THE ELECTIONS IN ROME.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 80, 7 November 1874, Page 12

THE ELECTIONS IN ROME.

THE NUMBER OF VOTERS. ', Rome, July 16, 1874. J, The Municipal elections have been the great event of the week. With $■ a Bfcran ge disregard to decency, which is very noticeable among the government, these elections toot place this year, as on former ". dccasions, on Sunday. That day, dedicated to worship by the whole Christian world, is chosen by the Italians for the fury and bustle Which accompany an election. This event has proved in an unmistakable manner the feelings of the Romans with regard to the government. The number of voters on the city list amounts to 14,608, and ouWf- this number there were only 4,372 voters! Where were the other 'le^n thousand ? Why did they not hasten to the polling booths to deposit their votes? They were either indifferent, or they refused to do "anything from which it might be deduced that they acknowledge or are in any way satisfied with the present government. It cannot be said that; those who hold the views of the newcomers are indifferent to tbe'intj^Bsts of the government, especially after the scenes of the 24th of Sss&i i and on other occasions. Then the only conclusion is that they>fcer followers of the Pope. So, then, the 4,372 who voted at the elections represent the persons who hold to the Italian government, and the 10,226 those who hold for the Pope. But only one fourth of this 4,372 were citizens of Some ; the rest are Italians employed in the public 'offices, as follows : Employes, 2,500 ; guards of public security, 400 ; guards of prisons, 120 ; municipal guards, 150; custom house guards/ 100 ; ushers, 150 ; forming a total of 3,370. Thus only 1,002 Roman in the proper acceptation o; the term, voted for the Municipal Councillors ! There is a logic in these numbers that; appeals powerfully those who declare that the Romans are satisfied with the Italiani-government. They declare how strongly attached to the Pontifical government the Romans are, in spite of the constant denial of this fact ; 'fold it a declaration which cannot be gainsay cd. The revolutionary Piananciani, the Garabaldian colonel, who harrassed Tivoli in 1867, and who'iwas raised to the position of Syndic, has felt himself obliged to resign.?- He goes travelling, it seems, to Switzerland, where he may, if he choose, confer with M. Rochefort, the editor of • La Lanterne.' * Amongst the newly-elected councillors is QuintinoSelia, the celebrated Finance Minister. It was effected' that an outburst of popular feeling against Selia, bo well-known for hia excessive taxation measures would be made by the people, .and hence the soldiers were kept in readiness to suppress any such tendescies by the use of the rifle and bayonet— tLe usual resource in all such cases. — , Pilot.'