Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

expression of their joy, to that of the soldiers, who found, in the reception of the citizens, the first recompense of their hardy resolution. Asti is the birth-place of Vittorio Alfieri. The regiment passed before the hotel where this great man was born; the constitutional chiefs hail it with acclamations; they thought, in their enthusiasm, the era of glory, predicted to Italy by the poet, was opening before them.

Lisio and Santa-Rosa entered on the morning of the 12th into the citadel of Alexandrie, with the King's light-horse. Their arrival caused the governor to decide on evacuating the city, which took place by a military convention between him and Ansaldi, followed by the regiment of Savoy, and some superior officers of the regiment of Genoa, and some of the king's dragoons, He marched to Oviglio, and returned after having made this cir cuit, to the great wood of Asti and Turin,

The constitutional troops made their entry into Alexandrie at noon. The constitution was proclaimed on the great square, and the tricolored flag hoisted; the people gave loose to their joy; the happiness which pervaded every countenance formed a spectacle still more touching than the plaudits of the multitude; but this wise people did not at all insult the sadness of some families who were attached to absolute monarchy. Ansaldi took the government of the division, Santa-Rosa the command of the city and of the national guard; Collegno was occupied with the citadel,' and Charles Saint-Marsan marched upon Catel with 200 dragoons, 200 men of the regiment of Genoa, and a strong detachment of the national guard. But it is time to consider the situation of the capital, where the revolution was achieved.

Turin was full of uneasiness, and in the expectation of great events. It was known that the Count of Saint Michel had caused the Piedmontese light-horse to mount at Fassano, and that he had made them return to their quarters. Some hours after was learnt the movement at Alexandrie and the departure of the garrison of Pignerol. A proclamation from the King appeared, which sought to quell the effervescence of the army, and offered a general amnesty to the troops that would return to obedience. The pay of the subalterns and soldiers of all arms received, at the same time, a sufficient increase.

The King was returned to Turin; his authority was far from

Although the Chevalier de Collegno could not have returned to Alexandrie after the affair of Novare, the author of the 'Thirty Days' nevertheless shuts him up there, in the citadel, and is astonished that he did not defend himself.

This was in consequence of the information he received on the 9th of March..

being forgotten; but he could no longer control events, if he did not enter without hesitation, on a course more conformable to the national will and the spirit of the army. On the 11th of March Ferrero, captain of the royal light legion, who had left the city, with his company, for a town in the south of Piedmont, suddenly retraces his steps, and arrives at San-Salvario, a church upon the high road of Coni, about half cannon shot from Turin. There he proclaims the Spanish constitution, at the head of eighty soldiers, and about a hundred students, who joined him, under the conduct of Pietro Fechini, of Carta, and some other liberals, who possessed all the confidence of this bold youth. The history of revolutions presents few examples of so hardy an action. Its memory will never perish, and the name of its author will ever be pronounced with respect, whilst there remains on earth a friend to liberty.

If Ferrero counted on a movement of the people, his expectations were deceived. The inhabitants of the capital desired a free constitution; they interested themselves slowly, and at present only showed sentiments of surprise and desire. An immense crowd was assembled outside the new gate, and pressed with trou blesome regards upon this handful of intrepid citizens. The Chevalier Raymondi, colonel of the royal legion, presented himself to his soldiers; he harangued them. He was not liked: he mistook the aged and brave men. A pistol shot was discharged and wounded him slightly on the face. Captain Ferrero protects and saves him. Some troops were sent against the men of San-Salvario. Had they orders not to charge them, or did the commanding officers read in the eyes of the soldiers that they were little disposed to it? I know not how to answer. The greater part of the day passed in observation. The king was undecided, and it appeared there was disunion in his council. Towards evening the troop of San-Salvario quitted its post, marched upon Quiers, and thence upon Alexandrie,' where it arrived on the third day."

