Charles Philip Yorke, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke, Vice-Admiral R.N. Part 18

Every endeavour was made by the leaders of the Italian movement to interest Europe in their cause. Much had been done in this direction at the Paris Congress of 1856. Piedmont had taken part in the Crimean War by contributing 15,000 men to the allied army. Napoleon was known to be sympathetic to the Italian cause, and in 1859, on Austria calling on Piedmont to disarm, war was declared.

The successes of Magenta and Solferino, as far as Northern Italy was concerned, gave Lombardy to Piedmont, but left Austria in the possession of Venice. Napoleon, who was by no means a whole-hearted supporter of Italian Unity, had designs of his own, and therefore did not press the campaign to its ultimate conclusion which, as Cavour had hoped, should have been the total exclusion of Austria from Italian territory. A great step, however, had been gained, and Victor Emmanuel showed his accustomed wisdom in accepting the position for what it was worth and waiting on events. This course was soon to be justified. Cavour did not live to see the success of his policy. He died in 1861, five years before the war between Germany and Austria, in which Italy took a part against her ancient foe, gave the opportunity of freeing the Peninsula from Austrian rule. On the outbreak of the war attempts were made through the mediation of Napoleon to sever Italy from her alliance with Germany, Austria offering to voluntarily cede Venice. Victor Emmanuel, however, wisely stood firm to his alliance, and the war ended in the complete discomfiture of Austria, and Sadowa must rank with Magenta and Solferino as one of the decisive battles in the Liberation of Italy. By the Peace of Prague Venetia was ceded through Napoleon to Italy, and on November 7, 1866, Victor Emmanuel made his entry into the city as King.

Rome was still a difficulty; there the Pope, supported by French bayonets, held out for his temporal powers against free Italy which wanted Rome for its capital, and Garibaldi's expedition of 1867 was a failure. 'In the name of the French Government, we declare that Italy shall never take possession of Rome,' were the brave words of the President of the French Ministry on the eve of the Franco-Prussian War.

In 1870, after his first defeat, Napoleon failed to secure the help of Italy, and Rome being denuded of foreign troops fell an easy prey to the army of the King. Thus it was through the agency of Prussia that Italy secured Liberty. The statecraft of Cavour and the patience and self- control of Victor Emmanuel gained what the impetuous bravery of Garibaldi and the revolutionary efforts of Mazzini could never have realised. Each, however, had done his part. The spirit of a people to accomplish great things must be aroused to create the energy which the master-hand must hold in check.

The force must be there, ready to propel the State when times are ripe.

The discontent which showed itself at Genoa after the battle of Novara, the ideals which animated the thousand who sailed with Garibaldi to free Sicily, were both of them valuable a.s.sets to the nation.

That there were men who for their own ends took advantage of the situation cannot be doubted, and the revolutionaries in Genoa were of this kind. The ruin they might have brought on the city of Genoa and the difficulties they would have put in the way of Victor Emmanuel had they been successful are easily imagined.

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VIII

In view of the reflections made upon Lord Hardwicke's conduct at Genoa which I have considered in the preceding chapter, I have thought it well to print, without further comment, copies of certain doc.u.ments which were found among his papers. These, I think, leave no doubt as to the light in which that conduct appeared to those best able to judge of it.

A letter from General La Marmora: dated 'La Lanterna,' 9 April, '49.

Three o'clock.

STATO MAGGIORE, QUARTIER GENERALE, della 6 Divisione, addi 1849.

OGGETTO.

'MILORD,

'J'aurai des depeches tres importantes a vous communiquer. Si ce n'est pas une indiscretion je vous prierai de pa.s.ser un moment ici d'autant plus que j'espere le Sindic de la ville voudra y venir aussi ainsi que je l'ai invite.

'Votre tres humble serviteur,

'ALPHONSE LA MARMORA.'

Letter from the Syndic of Genoa to Lord Hardwicke.

