The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-18 00:00:00

GARIBALDI AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The Crystal Palace was intended to be the P•laoe
of the People, and to • noble use did the people
put it on Saturday last.

Shortly after two o'clock the 24,000 well-dressed
people who had crowded into the transept, or climbed
the 'Handel Orchestra and surrounding galleries,
had just been properly marshalled and placed by Mr.
Rowley, who has s remarkable faculty for managing
such vast irregular armies, when a faint cheer
coming up from the northern wing announced that
the General and his friends were approaching. There
is something singularly affecting in the march of a
great cheer. You hear it first faintly in the distance,
but even then you can tell that it comes from the
throats of thousands of people. Gradually it swells
louder and nearer, until it comes out in full burst
like a torrent, and then every one rises, cheers in
response, and rushes in the direction of the sound.
The cheer from the north end of the Palace soon ,
started the whole of the central company to
their legs, and a rush was made for the tropical
regions. Flying past Egyptian columns, looking
not back on marvels of Greek or Roman art, rush-
ing through the golden filagree of the Alhambra
court, or tumbling over the many-coloured knick-
nackery of the Renaissance, the company ran madly
on in the direction of the cheer, and on emerging
from the gloomy Byzantine temple, they suddenly
felt the warm air of the tropics, and found
themselves all at once brought up by •
eight which those who witnessed it will
not speedily forget. At the foot of the
mammoth tree, in a sort of recess which looked like
a chapel, the Apostle of Liberty stood preaching his
creed to an audience of his countrymen, who,
here gathered round him, are driven positively
frantic with enthusiasm. The General wore his
simple but manly and picturesque costume of scarlet
and gray ; over his head were held large banners of
the Italian tricolor, and the descending folds of the
latter formed a most appropriate frame for the
living picture of which the Liberator formed the
grand
central figure. Midway down the staircase
over head stood a single Italian working man, and
the absorbed attention, the mute enthusiasm with
which this poor fellow gazed spell-bound on his
chosen chief was by no means the least in-
teresting feature in the proceedings of this
remarkable meeting. Those who had pre-
viously heard the General merely utter •
few monosyllables in English were perfectly
astonished at the musical flow of his eloquence I
when speaking in his native tongue, about his I
native land, and to his exiled countrymen. The
depth and resonance of the Italian speaking voice
is well known. It was much noticed when King
Victor Emmanuel spoke in the Guildhall, but the
stern oratory of the royal soldier was as nothing in
depth, in earnestness, in power of modulation, and
in real human feeling to the solemnly flowing
sentences of Garibaldi, uttered under the mammoth
tree on Saturday last. He stood, spoke, and gesticu-
lated like an inspired prophet, and the surrounding
multitude listened, cheered, sobbed, and waved
their tricoloured banners with an emotion which
forgot everything but the man and his noble words.
The following resume in English will convey a
sufficient idea of the orator's meaning, but it would
be impossible to preserve the effect produced by his
words, when uttered in his own noble language, on
an audience of his admiring countrymen :
I thank you (be said), Italian felloweountrymen for
the manner in which you have received me. You share
with me, I know, the feeling of gratitude to the noble and
glorious English nation for the help which they have given
to ne, and the magnificent manner in which they have re-
ceived me. (Cheer.) England has helped us in evil
times as well as in good times. The English
people 'Mated us in our war with Southern Italy, and
even now the hcepitals of Naples are supplied
from the &header* sent to us from this country. I I
speak from what I know, that the Queen and the government
of England, represented by Lord Palmerston—(pest
cheers) -Lord Russell, and Mr. Gladstone, have done won-1
dors for our native Italy. ((,Leers.) If it had not
been for this country we should still have been under the
yoke of the Bourbons at Naples. If it had not been for the
English government I should never have been permitted to
per the Straits of Messina. (Cheers.) Countrymee, our
landing at Naples would have been prevented, if porible, by
those despots who are now trying to crush poor little Den-
mark. It is sad when two colossi are seen trying to put
down a little country that has no mistime from any 01)111,
and hem osly its native etrength to resist the invaders.
(Great cheering.) Countrymen, I am not • soldier by pro-
ferias. I rely took up the trade of a soldier when I found
robbers in my hoses, sod I tweed • soldier to expel them.
(Great cheering.) I beciusr• soldier to fight against the op-
pressors of my country. (Renewed cheers.) Countrymen, I
admire this noble nation which stands so proudly as the
head of the civilisation of the world. I heroism:, since I have
been is this country a great deal—moire, perhaps, than you
are aware bare seen one great thing—half a million of
people kept la order by a dorm policemen—when I speak
of the English policeman I take off my hat (the General
suited the action to the word)—plain, simple policemen,
for there are no gendarme, no monchards in this
country. They cameo& live is it free air. (Chews.) Do you
know how this great fact is brought about! I will tell you.
It is became the English people love their Queen. [At the
mention of the name of hat Majesty, whom the General
celled " Can Regina," the cheering was very peat, and
several of the Behar were affected even to tears.] The
English people (he proceeded to say) have • respect for
the laws, which they know are good and just, and they love
their free and glorious nation. The English people have
not only pity and sympathy for others, they have something
here (Garibaldi accompanied the word with laying his band
energetically upon his brier). Let the ereduct of English-
men be a lesson to us. Let us imitate them, and admire
their noble and splendid institutions, and their imperishable
love of liberty. (Renewed cheering.) England is envied by
every country. Although she has got what we all know
to be the bravest army iu the world, she also has 150,000
citizens called volunteers, and if ever the cceasioa should
arise, if ever their country should be invaded, the volunteers
would have the support of millions el brave and gallant
men. Or supposing—but this is mot likely—that their
united strength should not be sufficient to resist the invader,
then, if our poor feeble efforts, our arms and our lives could
be of any service, we should always be ready to come and
assist them, as they have helped us. (Cheers.)

At the termination of this brief but energetic
speech Garibaldi wad escorted—or almost carried—
into an adjoining apartment, iu which Mr. Strange,
regardless of the fact that he was so soon about to
yield up the keys of the Palace banquet halls to a
successor, had, con amore, prepared a magnificent
luncheon, previous to partaking of which the
General held a brief levee, and cordially received a
number of gentlemen who were presented by Mr.
Negretti, including most of the Italian residents iu
London. The "cynosure of neighbouring eyes"
looked considerably exhausted, but as bland and
cheerful as ever, had a kind word for every one,
and smiled as they led him over to the table where
the refreshments were placed. There was no
speech-making, except a few words from Signor
Sineo, au Italian senator, who was not afraid
to acknowledge the debt which his country
owes to Ganbaldi, and a simple proposal of
the General's health, which was drunk
with great cheering and waving of the tri-
colour. Iu a few minutes the General was con-
ducted to the gallery, where he spent a short
time looking at the tropical plants, and enjoying
with evident relish the warm climate which is found
necessary to their vitality. Subsequently, and in
other parts of the building, he seemed to suffer a
little from the cold, as be frequently put his bands
under the folds of his cloak, and shrugged as people
are wont to do in particularly cold weather. He,
thence, and followed by hts cortege, proceeded
along the gallery, cheered all along vociferously
from the multitude below, and when at last be
emerged in the front of the box or tribune
which had been prepared for his reception at
the corner of the transept gallery, the applause
broke out into a perfect tumult, and the waving
of hats and handkerchiefs was universal. Every
one stood up and every one turned towards Gari•
baldi, who smiled and bowed his acknowledgments
in hie usual graceful, dignified, and thoughtful
manner. The concert which followed, although
performed by the first artists in London, received
but moderate attention, except in those portions
which bore special reference to the distinguished