down by the despots, it will spring anew from the roots in the soil,
which was always genial for the tree. Remember that no insurrection of
Italians has been crushed by their own domestic tyrants without foreign
aid; remember that one-third of the Austrian army which occupies Italy
are Hungarians who have fought against and triumphed over the
yellow-black flag of Austria--under the same tri-colour which, having
the same colours for both countries, show emblematically that Hungary
and Italy are but two wings of the same army, united against a common
enemy. Remember that even now neither the Pope nor the little Princes of
middle Italy can subsist without an Austrian and a French garrison; and
remember that Italy is a half isle, open from three sides to the
friendship of all who sympathize with civil and religious liberty on
earth; but from the sea not open to Russia and Austria, because they are
not maritime powers; and so long as England is conscious of the basis of
its power, and so soon as America gets conscious of the condition upon
which its future depends, Austria and Russia will never be allowed to
become maritime powers.
And when you feel instinctively that the heart of the Roman must rage
with fury when he looks back into the mirror of his past,--that the
Venetian cannot help to weep tears of fire and of blood from the
Rialto;--when you feel all this, then look back how the Romans have
fought in 1849, with a heroism scarcely paralleled in the most glorious
day of ancient Rome. And let me tell, in addition, upon the certainty of
my own positive knowledge, that the world never yet has seen such
complete and extensive revolutionary organization as that of Italy
to-day--ready to burst out into an irresistible storm at the slightest
opportunity, and powerful enough to make that opportunity, if either
foreign interference is checked, or the interfering foreigners occupied
at home. The revolution of 1848 has revealed and developed the warlike
spirit of Italy. Except a few wealthy proprietors, already very
uninfluential, the most singular unanimity exists, both as to aim and to
means. There is no shade of difference of opinion, either to what is to
be done or how to do it. All are unanimous in their devotion to the
Union and Independence of Italy. With France or against France, by the
sword, at all sacrifices, without compromise, they are bent on renewing
the battle over and over again, with the confidence that, even without
aid, they will triumph in the long run.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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