The Life of General Garibaldi: Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.Garibaldi, Giuseppe
History
The Life of General Garibaldi: Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.
Garibaldi, Giuseppe
Garibaldi, Giuseppe, 1807-1882
"And with such care his busy work he plied,
That to naught else his acting thoughts he bent.
In young Rinaldo fierce desires he spied,
And noble heart of rest impatient,
To wealth or sov'reign power he naught applied
His wits, but all to virtue excellent."
_Fairfax's Tasso._
GARIBALDI'S POSITION—A PAUSE IN HOSTILITIES—A
PERIOD OF PREPARATION—PUBLIC ANXIETY—THE SICILIAN
FORTRESSES—CATANIA— MILAZZO—BOATS, MEN AND ARMS
COLLECTED AT FARO—LANDING ATTEMPTED AT SCYLLA—A
SMALL BODY SUCCEED.
Garibaldi had now been forbidden by the king to attempt any further
conquests, and warned not to attempt to dethrone the King of Naples; and
he had declared that he should do both. From that moment Victor Emanuel
was virtually proclaimed "King of Italy," in spite of his own will and
word. What induced Victor to write that letter may easily be imagined;
what induced his prime minister to dictate it, will probably be always a
matter of conjecture. Garibaldi's reply, and the measures which he
subsequently adopted, with the results to which they led, will ever
stand on record, where they can be read by the present and succeeding
generations; and the world will form their own opinions of his character
and capacity, without the aid of many comments or explanations.
Much was said and conjectured respecting the dissension which had
existed before this time, between Garibaldi and Farina, a particular
friend of Count Cavour. Garibaldi had appointed Farina counsellor at
Palermo, and afterward dismissed him. It appears, even from Farina's own
statement, that it did not arise from any disposition in Garibaldi to
establish a republic, or otherwise to prevent the final annexation of
Sicily to the kingdom of Sardinia, but was merely to postpone it for a
time which he thought more favorable. It appears from other evidence,
that Farina wished to have severe measures taken against some of the
Republicans, but that Garibaldi rejected the proposal with noble scorn;
and to prevent his further interference, banished him and two others
from Sicily, by the following decree:
"'Signor La Farina, Grasselli and Toti, are affiliated to the police of
the Continent. The three were expelled for having conspired against
order. The government, which watches over public tranquillity, could not
tolerate the presence of such individuals.'
"The 'Opinione National' of Turin, stated that Farina had full power
from the Sardinian government to assume the title of royal commissioner,
as soon as annexation was declared. Garibaldi, while advocating
annexation, thought it advisable that his dictatorship should continue
till the whole island was subjected, and finding that the presence of
Farina was detrimental to the cause, he ordered him off."
La Farina afterward published the following explanation:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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