters from carefully noted, it was found that the subsebetting noblemen it seems have been opened quent Post-office counterfeit was sometimes by local receivers, and the information they placed more or less upright than the origcontained sold to blacklegs of the turf. inal. How often have similar transactions been effected by Russian or Austrian gold for political objects?

These experiments will have to be repeated, and we therefore describe them for the information of the public. The Lords' report states that "it is the concurrent opinion of witnesses, who have held high office, that they would very reluctantly see this power abolished;" and it is very certain that, whether legally abolished or not, a numerous class of subordinates will be equally reluctant, with their superiors, to give up the practice. Let all honest men, therefore, be upon their guard:

public, as well as his own countrymen and the unfortunate exiles of every nation, who may be compelled to seek a temporary asylum in England, an important service. Had he been the mere conspirator, intimated by the committee, he would have kept the information to himself, and made use of it to mislead the Government, by false intimations of his real designs. It was in this way that Prince Maurice of Saxony, defeated the Emperor Charles V. The spies of the Emperor were discovered and duped.

The circumstances that first led Mazzini to suspect that his correspondence had been tampered with, was a communication to the Times,' printed as a leading article, the writer of which boasted of having then lying before him a mass of documents relating to the efforts of an Association in London for the emancipation of Italy; and alluded to facts, of which only a few members of that Association could have been M. Mazzini has rendered the British cognizant by honest means. The attention of Mazzini had also been excited by frequent delays in the delivery of his letters; and now, on examining the post-mark, his suspicions were confirmed by observing that they invariably bore the mark of two different stamps; the one intended to efface the other; the object of which appeared to be to make the hour of delivery correspond with that in which the letter had been received, and so to prevent the original stamp, or attestation of the receiver of the time when the letter was posted, being evi- Mazzini, as far as he was personally dence of the fact of its detention. To be concerned, had no conspiracy to conceal. quite sure of this Mazzini took the precau- He was not a party to the expedition from tion to post, in St. Martin-le-Grand, letters Corfu; the history of which may be very directed to himself early in the forenoon, briefly explained. Several of the states of when the receiver's stamp would be 10 F N Italy have been for some time in a very 10. The letters came to hand in the after- disturbed state, and their imbecile and cornoon with the receiver's mark 10 altered rupt governments again appear on the eve into 12; the figure of 2 being stamped upon of dissolution. In Calabria the peasantry the original 0, but not so as entirely and had risen in open insurrection; and hearsuccessfully to conceal it. Mazzini, then, ing of it, a handful of exiles at Corfu proin the presence of witnesses, posted at one posed to join them. They wrote to Mazand the same time letters addressed to him- zini for assistance from the London Assoself, and letters addressed to fictitious per- ciation, which was refused. Mazzini, in sons at the same residence, and the latter reply, endeavored to dissuade them from were regularly delivered two hours before the project, as a microscopical effort, which his own. On consulting with his friends could only damage the cause. Finally, other contrivances were adopted to com- however, twenty Italians left Corfu for Caplete the chain of evidence. Letters direct-labria in an Italian ship; a ship which there ed to Mazzini were posted, containing is now strong reason for suspecting was sent grains of sand, poppy seeds, or fine hairs, and so folded that the sand, the seed, or the hairs could not fall out unless the letters were opened. When delivered, sand, seed, Mazzini was the editor of 'La Giovine and hairs had disappeared. Other experi- Italia,' of which six volumes were publishments were tried with the seals. A wafer, ed; and we believe, from the open, candid carefully cut square, was found to have al- character of the man, the nature of any plot tered its shape in passing through the Post-in which he is likely ever to be engaged,

from Naples as a lure (on the information. supplied by the English Government). No one of them has since been heard of alive.

At this time Louis Philippe, newly

may just as easily be gathered from his A commission of senators was appointed printed publications as his private letters. at Turin to try Mazzini and his friends; That Italy is misgoverned is a fact noto- but as nothing could be proved against rious to all the world;-why in free Eng- them, they were acquitted. The acquittal, land should the fact not be openly proclaim- however, signified nothing. Mazzini was ed? But it is not by plotters from without detained for five months in solitary confinethat any one of the governments of Italy ment in the fortress of Savona, and then will be overthrown. The regeneration of banished the country. Italy must be a national effort-which the exile can at best but feebly second. Maz-seated on his throne, had not been recogzini knows this, and prays that the time nised by the absolute sovereigns of Europe, may come when a national effort will be and it was the policy of the French governmade. We pray for it with him-and God ment to protect and encourage the disconbe with a brave heart that beats for no other tented of all nations, especially Italians and object. Spaniards; many of whom received money The present state of Italy could not be and semi-official offers of assistance. The better illustrated than by describing the object of Louis Philippe in this case has circumstances which threw Mazzini into since been explained. It was merely to his present position. He first attracted the embarrass the allied powers with their own attention of the governments of Italy by the subjects, that hostilities against France freedom with which, through various chan- might be rendered impossible. When this nels, he discussed literary questions. We end had been answered, revolutionary proneed hardly say that for political questions pagandism was disavowed, and protection there is no channel in Italy. A 'Westmin- was withdrawn from the refugees; but not ster Review' would be a greater curiosity till many of them had been led to commit at Rome than the Thames Tunnel. In themselves too hopelessly against their own 1823 Mazzini published at Genoa a week- governments to dream of returning to their ly literary gazette, called the Indicatoire native land. The unfortunate Spaniards Genovese.' It appeared under the double supervision of a civil and an ecclesiastical censorship; but at the end of the year it was suppressed. In 1829 he attempted a similar journal at Leghorn, under the title of the Indicatore Livornese,' but in a few months this also was suppressed. The same year he wrote an article upon European literature in a review called the AntoloMazzini was permitted to publish at gia,' published at Florence. The review Marseilles 'La Giovine Italia,' and to form was suppressed, after having been in the an association of Italian liberals, under the first instance prosecuted. In 1830 occur- same name. This association differed from red the revolution of July; and from the that of the old Carbonari in various points, excitement it occasioned in Italy, it was but especially in repudiating secrecy, whendeemed prudent to put under arrest every ever it was practicable to claim and exerperson of known or suspected liberal senti- cise the right of public discussion. A free Mazzini was of course amongst press not existing in Italy, the press of fothem. Mazzini's father, who is a profes-reign countries was used as a medium for sor of anatomy at the University of Genoa, the open dissemination of liberal principles. went to the governor of the town (Venan- The political tracts of La Giovine Italia' son) to inquire what offence his son had committed, and found that the chief ground of accusation was the following:-"Your son," said the governor, "is in the habit of walking every evening in the fields and gardens of the suburbs, alone, and wrapt in meditation. What on earth can he have, at his age, to think about? We don't like so much thinking on the part of young people, without knowing the subject of their thoughts."

ments.

and Italians fell alike into the same snare. Who among them could be blamed for believing that the time had arrived when a blow struck for freedom could not be other than successful? They were deceived by a prospect bright but transitory; soon to be overcast with dark shadows, which could not be foreseen.

were smuggled by Italian merchant ships from Marseilles into Italy, and immediately produced an effect which alarmed the Italian governments for the result. In various states the symptoms of an impending revolution could not be mistaken. In some the people broke out into open insurrection-a movement in which the foreign exiles hastened to take a part.

It commenced too late. The policy of France had changed. The new House of