THE BATTLE OF ITALY
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Sta,—At the present critical juncture it might not come amiss to remind the Italian nation of a certain incident which occurred 83 years ago.
As an example of international co-operation it can hardly fail to convince even a shackled and terrorised people that it would have been wiser to have adhered to the former friendship rather than to have suffered themselves to be led into a pernicious alliance which has entailed nothing but misery, humiliation, death, and disaster.
I refer to the following instance in Anglo-Italian relations: In 1860, when all Europe seemed determined to frustrate the attempts of the King of Sardinia in realising the union of Italy, Lord John Russell and his Cabinet, actuated by a genuine sympathy with Italian national feeling, in which they were strongly supported by public opinion, boldly brought Great Britain in as the champion of a United Italy.
Lord John's views were embodied in a memorable despatch dated October 27th, 1860: " Her Majesty's Government can see no sufficient grounds for the severe censwe with which Austria, France, Prussia and Russia have visited the acts of the King of_Sardirtia. Her Majesty's Govern- ment will turn their eyes rather to the gratifying prospect of a people building up the edifice of their liberties and consolidating the work of their independence."
My father, who had been in Rome for two years as unofficia4 Envoy to Pius IX, and was a keen observer of events during that momentous period, wrote to his uncle a few weeks later:
"Ever since your famous despatch you are blessed night and morning by twenty million of Italians. Every day convinces me that I am living in the midst of a real national movement which will at last be crowned with success, notwithstanding the legion of enemies Italy still counts in Europe.t!
We live in different times, but history repeats itself, and our Prime Minister, during his recent visit to America, has again extended the helping hand with a chivalrous gesture to indicate to the Italian people the only road to the prompt peace they so ardently desire. There is no Garibaldi, no Cavour, no Mazzini to inspire them, but the House of Savoy, who originally benefited by British support, are still there to reassume the lead and to save the Italian people at the eleventh hour.—
Previous page
