Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-25
AN ITALIAN REUN ION.


with the Cairo News He is now the Italian
Vice Consul, with headquarters at Memphis
On last Thursday evening Odd Fellows Hall
was full on the occasion Of the Italians of Mem
phis presenting to Mr.. Signaigo a beautiful
flag national and embematc of Italian unity
Upon the stage were fourteen young ladies rep
resentng the sister cities of ltaly-Rome, Ma.
pies, Messlna, Florence, Genoa, Venice, We
roma, Mantua Pisa, Ancona Milan, Lucca,
Parma and Turin.
The flag was presented by a Miss Celestina
Sturla, in a neat little speech, to which S. re-
soonded as follows. His response will be read
with interest by our people generally and es-
pecially by our Italian citizens, as among them
are numbered some Of our best and most enter
prising men. OF our business men Messrs.
Devote & Ghio-both Italians-stand deserv-
edly high, being at once credit to their down.
trodden but freedom loving country and to
Cairo:
Mss Suala, Fellov- Cduntrynaen and F. lends :
I am loo well aware ofm poor merits to take
this generous ovation to myself, but am proud
to know that the compliment YOU tender me
tion which ii! true Italians bear to the mother
country, and to our valiant and dauntless war;
rior sovereign, His Most Gracious Majesty,
King Victor Emmanuel and, as his humble
representative, in Memphis, 1 thank you.
Italians, you behold the flag Of our glorious
country! What hallowed remembrance does
it not bring before you? Let your minds re-
vert back to the glorious past and you can see
our beloved tri-color waving proudly over the
- Ea1l Io@s.
the causeways of Palestro, and dauntlessly
marching in the face of angry Death to capture
the rugged nights of San Martin, on the plains
of Solferno. 1t is the flag that landed from a
weather beaten craft, the old veteran Carl
baldi, with handful Of patriots on the island
Of Sicily and who drove the last vestige Of
Bourbonism from the soil of Italy. 1t is the
flag which has made the people Of Italy one
and inseparable that will unite the peninsula
from the Alps to the Adratic, from the Adri-
attic to the Mediterranean. Its protecting folds
have never been sought in vain, whilst Mercy
and Clemency have always been it's directing
angels. The cline over which it floats is that
of the olive and vine the home of learning
and the beautiful the land of genius and of
song; the shrine where Liberty was nurtured:
where art had Its birth and music found pro-
tecting wing.
Who would not love such a country? The
proudest may well feel proud of her. You see
beside it, this evening, fellow countrymen, the
Star Spanged Banner,' the flag Of the free;''
and we, as Italians, owe it IA duty and debt of
gratitude we shall ever remember; for we can
not forget in our struggle for independence and
unity, the people Of this country always gave
their warmest Sympathies; that when Italy
became Il great nation, America was foremost
among the first to acknowledge her as such.
May God in his benign mercy shower down His
blessing on both these flags and mark their
path in friendship, glory and prosperity.
Few of those present here this evening but
remember the Italy of seven short years ago.
Land distracted by petty tyrants, who lorded
it over their enslaved subjects with foreign
bayonets The world looked upon her as in a
hopeless state-a forlorn situation. But strong
and stalwart arms were at work. In the North
west still remained a free spot, not as large as
this Congressional District, with a warrior and
a patriot King, whose big heart beat for the
good of Italy, and who had on many bloody
field, already measured swords with her foes
who had been outnumbered but not conquered
The smouldering flames of revolution burst out
anew i'll SO. with all the intensity and despera-
ton of d nation striking for existence You all
know the result Of that glorious struggle.
When the smoke of battle cleared away, the
world looked in wonder upon regenerated
nationality. and found the w1ithing Italy of
yesterday emerge from thraldom and take her
place among the first powers of the earth. 1t
was then that twenty-five millions OF free Italians
turned their grateful hearts to Victor Emman-
uel and from the borders to the center made
Italy ring with vivcs in his praise. He had
stood by them in their day of gloom the sol-
tary friend of Italy among the crown heads of
the earth, and the world will not wonder that
the big heart Of Italy feels grateful to her First
soldier for the war OF Independence 4
great, good man is Victor Emmanuel, and
among the living names of the nineteenth cen
tury none will beam brighter on the pages of
history. God bless him, protect him, and keep
I him In long life that he may see the good work
he began accomplished; for better prince,
a braver warrior, or truer man never drew
for Italy, she has one sorrow that burns her to
the heart; one Of her proudest truest and most
devoted of her daughters still bears the tyrant s
iron hoOf upon her neck. Poor Venice !! the
tears she sheds fall on her sisters cheeks like
drops Of moulton lead. She will not weep
long, for God in His own sood time will assist
his own.
Ia conclusion, pray that Almighty God in
| the plentuGe Of His goodness will guard and
protect our flag, her friends and allies, and
shower down His blessing upon our king and
country.
l now propose three cheers for his most gra-
cious majesty, King Victor Emmanuel - the
| brightest name of modern Italy, and the first
and dearest in the affection of his people.