Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

La vigilia del '48
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action, and even againsl their own interests, sustaining iheir opinions by tbeir aets, as evinced in the case of the unonimous refusai of the medicai students of the university, to accept situalions of surgeons in the Ausfcrian army, which under olher circunistances they would have been so anxiotw to obtain.
In considering the present condition of the governments of Europe, and the signs of ine times, that are daily becomìng manifest, however premature it may seem, one can hardly repress the idea, that the great struggle between the people and the throne has at last openly commenced. The rashness of the pro­visionai governilienl of France, and ita inability to sustain itself, should such prove the case, might retard for a season, its successful progress, bnt sooner or later the hour of ita triumph must come, and the day k not far distant when the United States of America, from being among the youngest, will become one of the oldest republics of the world.
No. 24 Legation of the U. States
Vienna, March 14th 1848
Sir
I basten to apprize you, by the mail of today, which I hope may stili reach England in tóme for the steamer of the 21st Inst., of the extraordinary manifesiation which took place in this city yesterday, and which was of a nature hdtherto unknown in the Austrian dominions. On yesterday occurred the meeting of the Staende or depntation of the states of Austria, and the students of the University in this city dietermined to present to them a petition for ceriain con-cessions by the government, which they had previoualy prepared. At an early hour, the whole Street in which the Lande House {.sic] is situated and in which the Staende were to assemble was filled with students and the popnlace, and about mid-day the manifestati ons became so great in front of the building, that the troops were brought up to disperse the crowd and restore order. At the cora­ni and of the Arch-Duke Albrecht,59 who was at the head of the troops, they fìred upon the nnarmed mob, and several were killed. The excìtement upon this became very great through out the whole city, and several engagements took place, between the citdzens and the troops, about thirty of the former were said to have been killed in the city proper, and many more variously estimated from fifty to two hundred in the faubourgs. Late in the afternoon the Burger or citizens soldiers uniteci with the students and popnlace, opened to them the ci vii Arsenal of which they had control and furnished them aill with arms. To a depntation of citissens who gained access to the Emperor in the evening, he promised them reforms. The deputati on replied we ask more, we demand the im­mediate dismissal of Prince Metternich . The Prince, who was present at the interview, instantly resigned his post and ali connection with the government, statuìg that he desired not to hold office one moment after he had lost the confi-dence of the people. Last night the mob paraded the streets, compelling ali the citizens to illuminate their houses and breaking the Windows of those dwellings
59 L'arciduca Alberto (1817-1895) era il figlio maggiore dell'arciduca Cari; nel 1848-1849 combattè nelle battaglie di Santa Lucia, Mortara, e Novara.