Victor Emmanuel sought to dissuade Garibaldi from an enterprise so full
of danger as that of marching upon Naples against the wishes of the
united cabinets of Continental Europe. The King desired that matters
should proceed by negotiation, the basis of which should be that
Neapolitans and Sicilians should be allowed to decide their future
destinies for themselves. Garibaldi, who loved and trusted the honest
King, replied that the actual state of Italy compelled him to disobey
his majesty. "When," said the noble-hearted patriot, "I shall have
delivered the populations from the yoke that weighs them down, I will
throw my sword at your feet, and will then obey you for the rest of my
life." In truth, Italians of all ranks were now so roused that neither
Victor Emmanuel, Cavour, nor even Garibaldi himself could have stayed
the movement.
The overpowering strength of foreign armies could alone have put it
down. Circumstances, however, happily prevented so gross an abuse of
mere force.
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