ALABAMA CLAIMS. 79 



Graiau Alps, and of the Gallic territoiy on both 

 shores of Lake Leman, and at length to the possessiop 

 of extensive Italian territories, denominated Piedmont 

 by relation to the Alps and the Apennines, the 

 nucleus of the present Kingdom of Italy. 



It needs to conceive and picture to the mind's eye 

 the Alpine cradle of this adventurous and martial, but 

 cultivated race of Italianized Savoisian princes, nobles, 

 and people, — the fertile, but ravaged valleys of the 

 Rhone, the Arve, the Albarine, the Arc, and the two 

 Doras ; the castellated heights of KEcluse, Mont- 

 melian, and La Brunnetta ; the vine-clad hill-sides and 

 the lofty cols dominated by the giant peaks of Mont 

 Blanc and Monte Rosa; the sepulchral monuments of 

 Haute-Combe and of Brou, and the rich plains along 

 the Italian foot of the Alps, — in order to comprehend 

 the gro^vth to greatness of sovereigns such as Vittorio 

 Emanuele, supported by such generals as Menabrea 

 and Cialdini, and statesmen and magistrates such as 

 Azeglio, Balbo, Sclopis, and especially Cavour. 



Like his compatriot, the Marquis d' Azeglio, Count 

 Sclopis is eminent as an author. Of his published 

 writings, some are in French, such as "Marie Louise 

 Gabrielle de Savoie" and "Cardinal Morone." But 

 his most important works are in Italian ; and above 

 all, the learned "Storia della Legislazione Italiana," 

 the last edition of which, in five volumes, is a most in- 

 teresting and instructive exhibition of the successive 

 stages of the mediaeval and modern legislation of all 

 the different States of Italy. 



Such was the eminent personage who presided over 



