The revolutionary tide of 1848 reached Milan on 18 March 1848 when a popular rebellion (underpinned by the threat of military intervention from Piedmont) forced the Austrian forces under Field Marshal Radetzy to stage a strategic withdrawal from the city, where a (destined to last for around four months) was established. At the time when the rebellion broke out Griffini was a few weeks short of completing his university medical studies, but now he felt obliged to abandon these in order to participate in the revolt. The expulsion of the Austrians meant an end to censorship and unleashed a proliferation of leaflets, pamphlets and newspapers. Griffini teamed up with Pietro Maestri to launch "Voce del popolo" ("Voice of the people"), a daily tabloid-sized newspaper published in Milan between 26 March and 29 July 1848, with a cover price of . Another contributor was Gaetano Zuccoli. The "Voce" was aimed at a mass audience but represented an interesting experiment in Lombard journalism, and a test of the skills of its two young editors. It was, of course, unflinching in its backing for republicanism and democracy, but it was nevertheless non-confrontational in its attitude to the provisional government, accepting that the detailed nature of future political institutions could only be determined once the war was over, but without yielding in its "people's war" supportive attitude to the national guard, constitutional principals and universal suffrage. The relatively conciliatory spirit in respect of moderate-liberal opinion was summed up in a strikingly "constructive mission statement" printed and signed by the two editors on 26 March 1848: "Our political approach, for now, is to be helpful, supportive and obedient to the provisional government" ("Il nostro motto politico è, per ora, aiuto, soccorso, obbedienza al Governo provvisorio").