NOTES ON CABINET AFFAIRS. 579 



the age, which once already nearly cost him his cro\vn. The visit 

 of the Russian autocrat has, however, been retarded by a circum- 

 stance which will convey to our readers a just idea of the immense 

 materiel of war he had at his disposal. We allude to the burning of 

 the manufactory of arms at Toula, in which was consumed one 

 million stand of arms ! Such a loss, and at a moment when the 

 emperor is so convinced of the necessity of giving an external direc- 

 tion to the spirit of discontent which exists in his dominions, has 

 greatly embarrassed the Russian Government. Upwards of 6,000 

 workmen were employed in this manufactory, which produced 

 annually 17,000 firelocks, 6,000 to 7,000 pair of pistols, and 16,000 

 sabres and bayonets. 



While the magnitude of this establishment conveys to us the most 

 favourable ideas of Russian industry, its destruction is another 

 evident proof of the iron despotism of her ruler. It was destroyed by 

 the very workmen themselves in the hopes of emancipating them- 

 selves from the tyrannical system in which, from generation to 

 generation, they have dragged on a miserable existence since the first 

 days of its foundation. Although upwards of 6,000 men were em- 

 ployed, not one was competent to manufacture any entire arm of any 

 description, it being, by this complete division of labour, the policy 

 of the government to retain them in more complete subjection. If a 

 vent for the smothering elements of discontent be not found be- 

 yond the frontier, Russia will soon be the scene of a tremendous 

 boulversement. 



We are not of that class of politicians that wculd wish to repre- 

 sent the Austrian government or any other in the most odious light 

 possible, and therefore to exaggerate its evils, or diminish its merits. 

 We wish to exhibit the simple truth, and are much less solicitous to 

 give "the whole truth" than "nothing but the truth." We shall 

 gladly record, can such ever be found, any instance of beneficence or 

 generosity on the part of that government ; and in the mean time, so 

 far from wishing to exasperate the Italians against it, we would wish 

 to impress upon them a sense of whatever immunities they do enjoy, 

 and to be patient under the ills they endure. It is not political 

 freedom that Italy chiefly wants at present ; it is freedom of the 

 mind, such freedom as was enjoyed by the early Christians under the 

 Roman emperors a situation exactly similar externally to that of the 

 Italians. Until they have gained this, until " the truth has made 

 them free," national independence would scarcely improve their con- 

 dition, and they have no reason to regret the failure of the monstrous 

 attempt to transfer the government from Austria to the Duke of 

 Modena, the most wicked despot in all Europe, and happily also the 

 least. But much as he is mortified at the extreme smallness of his 

 territory, he would probably prefer even that to a much larger, which 

 he could only keep by good government; and, therefore, it can scarcely 

 be doubted that had this plot succeeded, the condition of the Italians 

 would have been worse instead of better. 



We shall always be found willing to acknowledge to its fullest ex- 

 tent all that is good in either the Austrian government, or indeed any 

 other ; and we have pleasure in stating that towards its own subjects 



