The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-29
Al Rome.
iHarper's Magazine.I


The year 1S4S-9 was memorable as a
year of National convulsions- an up
heaval of populations and crash OF fall
ing thrones. The pope, who had COM
menced as a reformer, but turned into
other paths, terrified at the disatfection
of his people, fled from Rome in disguise,
and left the Romans free to adopt what
form of Government they might prefer.
The Pope's fight was accepted as an alb
dication, and on the 9th of February,
1S49, the Roman Parliament proclaimed
Rome Republic. Mazzini was declared
Roman citizen, and made member OF
the Assembly, and he forthwith hurried
to Rome, where he was soon placed at
the head of the Republic as one OF three
Triumvirs.
He at once prepared for war with Aus
tria, flushed with her victory over
Charles Albert at Novarra. While they
were organizing their forces to resist their
avowed enemy, before month had
elapsed, France, from whom they had
every reason to expect aid, perfidiously
sent an army, under Gen. Oudinot, to
crush the Republic. Yet even against
these fearful odds Mazzini inspired his
people to resistance. He took the bold
measure of assembling all the troops, de-
filing them in battalions before the pal
ace Of the Assembly, and put the ques-
ton of peace or war to them. The uni
versal shout of "War" that rose from
the ranks "drowned in an instant the
timid doubts of their leaders," to use his
own language in narrating this event.
Louis Napoleon was then President of
the French Republic, and Italy never
forgave him for this act, which he after
ward strove to redeem. After two
months siege, during which time the
Romans proved worthy of their old re-
nown, the French gained possession of
the heights dominating the city, and
threatened to destroy it with their artil-
lery, as they easily could have done.
The Assembly, declaring further resist
ance to be impossible, called on the Tri-
umvirate to treat for peace with the
French General. This Mazzini refused
to do, saying he chad been elected a
Triumvir to defend, not destroy, the
Republic" and, with his two COL
leagues, sent in his resignation.
1t was at this critical period, when the
army of France was sent to Rome, that
Ferdinand DeLesseps showed the stuff
that was in him. He, as Minister of
France at Rome, boldly took Issue with
the French Ministry, and denounced the
sin and shame of the bombardment of q
sister Republic, in violation of solemn
pledges. He refused absolutely to have
act or part in such proceedings, and find
ing his protest to the Ministry and Coun-
Gil of State disregarded, resigned his
position, and passed from the ser
vice to which he had devoted his life,
rather than violate principle, truth,
and justice; for he surrendered not only
this high position, but his diplomatic
career at the same time, and met the de-
nunciation not only of the Ministers, but
also Of the National Assembly for daring
to run counter to the action of France.
With the frankness and fearlessness of
his nature, NJ. De Lesseps confronted his
accusers and adversaries, and in print
ed brochure of thirty-eight pages, under
his own signature, dated 25th of August,
1S49, with merciless logic and irrefraga-
BILE facts, yindicated himself, and hurled
back the denunciations of his accusers in
the Cabinet and the Assembly.