THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYgave notice that he would to-morrow ask Whether any information had been received as to the existence of the negotiations be- 154 tween Sardinia and France, alluded to in the French ministerial journals for the annexation of the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice to the dominions of the empire of France; and gave notice that he should raise a discussion on the subject to-morrow. The noble Marquess proceeded to say, that he would take that opportunity of correcting a misapprehension which had arisen, owing probably to the accidental failure of his voice, as to his observations on the affairs of Italy the other night. It was true, as had been reported, that he expressed his opinion that the different countries of Central Italy ought not to be subject to any foreign intervention, either on the side of change or against it. He was supposed to mean that he trusted that England would not interfere forcibly on one side any more than Austria on the other. His noble Friend near him (Lord Brougham) heard him, and could confirm his present statement, that what he did really say was, that he trusted that Sardinia, in reference to anything that touched upon territorial limits, would be considered a foreign country as well as Austria, and that whenever the time came for the different States of Central Italy to be called upon to decide upon their future condition they would be able to act according to the free and independent voice of each State, subject neither to the armed intervention or the secret intrigues of Sardinia or any other Power.
LORD BROUGHAMconcurred in the accuracy of the noble Marquess's explanation, as a matter of memory. The noble Marquess held that Sardinia should be taken to be a foreign country as much as Austria was a foreign country, and that Austria should no more be regarded as a foreign country than Sardinia. He (Lord Brougham) by no means admitted that Sardinia was a foreign Power as France was, for all the Sardinian territories were in Italy, whereas Austria and France had the bulk of their territories out of Italy, and could not, therefore, be reckoned Italian. He certainly was decidedly of opinion that the best thing that could happen to the Italians would be, that they should join themselves under Sardinia—under Sardinia—and form a great Italian Power, not a Power of Central Italy, but a Power of Northern Italy, which would not only defend Italy, but resist Austria, and even it might be resist France.
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYsaid, he would not prolong the discussion by in- 155 quiring how far his noble and learned Friend's present project was cither practicable or desirable. He heard it with some surprise. At the same time he could not concur in the reason given for it, that all the Sardinian territories were in Italy. That is not the case, and would not he so unless the cession of Savoy to France, on which he was about to ask a question to-morrow, was a fait accompli. He was glad, however, again to hear his noble and learned Friend state that he concurred to this extent, that Sardinia should not exercise any influence upon the decision of other independent States.