Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

Libri e periodici 129
addrcssed the troops, who had been drawn np to inflict the scntencc; and strange lo say, ihis was pcrmittcd by tbc commanding officer. He spoke boldly, for now he had trothing to fear. He spoke of the wrottgs of Italy, of bis intentimi having been to contribute his efforts to redress tbcm; tliat he was now a martyr in the cause of liberty and that he died willing for bis country. The order was now givcn to fire, he having been permilted to conclude, bui such was cmotion of the Coimnander himself, bis sword foli front his hand in giving the order. The condoni ned ali shouted La giovine Italia [sic], the gnns were dischargcd and not a man was touched. The second lire concluded the tragedy. È un aspetto nuovo della leggenda dei Bandiera.
I rapporti di William Hawkins Polle (1845-1847), di Alexander Hatnmeti (1847-1848), di John Rowan (1848-1850), ci portano in piena rivoluzione italiana, vista con un certo distacco e, almeno da parte del Rowan, con un certo scetticismo nei riguardi della interpretazione patriottica. Il 2 settembre 1848, per esempio, egli scriveva che a majority of the Siciliana thcmselves prefer to return to the old order of things: and tlierc is little doubi but such will he the case (I, p. 662); e il 3 marzo 1849 non esita ad esprimere un giudizio nettamente sfavo­revole sulle esperienze democratiche italiane. The Italian people, unable to comprehend the principle which binds our country, in a union of pesce, power and prospcrity seem unsuited to the reception of Democratìc institutions. In evcry place where a republic has been established, it has been preceded by acts of violence and crime, and however repugnant to our ideas of freedom, the march of Austrian troops into Italy, may be, the friends of good order, see no other means of being protected from the plunder of Ephemeral bodies assuming the reins of Government I cannot help feeling with the deep regret that must be experi enced by a citizen of the United States, that a better development [sic] of the noble principle of Democracy has not taken place, and I am inclined to beleive Iste], that to adapt republican institutions to minds trained under mc-narchical and despotic Government must fai! from the very nature of the soil on which tlicy are implanted . Malgrado questo, iho' I am not sanguine enough to expect that Republican ideas will for the present be received in Italy, I bave every reason to hope and to beleive Iste], that an improvcd spirit of Government ia abroad, that constitutional forma, suited to the character of the people, will take place in every pari of the Peninsula> (I, p. 670).
All'indomani della catastrofe delle speranze liberali Edward Joy Morris (1850-1853), pur mantenendosi su una linea di corretta cordialità nei suoi rapporti col governo napoletano metteva in rilievo lo stato di insicurezza e di tensione in cui ai trovava il Regno. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies scriveva al segre­tario di Staio J. M. Clayton il 5 oprile 1850 is nominally under constitutional government. The fundamental law seems to be very unacceptable to his Majesty and various pretexts bave been resorted to, to gel rid of it altogether. Il is, in effect, a dead lei ter... The tranquiUity of this kingdom is not securely re-csiablinhcd as the mainlenance of one of the largcst standing armics in Europe indi-calce. A rigid system of espionagc is established, and the King and people live in mutuai distrasi of each otherV purposos and fcelings (II, p. 2).
E, quando il Morris rievocava gli orrori della recente repressione della rivo­luzione siciliana, le sue parole risonavano con una asprezza ignota al suo prede­cessore. The ferodty of timi coment must bave been extreme indeed, when, in an age of Christian eivilizaiion, auch a city ns Catania, one of the richest, and most degan t, of ita size in Europe, could ha ve been del ivo re d np to saek for five conscrutive day by (he commandhig officer of the Ncapolltan troops. Martial
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