Page 82 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

80 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

vention, but as soon as the campaign resolved in its favour in Novara, imme-
diately informed France to be ready to sent troops to help the Pontiff. The
French Government, that since December had planned an expedition to
Civitavecchia with the precise purpose of gaining the clerical party’s favour,
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hastened to act by itself; on April 16 , the French national Assembly allo-
cated one million and two-hundred thousand francs so that, in compliance
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with what decided by the Assembly on March 30 , an expeditionary force
could set sail from Tolon and Marseilles «to foster the desire in the Roman
population to have order restored and anarchy driven out». General Oudinot,
the son of the Oudinot who had deserved the title of «Bayard de l’Armée»
and the appointment as marshal of Napoleon I, was appointed as command-
er of the expeditionary force. The historical paradox, according to which the
republican France and his very liberal Prince-President prepared themselves
for this liberticidal action against the newly revived Roman Republic and pre-
ceded or accompanied the actions of well-known reactionary government,
was therefore fulfilled. Until the very last moment, perhaps, Louis Napoleon
cherished the hope that the Papal Court could be able to retake the govern-
ment and adjust to the already proclaimed liberal principles. Needless to say,
with the course of time and events, the contrast between a program of illu-
sions and the very different reality appeared more and more evident.
Mazzini’s idealism had to be revised to a no lesser extent. Confident in the
liberal traditions of France and in the political ideas of Louis Napoleon, and
perhaps not completely forgetful of his young activities among the members
of the Carbonari secret society, Mazzini believed that they would never
openly fight against the Republic; he was comforted also by the hope that
Venice would long oppose a resistance to Austria, that Hungary and its revo-
lution would soon prevail and that soon very serious uprisings would break
out in Germany, too.
These vain illusions had to be soon dispelled, when, on the evening of
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April 24 , the news was heard that a huge French convoy had been already
reported in the waters of Civitavecchia and that General Oudinot had sent
two negotiators ashore to request permission to disembark his troops.
Immediately the Assembly, interpreting the people’s will, gave orders to
prepare the defence of Rome against the foreigners and formulated a strong
protestation to be delivered to the French commander: «the Roman
Assembly, moved by the threat of invasion of the territory of its Republic,