CAVOUR, ka-voor', CAMILLO BENs0 DI, Count (I510-61). The great constructive statesman of modern Italy. He was born in Turin, August 10, 1810. the son of the Marquis Michele Benso di Cavour and Adele, second daughter of the Count de Selion of Geneva. As a younger son, Camillo was edueated for the army in the mili tary aeadelny in Turin. serving at the same time as a page in the royal household of King Charles Albert. After graduating at the head of his class in 18211. he entered the army as a lieuten ant of engineers. Even at this early period he showed the earnestness, concentration, and abil ity which made the brilliant statesman of later years. He was proficient in the study of Iliadic maties. the languages, and history. His mind was extremely practical, and lie never cared for art or romance. lie had no taste for military life, and devoted himself while in garrison in the fort ress of lfa•d to the study of economics and Eng lisli polities. In I531 he resigned his eominis sion and undertook the management of his father's estate at Leri, in Piedmont. Without any previous knowledge of fanning. Cavour soon mastered agriculture in all its details, restored the estate. which had been much neglected, and became a leader in the introduction of progres sive methods of agriculture into Piedmont. lie ever afterwards loved the' work. and found at Levi throughout his life rest from the cares of State. in this occupation and in travel C'avour spent fifteen busy and profitable years. The demo eratie monarchy of England was alWayR his and he was a great admirer of Anglo-Saxon lib erty. in England he made a thorough study of the political. social, and industrial institution:. In 1f.147, when the censorship of the press had been abolished in Piedmont, Cavour. realizing the power that this agency might have in the great struggle for which Italy was preparing. estab lished in Turin. with Cesare !Who and others. a journal. 11 llisorgini•nto. \\hie)] declared for inde prudence, unity. and reform. A moderato Con t iVe in his views, a stanch supporter of the monarchy, but a constitutionalist, he satisfied the extremists of neither party, and was far front being a popular leader: but his ability, independence. and courage commanded respect. Dis greatness was in nothing more marked than in the impersonality of his work. In 1S-1`.;, when Genoa was about to send a deputation to Turin to ask for a civic guard and the ex pulsion of the desnits. Cavour. at a meeting of journalists held to decide on a action, declared that the demands of the Genoese were too moderate, and that a constitution was the only remedy for existing evils. This was. for the times. :t revolutionary declaration. and especially startling as coming from a tive. Cavour had. indeed. been regarded as al most a reactionary, so little was his moderation understood in the passionate polities of the time. Events justified Cavour: in February Charles Albert (q.v.) set his signature to the famous Staiu/o. the Constitution of Piedmont around which, under Cavour's leadership, all the advo cates of Italian liberty and unity gradually rallied. He entered Parliament in IS-N. a pro nounced advocate of a free and united Italy. This platform was sufficient for lihn during his whole career. He never separated the two and he decided at the outset that they could lie attained only under the ]louse of Savoy. He never sympathized with Mazzini and the Re publieans, whose theories lie believed ill adapt ed to Italian conditions. On March 7. 1850. Ca your. speaking on the proposition to abolish the special jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical courts. declared that by persevering in her re
form policy Piedmont would be "gathering to herself all the flying forces in ltal•, and would be in a position to lead the mother country to House high destinies whereunto she is called." This expression of an aggressive national Italian policy brought Cavour into still greater promi ILCnee, and upon the death of the Count of Santa Rosa he was called into the Cabinet. then headed by Nlassimo d'Azeglio (Tv.). at first as ister of Agriculture, then as Minister of Com merce and of the Nlarine. Ilo now gave up his journalistic connections. and entered upon his great career as a State-builder. Be also dis posed of all his holding, in agricultural and in dustrial companies. In April, 1531. lie was made "Minister of Finance, and in the same year, hay hug become the dominating force in the Ministry, he made the famous alliance with Urbane Ilattazzi (q.v.). leader of the Left, Cen tre. by which the two parties of the Centre unit ed in support of the in opposition to the Extreme Right and the Extreme Left. It was through this union of moderate parties that enVOUT proposed to foster the new Italy. Ile was never a party man, and looked only to the good of the State. The compact with Rattazzi, known as the connubio, was disconntenaneed by d'Azerdio, and led to a rupture in the Cabinet 'April 13, 1552 ) . Cavour retired teuiporarily from office. and went to France and England. to find nut how the connabio was regarded among those whose aid he hoped to obtain in realizing- Italian aspirations. Ile was reassured by his reeeption in both countries: but he made up his mind that, of the IWO, it was Frame that must be looked to for active support in vstablishing the new Italy as against Austria. ]le therefore devoted his energy to wincing the man who was then directing the destinies of France—the new Emperor Napoleon. A min isterial crisis occurred on his return to Pied mont, and Cavour beeame the head of the Gov ernment. holding the posts of of Finance and president of the Connell. Ile gave Ids im mediate attention to the material development of the kingdom, the rehabilitation of its finances. and to various reforms, such as the legalization of civil marriage. the suppression of the mendi cant orders, and the encouragement of seenlar education. In 1S'54 he saw, in an alliance with France and England against Russia, an oppor tunity to bring Sardinia into the councils of Europe. lie brought about the alliance. in spite of the opposition of every one in the country excepting the King and the ministers. Ten thou sand troops of the reorganized Sardinian Army were dispatched to the Crimea. It was a dan gerous game. and might have failed but for the fatuous policy of Austria. upon which Ca Your had counted. The Sardinian contingent won the respect of their allies. Austria's weak course destroyed her primacy in Continental af fairs. and at the Congress of Paris (see Pants, CON l:IIESS one . in 1350, Cavour accomplished his great object in compelling the representa tives of the Powers to admit Sardinia to their councils and to take up the condition of Italy for international consideration. At the con gress Cavou• stood for the aspirations of Italy, and while he .;aired nothing directly for Sar dinia, he secured reeognition as an Italian leader, which he desired more. It was Italy, rather than Sardinia or Piedmont. of which he always spoke and thought. While these events were passing he was also engaged in a struggle with the Church over the disestablishment of the religious orders.