'MILORD,

'Le Syndic de la Ville de Genes s'empresse a votre demande de vous envoyer les copies des projets de capitulation entre les representants de la Ville sousdite et le General La Marmora contr[e]-signees par vous a l'original, et cela d'une maniere toute confidentielle et sans aucun caractere d'autenticite, le Municipe ne pouvant pas, (des que tout est rentre dans l'ordre,) se meler d'aucune chose qui directement ou indirectement puisse avoir trait a la politique.

'Agreez, Milord, les sentimens de haute estime et de reconnaissance que nous et la Ville entiere vous devons par la part genereuse que vous avez pris pour la conciliation de nos differences.

'De V Se Milord,

'Tres-humble et tres obeissant serviteur

'le Syndic

'A. ROFUMOTTI.'

GeNES: 12 Avril, 1849.

A MILORD HARDWICK,

Commandant le Vaisseau

de S. M. Britannique,

_La Vengeance_.

Letter from General de Launay, Minister for Foreign Affairs to Victor Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia, conferring the Cross of the Order of St.

Maurice and St. Lazarus upon Lord Hardwicke.

SECReTAIRERIE D'ETAT POUR LES AFFAIRES eTRANGeRES.

TURIN: le 22 Avril, 1849.

'MILORD,

'J'ai eu l'honneur de faire connaitre au Roi, mon auguste Souverain, les importans services que vous avez rendus a Son Gouvernement pendant les graves evenemens qui ont afflige la ville de Genes et l'empress.e.m.e.nt efficace avec lequel vous avez puissamment seconde Mr le General de La Marmora pour y ramener l'ordre. Sa Majeste, prenant en bienveillante consideration l'activite que vous avez deployee pour empecher toutes nouvelles bandes de factieux de penetrer dans la place et de se joindre aux rebelles, ainsi que les mesures promptes et energiques que vous avez adoptees pour prevenir la mise en liberte des forcats, detenus dans le bagne, que les revoltes voulaient armer, a pris la determination de vous donner, Milord, un temoignage eclatant de Sa satisfaction Royale, en vous conferant la croix de Commandeur de Son Ordre religieux et militaire des Saints Maurice et Lazare.

'Persuade que vous trouverez, Milord, dans cette marque flatteuse de la bienveillance du Roi, une preuve du prix que Sa Majeste attache au service important que, suivant les intentions toujours si amicales de l'Angleterre, Son ancienne et fidele alliee, vous avez rendu a Son Gouvernement dans les circonstances penibles ou il s'est trouve, je m'empresse de vous envoyer ci-joint la decoration qui vous est destinee.

'En me reservant de vous transmettre votre diplome aussitot que la Grande Maitrise de l'Ordre de St Maurice me l'aura fait parvenir, je vous prie d'agreer, Milord, les a.s.surances de ma consideration tres distinguee.

'G. DE LAUNAY.'

A LORD HARDWICKE,

Commandant le Vaisseau

Anglais '_Vengeance_,' &c. &c.

Despatch from Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, commanding the Mediterranean Fleet, to Lord Hardwicke.

'CALEDONIA' AT MALTA:

26 April, 1849.

'MY LORD,

'I have this morning received your Lords.h.i.+p's letters Nos. 11 and 12, of the 18th and 20th insts. detailing your proceedings with reference to the late events of Genoa, reported in your despatches of the 2nd, 7th and 10th April.

'I am satisfied that your Lords.h.i.+p's energies and personal exertions have been anxiously exercised for the preservation of order, and the humane object of preventing destruction, pillage and other atrocities in the City, and I fully appreciate the advantages which the Community has derived by their deliverance from a state of anarchy and the lawless acts of an unprincipled rabble.

'I therefore freely approve the arrangements made by your Lords.h.i.+p at the request of the Munic.i.p.ality, to protect the town as well as Her Majesty's subjects from brigandage. And also your commendable intercession with the Sardinian General on behalf of the individuals compromised for political acts, trusting that there has not been any actual infraction of the neutral position of Her Majesty's s.h.i.+p, or undue interference in the political contention of the opponents.