The author of the Thirty Days' Revolution in Piedmont,' accuses this troop of having committed all kinds of excesses on the unfortunate inhabitants of the villages: I could scarcely believe that the pleasure of casting odium upon a youth devoted to liberty, could have seduced him to advance this gratuitous imputation; it is however so; for the troop of Ferrero was guilty of no disorder, and paid, with the utmost exactness, for every thing which was furnished in the different communes through which it passed.

2 I need not say it was received there with transports of joy. The people were never tired of beholding this youth, devoted with so much ardor to the liberty of his country. There arrived, some days after, at Alexandria, a company of students from Pavia, who had contrived to deceive the vigilance of the Austrian garrison of Verceil, and came to range themselves under the Italian flag. The students of Piedmont and Lombardy departed together for Turin, where the Minister of war ordered their organisation

The morning of the 12th was gloomy and silent; at one in the afternoon this silence is broken by the report of three cannon: the garrison of the citadel had planted the Italian flag on the ramparts." Enrico, officer of artillery, a young patriot, endued with cool courage, had prepared this decisive movement with his comrade,2 Rossi, officer of the Genoese, Reciocchi, Viglin, and Cassana of the brigade of Aoste. Unfortunately it cost the life of Chevalier Desgeneys, major of artillery, whom a soldier pierced with his bayonet.

These reports of cannon gave warning to the people of Turin. A multitude of citizens ranged themselves on the glacis of the citadel. The cries of "Vive la Constitution" are heard. Soon the word Spanish Constitution is pronounced by a citizen; it is repeated by the people; it was in all hearts. An officer, followed by a trooper, came to reconnoitre; they cry to them to sheath their sabres; but they push their horses into the middle of the crowd, sabre in hand : in this moment of confusion two pistol-shots are discharged, and one hits the trooper-victim of the hostile attitude of which the imprudence is manifest.

The Prince de Carignan appeared; he interrogated the new chiefs of the garrison on their designs. "Our hearts are faithful to the King; but it is necessary that we withdraw him from fatal counsels. War against Austria, and the Spanish Constitution, this is what the situation of the country requires, and what the people demand." Such was the answer of the constitutionalists. The Prince returned; Pietro Muschietti, a young man, aged 25 years, an ardent patriot and excellent citizen, accosts him, with a tricolored flag in his hand, and reminds him with energy of his duty to his country. At this sight the cries of the people are redoubled, the impulse is given; the revolution of Turin is accomplished. The Italian banner ceased not to float at the side of the Prince, during all his way from the citadel to the palace. It en

1

under the name of Italian light troops (vélites): a veteran of the ancient army of Italy commanded. This is the battalion de la Minerve, spoken of by M. de Beauchamp, as having taken part in the affair of Novare, although it could only have quitted Turin on the morrow following that unfortunate day.

It was black, red, and blue; that which Ansaldi had hoisted at Alexandria was red, green, and blue. The first was similar to the Neapolitan banner; the second restored the color of the late kingdom of Italy, so dear to the Lombards. However they both disappeared some days after the Revolution, and were replaced by the ancient national flag, by order of the Regent.

It was the Prince of Carignan who appointed these two captains of artillery to the garrison of the citadel; Captain Radice, one of the most patriotic of the army, and on whom Charles Albert placed great confidence, pointed them out to him. Their sentiments were, however, well known by the Prince himself.

tered with him; but a regiment of cavalry, under arms on the place royale, seeing the crowd approach from the palace, made a charge which might have caused a carnage; but thanks to the good disposition of this troop towards the people, there were only some individuals trampled on by the horses; I believe only one was killed.

It was time for the court to take some measures. They had inquired of the chiefs of corps, if they could rely on their soldiers: "They will defend the King even to death," replied they; "we would not dare to ask of them more." I believe the Chevalier Vialardi, colonel of the gren., was the only one who gave himself more extensive assurances.

