The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-14
Italian Patriotism

Never before have the Italian people
shown such patriotism or such unan-
nifty of determination as during the
few weeks which have elapsed since
the first threats of new war in Eu-
rope: The revolutionary movements
of I848 were but an outburst of popular
enthusiasm; and in 1859, when Napo-
leon appealed to Italians to become
soldiers, the answer to the call was
comparati vely feeble, owing to nstu-
raj distrust of the man who had crush
ed Italian liberty in Rome and reestab-
lished a power odious to the people and
inconsistent with their national aspi-
rations. But to-day all the Italians are
soldiers; left to fight their enemy alone
the are apparently determined to risk
a war in order to redeem Venice from
Austrian despotism. With Victor Eman-
uel at the head of a regular army OF
100000 men; Garibaldi, the modern
Cipcinnatus, ready to take command of
sixty or one hundred thousand volun-
teers and Persano with fleet only
inferior to those of England and the
United States, the Italians are certain
ly prepared for a long battle. The
latest intelligence shows that volun-
teers are everywhere Offering their
services for the army, the navy, and
the volunteer corps, asking for no
bounty nor expecting any compeUsa-
ton. The universities, the lyceums,
the colleges and the schools of Italy
are all deserted; in many parts print
ing Offices, factories, places of industry
and agriculture are all abandoned the
municipalities vote sums of money to
support the government; funds are
provided for the poor families whose
fathers or sons have gone to the war
large premiums are offered to citizens
who may succeed in the expected fight
in sDatching flag from the enemy or in
winning the medal of military valor
pensions are to be paid to those who
shall return manned or wounded.
Committees of the most distinguished
citizens of both sexes are everywhere
organized to take care of families sban-
doned by their supporters, ADD to pro-
vide for the sick and wounded. Ladies
of the highest class prepare linen, and
offer themselves as nurses for the hos
pitfalls; eminent physicians leave their
practice to Join the army; and the
Duke Antonio Litta of Milan has Of
fered to support alone sixty three peas
ant families who live on his estates
The young brother of the Duke Wis
cont of Milan, millionaire, who in
lS59-60 served as an officer in the Sar-
dinian army, has enlisted as a private
-, . L. o.,
manuel, appealed to by Gen. Cilaldini
to give Prince Umberto a command
not so much exposed to the first at
tack and to the fire of the enemy, an
swered that his son must remain at the
post to which he had been ordered,
sensibly arguing that the blood and
life of prince are no more precious
than those of a private soldier. Moth-
ers lead their young sons to the re-
cFuitiug offices. Italians from distant
countries, and not a few from the
United States, have left comfortable
positions to engage in the common
fight Others, too young to shoulder
the musket, beg with tears to be en-
listed, after having been rejected on
account of their age, or for physical
infrmities.
As soon as the Gdzzetta del Popolo,
of Turin, proposed the idea of ma
tiOual subscription, called Consorzio
Nazionale," in order. to relieve, the
finances of the government, large
amounts of money were subscribed
among all classes, even in the army and
navy, and in less than two months ma.
ny millions of francs we're handed over
to the General Committee in Turin.
The Italians in this city, having select
ed committee from among their
most distinguished members, have al,
so answered to the national appeal,
and nearly three thousand dollars are
already subscribed, and more will be
contributed. Even the poor children
of the Italian school at the Five Points
mission have handed IN their mite.
In San Francisco, in q single day, q
committee collected among Italians
four thousand dollars in gold, and this
subscription will probably reach the
sum OF twenty thousand dollars. In
Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans,
Nashville and other cities of the Union,
wherever there are Italians, commit
tees have also been formed to collect
subscriptions for the Consorzio Nazioaals.
" i. Zee. Post