CAVOUR ON THE DEFENCE

the material position which Russia occupied, and directed his minister to telegraph to Turin his profound indignation, demanding the punishment of the authorities at Genoa, and inquiring if the filibustering Captain Garibaldi still wore the uniform of his Sardic majesty? The English naval officers at Genoa looked on encouragingly, if they did not aid in the embarkation of the Italian volunteers : and their conduct was also described as infâme. •

Cavour bore this cross-fire of diplomatie batteries directed against him with wonderful courage and calmness, and ably defended himself and his ministry from attacks on every side, Why, he asked, should Sardinia throw herself in the way of an enterprise against an incorrigible government ? What right had the world to expect that she was bound to hinder Garibaldi’s disembarkation in Sicily ? If the Irish and Austrian volunteers could overrun Italy in order to form a Pope’s Brigade, without let or hindrance, the Government of Turin could not, without divorcing itself from the national cause, forbid the Ligurian cruisers to carry Italian men to render that aid to the Sicilians which brothers in distress hâve a right to expect from brothers. And if Giuseppe Garibaldi had raised the standard of popular war, and the flower of Italian youth were enlisted in his troop, the monarchy could not without destroying the foundation of its strength, wrest the arms from the hands of those gallant volunteers, It would be to throw Italy into complété anarchy. In short, Victor Emmanuel and his government were pledged to the national cause.

and they did not mean to stultify themselves by taking part with the enemies of that cause.

It needed ail Cavour’s bold spirit and subtle Itallan intellect to carry his sovereîgn and country through the breakers that stormed round them at this period. So well had he concealed the secret encouragement he had given to the volunteers, that he had to bear the bitterest reproaches and upbraidings for his supine indifférence to the sufferings of his fellow-countrymen in the south. He was even accused by the Mazzinians of opposing and thwarting the leader of the expédition. While he was being vilified by the republicans, reproached by the royalists, and stormed at by the diplomatists, he listened with that sublime serenity of soûl which carried him through one of the most trying of political careers to a glorious finale, and said nothing but what was absolutely necessary in reply to the great powers.

Victor Emmanuel went hand in hand with him in his daring policy : and the news of Garibaldi’s unbroken sériés of victories in Sicily filled them both with hope and joy.

To Signor La Farina at Palermo.

Turin, June ig, l86o.

I hâve received your letters of the I2th and I4th, and I will preserve them as historié documents. . . Persano will give you ail the aid he can without compromising our banner. It would be a great matter if Garibaldi could pass into Calabria. Here things do not go