[146] There was no ultimatum properly so-called; this was only a newspaper report. The Polish National Committee merely published a manifesto proclaiming that until the independence of Poland was re-established, the Poles would consider any arbitrary division of their national districts as a new partition of Poland, and threatened to protest against any such violation before Europe as a whole. This protest was eventually made on April 26 by two letters from Prince A. Czartoryski, addressed to M. de Lamartine, the Minister of Foreign Affairs at Paris, and to Baron Arnim who held the same position at Berlin.
[147] The noble and chivalrous Charles Albert, desiring to throw off Austrian influence, had formed a highly organised army and proclaimed a constitution. On him the hopes of Italian independence were set. Taking advantage of the insurrection which had broken out at Milan on March 18 and which had been followed by the defeat of the Austrian army and the flight of the Archduke Reynier, the King had declared war upon Austria on March 20. At first he rapidly carried the positions of the enemy as far as the Adige, but he was attacked by superior forces and afterwards (in August) he lost the murderous battle of Custozza and was obliged to evacuate Milan.
[148] After Milan, Venice revolted in turn. On March 20 the Arsenal was captured by the insurgents. The civil governor, Count Palfy, placed his authority in the hands of Count Zichy, the military governor, who hesitated before the prospect of bloodshed and finally surrendered to the municipality and made a capitulation with the provisional government on March 22; Venice was thus freed from the Austrians. On March 21 Treviso had also been forced to capitulate and the Austrian garrison had left the town.
[149] The Prussian troops commanded by General Blum, had marched upon Miloslaw which they captured after a desperate combat; but an advance guard which was pursuing the Poles when approaching a wood, was received by so sustained a fire, that the Prussians fled, rushed upon their own infantry which was following them, broke their ranks and swept the whole force away in rout. The Poles pursued the Prussians in turn, drove them out of Miloslaw and captured two of their guns.
[150] On May 4 Count Ficquelmont, Minister of Foreign Affairs at Vienna, was forced to resign by a tumultuous demonstration of the students who regarded him as a pupil of Metternich.
[151] For several days manifestations in favour of Poland had been proceeding at Paris. On May 15 a band of insurgents attacked and invaded the National Assembly, but order was quickly restored.
[152] On May 1 a revolutionary movement broke out at Rome, caused by the Pope's refusal to declare war against Austria. The Ministry resigned: the Pope was threatened with a provisional government, and declared in a manifesto that as chief Pontiff he could not declare war but that he left the power of declaring war as a temporal prince to his Ministry. On May 5 Pius IX. was forced to accept a Ministry composed wholly of laymen which was constantly in opposition to him.
[153] The little exiled court lived very quietly at the seat of Claremont in England which belonged to King Leopold who had kindly placed it at their disposal.
[154] M. Boismilon.
[155] It was thought that the Liberalism of Herr von Camphausen had sufficiently calmed the popular excitement to allow the Prince of Prussia to return to Berlin. At the outbreak of the disturbance he had been forced to take refuge in England. However, no sooner had the Prince arrived than the Camphausen Ministry was overthrown on June 20, after the capture and plunder of the Arsenal and the Ministry of Auerswald came into power.