370 
complished. Providence calls you 
at last, to be an independent 
people. One cry echoes from the 
Alps to the Strait of Scylla— 
the independence of Italy. What 
right haye strangers to rob you 
of independence, the first right 
and blessing of all people ? What 
right have they to reign in your 
fertile plains, and to appropriate 
to themselves your wealth, for 
the purpose of transporting it to 
countries where it did not origin-~ 
ate? What right have they to 
carry off your sons, to make them 
serve, languish, and die, far from 
the tombs of your fathers? Is it 
that nature has in vain given you 
the Alps for a bulwark, and the 
invincible discrepancy of your 
character, a barrier still more in- 
surmountable? No! no! let 
every foreign domination disap- 
pear from the soil of Italy. 
Formerly masters of the world, 
you have expiated that fatal glory 
by a servitude of 20 centuries.— 
Let it now be your glory to have 
masters no longer. Every people 
must keep within the limits fixed 
to it by nature: the sea and inac- 
cessible mountains, — these are 
your frontiers. Never think of 
passing them; but expel the fo- 
reigner who passes them, and 
force him to confine himself with- 
in his own. Eighty thousand 
Italians at Naples hasten to you 
under thecommand of their King; 
they swear never to rest until 
Italy be free; and they have 
proved more than once, that they 
know how io keep their oaths. 
Italians of all countries !—Se- 
cond their magnanimous efforts. 
Let those who haye borne arms 
resume them; let the raw youth 
accustom themselves to handle 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
them; let all citizens, friends of 
their country, raise a generous 
voice for liberty; let the whole 
force of the nation be drawn forth 
in all its energy, and in every 
form. The question to be de- 
cided is, whether Italy shall be 
free, or shall remain for ages 
bent under the yoke of slavery. 
Let the struggle be decisive, and 
we shall have established to a dis- 
tant period the happiness of our 
fine country—that country, which, 
though still torn and bleeding, is 
full of ardour and strength to 
conquer its independence. The 
enlightened men of all countries, 
the nations which are worthy of 
a liberal government, the Princes 
whoare distinguished by the great- 
ness of their character, will re- 
joice in your enterprise, will ap- 
plaud your triumphs. England,— 
can she refuse you her suffrage ? 
—that nation which holds out to 
all others the model of a national 
and constitutional government ; 
that free people, whose finest title 
to glory is to have shed its blood 
and treasures for the independence 
and liberty of nations ! 
Italians !—Having long invited 
and urged us by your wishes, you 
were surprised at our inaction ; 
but the propitious moment was 
not come; I had not yet re- 
ceived proofs of the perfidy of 
your enemies. It was necessary 
that you should be convinced by 
recent experience, how false was 
the liberality of your present 
masters, how deceitful and lying 
their promises. Fatal and de- 
plorable experience! I call you 
to witness, brave and unfortunate 
Italians of Milan, Bologna, Turin, 
Venice, Brescia, Modena, Reggio, 
and so many other famous cities, 