It was strongly reported that the King intended to pass through the ranks of the soldiers, and to put himself at their head in order to re-establish order. Doubtless had he appeared in the midst of his troops and his people, as the Italian and Constitutional King, transports of enthusiasm and love would have received him; but if he had demanded of the soldiers to answer the public opinion by the sabre and the bayonet, he would have seen in their darkened countenances, that the hearts of the citizens palpitated under a military dress; but Victor Emmanuel would never have made such a demand on his soldiers. I swear it by his goodness, by that goodness which had saved the country, if the conscience of the King, a little enlightened as to his political duties, had not been arrested by an obstacle. We shall relate this obstacle, and it is the greatest justification that the authors of the Piedmontese Revolution can present to Europe and to posterity. The King of Sardinia stood engaged to Austria not to give to his people any political institution: he had promised, then, to witness the wants of his people and not to satisfy them; to know their wishes and to refuse them! And he was a King? No-the Prince, with such a mark of slavery imprinted on his forehead, is not a King.

The Marquis of Saint-Marsan, Minister of foreign affairs, arrived the evening before from Laybach. Can it be true that he used all his influence over the mind of the King, in order to dissuade him from complying with the wishes of his people? I know not whether I ought to believe it; but I know well that this able statesman would, by such conduct alone, have effaced the merit of the services which he has rendered to his country, and that country and the real friends of his renown would no longer pronounce his name without feelings of the bitterest sorrow. that as it may, Victor Emmanuel, misled either by culpable counsels, or by his own conscience, signed the act of his abdication, and named the Prince of Carignan Regent of the kingdom. The unfortunate night of the 13th of March, 1821, sealed our doom.

Be

O fatal night! A night which plunged us all into mourning, which deprived Piedmontese liberty of the support of so many arms, and which dissipated, as a dream, our dearest hopes! The country, no doubt, cannot die; but our hearts were identified not only with the throne, and the country, but with Victor-Emmanuel and the country. The glory, the successes, the triumphs all were attached to his name, and his person.

he

"Ah!" said the young chiefs of the military Revolution, will one day pardon us for having made him the King of six millions of Italians ! 'No! a greater misfortune could not have befallen Piedmont. Charles Felix, the King's brother, was out of the kingdom, and Charles Albert......the public can judge whether he merits our confidence! Every thing would have taken another aspect under the auspices of Victor-Emmanuel; the army, full of joy and hope, would have been of one mind; our confidence in the King's probity and integrity, would have removed from us the melancholy prospect with which those nations are threatened who embrace the constitutional career with a King whom they mistrust. That unfortunate abdication entirely changed our position; the pen falls from my hand. Shall I describe the melancholy adieu of the King to his old and faithful servants those soldiers, afflicted at seeing themselves abandoned by their chief that people, overwhelmed with the presage of its misfortunes, and the friends of liberty turning their anxious looks towards the Re gent? The King departed for Nice, and General Gifflenga accom panied him as far as the Alps.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The Regent, instead of unhesitatingly proclaiming the Constitution of Spain, appeared disposed to wait the orders of Charles Felix. It argued very little knowledge of the state of affairs to believe that the Revolution, after having surmounted every obsta cle, would suddenly arrest its progress. The Prince well knew that all the active Constitutional party rallied round the Spanish Constitution; that this Constitution, endeared to all Italy, was the only one in which the great majority of the citizens saw the guarantee of its interests, and that the Liberals still attached to other Institutions, would neither have any support in the general opinion, nor any force ready to act.

Victor Emmanuel would hardly have been able to give another -charter on the 11th of March, and it was laboring under a strange mistake to hope for it by the 13th. The people assembled in the squares and in the streets; they were astonished at any kind of delay. It was then that Ciravegna, Colonel of the brigade of

He not only knew this, but he had himself more than once expressed a favorable opinion of the Spanish Constitution, by saying, that "it was the only one which agreed with the country." "Piedmont," he added, "wants the elements necessary for the establishment of a House of Lords."

« AnteriorContinuar »