Rule of the Monk; Or, Rome in the Nineteenth CenturyGaribaldi, Giuseppe
History
Rule of the Monk; Or, Rome in the Nineteenth Century
Garibaldi, Giuseppe
Italian fiction -- Translations into English; Rome (Italy) -- History -- 1798-1870 -- Fiction
The Italian Parliament, in 1861, when Cavour was Prime Minister,
declared Victor Emanuel King of Italy, and declared Rome officially
the seat of the new monarchy; and Cavour stated, in his place as
Prime Minister, after having bestowed upon the question the utmost
deliberation, that "the ideas of a nation were few in number, and that
to the common Italian mind the idea of Italy was inseparable from that
of Rome. An Italy of which Rome was not the capital would be no Italy
for the Italian people. For the existence, then, of a national Italian
people, the possession of Rome as a capital was an essential condition."
"The choice of a capital," continued Cavour, "must be determined by high
moral considerations, on which the instinct of each nation must decide
for itself. Rome, gentlemen, unites all the historical, intellectual,
and moral qualities which are required to form the capital of a great
nation. Convinced, deeply convinced as I am of this truth, I think it my
bounden duty to proclaim it as solemnly as I can before you and
before the country. I think it my duty also to appeal, under these
circumstances, to the patriotism of all the Italian citizens, and of the
representatives of our most illustrious cities, when I beg of them to
cease all discussion on this question, so that Europe may become aware
that the necessity of having Rome for our capital is recognized and
proclaimed by the whole nation."
How the Moderates followed this advice has been already seen. But
statements were circulated in their papers, far and wide, in order to
reconcile the Italian people to a convention, that the rights of the
Roman people would not be interfered with; and when the French troops
had left, the people of Rome would have full liberty to act as they
thought proper. It was in this view that General Garibaldi visited
Orvieto shortly before his arrest, where he was received with the most
unbounded enthusiasm, the entire city being in festive garb, whilst men,
women, and children joined in according him an enthusiastic welcome.
"Our cry must no longer be 'Rome or death!'" he said; "on the contrary,
it is 'Rome and life!' for international right permits the Romans to
rise, and will allow them to raise themselves from the mud into which
the priests have thrown them."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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