Year: 1871

The following letter from Vice Pesi-
dent Colfax has been received by Mr..
Theodore Roosevelt, Chairman of the
Committee of Arrangements of the meet
ing for the celebration of the compile
ton of Italian Unity, held in New York
recently:


WASHINGTON. January 6, 1871.


My DEAR SIR-It would afford me
great pleasure to accept the invitation of
your committee to attend the meeting
next week to celebrate the completion of
Italian unity if it were within my power.
But public duties devolved on me by
the people, and which have a prior
claim on my time. forbid my leaving
the Capital while Congress is in session
except in the rarest possible cases.


While l recognize to the fullest extent
the Considerations of propriety which
restrain American citizens, and especial
ly those in official life from active inter
ference with the affairs of other lands by
illegal propagandism, improper inter
vention, &C., there is nothing in either
propriety or usage which prevents the
open expression of our Joy when for
eign countries take step forward to as
simulate their institutions in a greater
or lesser degree with those of which we
are justly proud, and which, with Gods
providence blessing them, have achiev-
ed for us as a nation our wonderful his
torical progress and developement.


can therefores heartily respond TO
these emphatic words of Victor En-
manuel to the Italian Parliament: at
ally IS free and one 1t now depends on
US only to render her great and happy"
We who live here under the protection
of a constitution which unites so many
millions of people into one nation, for
bids the establishment of any State re-
ligion, and which guarantees the free
exercise of all religious thought, can re-
alize the full import of those short but
weighty words of the Italian King, "free
and one" And he says truly that it
depends on her people only, thus united
and free, to render their nation great
and happy" I would rejoice evermore
if Italy had reached the summit of true
popular sovereignty which our republic
has attained, for am one of those who
believe that republics. with wise men at
their heads, are possible on all conti-
nents and in all parallels of latitude
She has, however, chosen her own form
of Government and we can not challenge
her decision. But I may add that moth
ing is clearer than that if she desires to
be great and happy" she must estab-
lish and maintain as the very corner
stone of United Italy, civil and religious
F, liberty The equality of all under the
law, by protecting in Courts and Parlia-
ments the civil rights of the poorest as
energetically and faithfully as those of
the richest and most powerful. and as
the fitting adjuncts of this great idea OF
civil liberty the right of all to worship
/ God as their individual conscience com
mands, guaranteed alike to Jew and
/ Gentle, to Protestant and Catholic. to
Priest and Layman, to King and Pope.
In this sign they will conquer. For out
/ of this new life civil and religious Hber-
/ ty will flow peace and happiness, pro-
gress and prosperity. with material and
national develoPement and advance
ment as surely as healthful streams flow
from fountains of purity.


Respectfully. Yours,


SCHUYLER COLFAX.


THEODORE ROOSEVELT, Chairman.