§ EARL RUSSELLhaving laid upon the table Papers relating to the Affairs of Italy, pursuant to Address of 17th March,
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYsaid, he understood that the Papers which his noble Friend had just laid upon the table were those which were moved for on the 17th of last month. He wished to take that opportunity of asking his noble Friend whether he would have any objection to lay before the House any official despatches which might have been received from Sir James Hudson at Turin, and from Mr. Bonham at Naples, with reference to those two proclamations, respecting which inquiries had been made in both Houses of Parliament; the one issued by Colonel Fantoni, the other by Major Fumel. He (the Marquess of Normanby) wished to give his reasons, of course, for making such an unusual request as that of asking 533 for despatches on this subject. His reason was, that when his noble Friend admitted that such a proclamation as that of Colonel Fantoni was in existence, the explanation with which he accompanied that statement had been proved by subsequent information to have been far from correct. He understood his noble Friend to state that the proclamation of Colonel Fantoni had been immediately suppressed. It was also stated that it had never been issued. Now, information which had since arrived upon that head through the ordinary channels of intelligence was directly at variance with that statement. In the first place, unfortunately, there was very painful but practical proof that on the 20th of February four women were shot in one of the mountain districts, charged with one of the offences mentioned in Colonel Fantoni's proclamation—namely, that they had upon their persons more bread than was sufficient for one day's consumption. Such an unmanly proceeding had excited universal indignation; but it was in literal accordance with the terms of Colonel Fantoni's proclamation. If the proclamation had been acted upon at all, it must necessarily have led to some such results as this. The next circumstance which had occurred to show that this proclamation had been published was a statement which appeared in The Morning Herald. It contained a declaration from a field officer in the Piedmontese army to the effect that he had been surprised to learn the answer which had been given to Lord Derby, stating that the British Government had no cognizance of this proclamation; because he gave the names of the generals and the places where they were employed, and said that every one of these persons had been rewarded for their services. These two counterstatements had been made before the recent change in the Government at Turin, But since that change of Government, an article had appeared in the Opinione, which was not the organ of the present Government, but that of Baron Ricasoli, in which that proclamation was warmly approved, declaring that if it was wrong at all it was only in being too mild, and stating, moreover, that it had borne good fruits. But within the last twenty-four hours another document had been published, to which he wished particularly to call his noble Friend's attention. It was an order of the day, which, according to several continental papers, had been issued by Colonel Brianza, who was the superior 534 officer of Colonel Fantoni, and who had been dismissed from his command in consequence of the issue of this proclamation. Colonel Brianza said—
I was the superior officer of Colonel Fantoni, and after conferring with the political authorities I issued the proclamation; but the publication of the proclamation having been considered inopportune, I have been dismissed.This was on the 22nd of March, about three weeks after the change of Government at Turin. He (the Marquess of Normanby) must say he thought they must infer that since the change in Government there had been a beneficial alteration as far as humanity was concerned; and he must suppose that that change had been brought about by an authority superior to that of his noble Friend. With respect to the course of action which had been pursued by Generals Cialdini and Pinelli, whilst the Prime Minister of England was openly approving these barbarities, the Emperor of the French was saying—"Let Italy take care; she is alienating the feelings of every friend of liberty." In reference to Major Fumel's proclamation he had understood his noble Friend to state that no operation or execution of the proclamation had taken place. But he was sorry to say that here also his noble Friend had been deceived; because in a newspaper published at Bologna both the number and the names of the persons who had been executed were given. Nine were mentioned at one place and six at another; and it was stated that a noble lady was shot because she would not produce the person of her daughter, who had been charged with complicity with the alleged brigands. He hoped his noble Friend would endeavour to procure some information with regard to these events from Sir James Hudson.
§ EARL RUSSELLsaid, it was not very easy for any person in that House to answer inquiries with respect to proceedings which were taking place in remote parts; of Italy. He would produce such despatches as the Government had relating to these cases; for example, the despatches received from Mr. Bonham at Naples, containing an account of an interview with General La Marmora, and the answers given by the General to questions bearing on the subject, together with the information afforded by him with reference to the state of that part of the country. His noble Friend had somewhat confounded the two answers which he (Earl Russell) had 535 given. With respect to the proclamation of Lieut. Colonel Fantoni, he (Earl Russell) had stated that the proclamation had been printed, but that as soon as it reached the general of the district it was disapproved of. That was the statement which the Government had received from Mr. Bonham, our Consul at Naples. As to Captain or Major Fumel, he was not an officer of the army; he commanded a battalion of national guards and volunteers; and with regard to him, he believed his proclamation had never been printed, and was disapproved as soon as it was heard of. With regard to the execution of the four women, he (Earl Russell) had received only a telegram from Sir James Hudson, which he should have no objection to produce. His (Earl Russell's) belief was that the conduct of Colonel Fantoni had been disapproved, that he had been removed from his command, and that he made a bitter complaint that he was removed in consequence of the questions which had been put in that House. His noble Friend (the Marquess of Normanby) must answer that grievance, because he was, in fact, the originator of his removal. His (Earl Russell's) general statement was that the proclamation had not been acted upon, that it was intended to produce terror in the disaffected, and had not been put in execution. He should have no objection to produce any letters which had any bearing on the question.
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYsaid, that his noble Friend had stated that it was difficult for a person in that House to obtain information respecting events in the remote parts of Italy; but the noble Earl must recollect that he and his party had frequently put questions and had made statements in Parliament with respect to the conduct of the King of Naples and other sovereigns. His noble Friend had stated that the proclamation of Major Fumel was not published, and that he was not a regular officer. He wished to know whether his noble Friend was in a position to deny that there were two proclamations published by that officer—one at an interval of three weeks after the other; and that in one of those proclamations a reward of £5, or 100f., was offered to any brigand who would shoot one of his comrades. Here was a distinct engagement to pay blood-money for treacherous assassination; and this could not have been merely to excite terror in the disaffected, because Major Fumel had delegated its execution to others.