Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. III, No. XVII, October 1851Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. III, No. XVII, October 1851
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
in Paris. The Pope, trembling in anticipation of the overthrow of his
temporal power, was delighted to escape upon such easy terms. The most
enlightened of the inhabitants of these degenerate and wretchedly
governed states welcomed the French with the utmost enthusiasm. They
hated the Holy See implacably, and entreated Napoleon to grant them
independence. But it was not Napoleon's object to revolutionize the
states of Italy, and though he could not but express his sympathy in
these aspirations for political freedom, he was unwilling to take any
decisive measures for the overthrow of the established government. He
was contending simply for peace.
Tuscany had acknowledged the French Republic, and remained neutral in
this warfare. But England, regardless of the neutrality of this feeble
state, had made herself master of the port of Leghorn, protected by the
governor of that city, who was inimical to the French. The frigates of
England rode insultingly in the harbor, and treated the commerce of
France as that of an enemy. Napoleon crossed the Apennines, by forced
marches proceeded to Leghorn, and captured English goods to the amount
of nearly three millions of dollars, notwithstanding a great number of
English vessels escaped from the harbor but a few hours before the
entrance of the French. England was mistress of the sea, and she
respected no rights of private property upon her watery domain. Wherever
her fleets encountered a merchant ship of the enemy, it was taken as
fair plunder. Napoleon, who regarded the land as his domain, resolved
that he would retaliate by the capture of English property wherever his
army encountered it upon the Continent. It was robbery in both cases,
and in both cases equally unjustifiable. And yet such is, to a certain
degree, one of the criminal necessities of war. He seized the inimical
governor, and sent him in a post-chaise to the Grand Duke at Florence,
saying, "The governor of Leghorn has violated all the rights of
neutrality, by oppressing French commerce, and by affording an asylum to
the emigrants and to all the enemies of the Republic. Out of respect to
your authority I send the unfaithful servant to be punished at your
discretion." The neutral states were thus energetically taught that they
must respect their neutrality. He left a garrison at Leghorn, and then
proceeded to Florence, the capital of Tuscany, where the duke, brother
of the emperor of Austria, received him with the greatest cordiality,
and gave him a magnificent entertainment. He then returned to Mantua,
having been absent just twenty days, and in that time, with one
division of his army, having overawed all the states of southern Italy,
and secured their tranquillity during the tremendous struggles which he
had still to maintain against Austria. In these fearful and bloody
conflicts Napoleon was contending only to protect his country from those
invading armies, which were endeavoring to force upon France the
despotism of the Bourbons.
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