The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-22 00:00:00

GARIBALDI IN FRANCE.

Garibaldi, since his arrival at Tours (writes the
Correspondent of The Taus) has been reported ill and
desirous of repose, but, hearing that he was likely soon
to leave Tours, I went this morning to Pee him. I
found him in a small room at the Prefecture, of which
the windows look out on the venerable garden of that
building. One of the Ministers VMS just leaving the
room, and only one person was with him. He struck
me as looking elder than when I last saw him, now, I
think, about three years ago, in Florence—a few more
lines added to the furrows which the hardships and
sufferings of an eventful life have ploughed in his
benevolent countenance—but not more infirm, and he
spoke in his usual clear, cheerful tones of the past, the
uresent, and even of the future. Its was not in pain,
and he hopes be still has vigour left to render some
service to a canes which, so short a time ago, none
would have dreamt of his being found sustaining.
But it is a Republican cause, as well as that of the un-
fortunate and comparatively feeble, and either con-
sideration might suffice to enlist him in it.

Ile had noC been fatigued by his journey; the rail-
way company had put a commodious saloon carriage
at his disposal, and he had travelled at his ease. lie
had no difficulty in getting away frcm eaprera. Up
to a short time before his departure the island was
strictly guarded. An Italian corvette and A number
of smaller vessels cruised around it, troops bad been
land,: and encamped, and he could see their tents as
he lay in his bd. All these precautions suddenly
ceased- -probably when the Roman business was over—
and he was free to go where he listed—fortunately,
perhaps, for him, for he was determined, under any
circumstances, to quit the island.

He spoke of Rome, and of the great event that had
just happened there, and with which at another time the
whole world would have rung, hut which now seems to
have passed comparatively unnoticed, amid the clang
of arms that deafens Europe and the streams of blood
that sully its soil. He traoed the similarity between
the fall of the Pope and that of Napoleon, each occur.
ring on the morrow of what seemed a crest triumph
i —the Encyclical and the Plebidcite. When I men-
tioned LaMarmora'ri having gone to Rome, he smiled,
and said ; it is not his wont, in his ordinary con-
y, ',ration, to inveigh against persons whom he dislikes
or despises ; but I fancied I could read his thoughtsand
that it occurred to him that the hero of Custogaa was
sent now to Rome as he had been to Naples when the
work was done, to shine in the laurels he had no share
to gathering.
Garibaldi said he did not know whether he should
leave Tours that eight, as had been reported; it was
not yet settled, but he expected to leave very soon,
and probably, in the first instance, for Macon. His
command is to be that of Franca-Tireurs in the East
of France, which will, of course, include the Vosges,
likely to be their chief stronghold and field of action.
Once more in the field, in his latter days, it may al-
most be thought A is his destiny to die in har-
ness- in that famous red shirt and gray poncho
made familiar by his portrait to the eyes of the most
remote nations. His countenance brightened when I
Pvle to him of old friends, both in Italy and in
England, and alluded to scenes in which I had for-
merly met him and to incidents of his past campaigns,
and I asked him if be really, after all he had suffered
and gone through, felt himself equal to take the field
once more, and personally to direct operations. He
did, he raid; not on foot, certainly, but partly on
horseback, partly in a carriage, tie hoped to be able
once more to render some service. He goes against a
formidable foe, at the head of new levies, most of
which may be said to have little of the soldier beyond
their courage and in very numerous cases considerable
skill with the rifle. Ent he has all his life been used
to handle such materials, to shape them to his purpose,
to arouse their enthusiaeni, and so to direct their
inexperience as to render them formidable even to
the most highly disciplined troopa. Hitherto he has
chiefly hail his own countrymen to command, who
looked upon him as the personification of Italian
patriotism, and seemed electrified by the spark of
his ardent and fearless spirit. It will be curious to
watch whether he will exercise the same sort of facet.
nation ..n foreigners fighting in an equally national
cause. Let us hope that no Prussian marksman will
take a life which has been spared by the countless
Austrian bullets among which it has been freely risked.
Such was my heartfelt wish as I parted from the man
who has made himself a name which will be as re-
nowned in the world's annals an those of the greatest
conquerors, and with whom one never can be, even for
a Alert half-hour, without acknowledging the charm of
his presence, and forgetting hia.mietakes in admiration
..f his many noble qualities.