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
"As soon as the ceremony was over, they came down the aisle, and I had
an admirable view of the king and the Liberator face to face, and as a
gleam of sun shone out on the monarch, every line was visible.
'Humanity' came first, and 'Divinity' after. The difference in the two
expressions could not fail to strike the most insensible. I looked at
Victor Emanuel's unvarying face and bold glance, and said, he is the _Re
Galantuomo_, true to his word, and ready to maintain it with his sword;
but I looked on Garibaldi, and felt all the moral grandeur of his
character—not a statesman, because he is something much higher—he
carries in his face his character: an amiability which wins all hearts,
and an energy which overcomes all difficulties. The crowd around each
was immense, though the soldiers round the church on either side did all
they could to keep the path open, but it was all of no use; one of the
poorest of the poor laid hold of his sovereign's hand and walked with
him; and the people clung to Garibaldi and kissed and embraced him as a
father. He was the greater idol in a temple of idols; and so the royal
party walked down the church, and entered their carriage in the midst of
the bursts, and long-continued storms of applause, as heretofore. The
king was dressed, let me say, as a general of division, and Garibaldi in
the same simple dress in which he had conquered the Two Sicilies and
given away a kingdom.
"As the cathedral clergy refused to officiate on this occasion, the
clergy of the palace offered their services."
On the 8th of November, the day after his entry into Naples with the
king, at eleven o'clock, Garibaldi, followed by the ministry, presented
to his majesty, in the throne-hall, and in the prescribed form, the
_Plebiscitum_, or Vote of the People. The Minister of the Interior and
Police thus addressed the king:
"SIRE: The Neapolitan people, assembled in Comitia, by an immense
majority, have proclaimed you their king. Nine millions of Italians
unite themselves to the other provinces governed by your majesty with so
much wisdom, and verify your solemn promise that Italy must belong to
Italians."
The king answered in a few noble words. The act of union was performed.
The ministry then offered their resignation, the dictatorship having
expired from which they had received their powers. The enthusiasm of the
people of Naples continued to be expressed in the highest degree.
The Capitulation of Capua was signed November 2, and, abridged, was in
these terms:
"Convention on the capitulation of Capua, arranged by mutual agreement,
by order of his excellency, Gen. Della Rocca (commander of the corps of
the Sardinian army), commanding the besieging corps, and by order of
Field Marshal De Cornet, commanding the place, by the undersigned
commissaries, and afterward ratified by the respective generals in
command.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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