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Unforgotten Classics
AUSTRIAN ASSASSINATIONS IN LOMBARDY
AUSTRIAN ASSASSINATIONS IN LOMBARDY
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A Great crime has been committed at Milan--the greatest indeed which the human mind can conceive -- that of violently depriving unarmed men of life; therefore it was an act of cowardice: men taken unawares; therefore it was an act of treachery: men untried and uncondemned; therefore it was an act of tyranny, and that the tyranny of low assassins:--the victims were men who could not retaliate on their murderers, and whom it was therefore incredible they should desire to provoke;--men on the contrary who were themselves provoked, in order that the simplest expression of feeling on their part might be made a pretext for their murder. May we not, therefore, designate the whole matter as cowardice, treachery, tyranny, and fraud?
In drawing a comparison between the massacres of Gallicia and those of Milan, we find that in the latter treacherous provocation has been superadded--the crime of Austria progresses!
A shudder of pity and disgust pervaded Italy on the announcement of these disgraceful transactions. In every city funeral obsequies were celebrated in memory of the victims, and the justice of God and of men was invoked to revenge their innocent blood. Italy devoted herself for a time to sorrow and tears;--a tribute due to these, her sons, whose life had been sacrificed in her behalf. But they paid their debt, as we are each prepared to pay ours. The 'mode was grievous; it was horrible: but it is not given to man to choose his fate; he has only to meet it with firmness. All have fulfilled their duty. This much is done.
I now say to Italy--Rejoice! Austria is reduced to have recourse to assassination! Austria assassinates! Our cause is won!!
It is won! because a Government which adopts such methods--which depends for its existence upon such crimes as, when committed by an individual, are punished with the gallows ;--a Government which reduces assassination to a system, (and the events of Gallicia repeated at Milan, prove it to be a system and not an isolated case,) proclaims to the world that it is abandoned of God, and execrated by men; that it has exhausted all the means of restraining and ruling its subjects, not only those honourable means which conciliate good will, and are consistent with a just and merciful rule, but such also as force obedience, which, although held to be iniquitous, are still more or less tolerated in civilised nations, because they possess, at least, some first principles--some faint show of legality and justice. Among these we count exceptional tribunals, special commissions, the tombs of Spielberg; we give a large scope to Austria, since it is not requisite with her to descend to subtleties. We will grant that without such means she was not safe in Italy; but now it is not we who affirm it.: she has herself proclaimed that even they suffice not, and that she must have recourse to assassination.
Therefore, I repeat, the cause of Italy is won!
In drawing a comparison between the massacres of Gallicia and those of Milan, we find that in the latter treacherous provocation has been superadded--the crime of Austria progresses!
A shudder of pity and disgust pervaded Italy on the announcement of these disgraceful transactions. In every city funeral obsequies were celebrated in memory of the victims, and the justice of God and of men was invoked to revenge their innocent blood. Italy devoted herself for a time to sorrow and tears;--a tribute due to these, her sons, whose life had been sacrificed in her behalf. But they paid their debt, as we are each prepared to pay ours. The 'mode was grievous; it was horrible: but it is not given to man to choose his fate; he has only to meet it with firmness. All have fulfilled their duty. This much is done.
I now say to Italy--Rejoice! Austria is reduced to have recourse to assassination! Austria assassinates! Our cause is won!!
It is won! because a Government which adopts such methods--which depends for its existence upon such crimes as, when committed by an individual, are punished with the gallows ;--a Government which reduces assassination to a system, (and the events of Gallicia repeated at Milan, prove it to be a system and not an isolated case,) proclaims to the world that it is abandoned of God, and execrated by men; that it has exhausted all the means of restraining and ruling its subjects, not only those honourable means which conciliate good will, and are consistent with a just and merciful rule, but such also as force obedience, which, although held to be iniquitous, are still more or less tolerated in civilised nations, because they possess, at least, some first principles--some faint show of legality and justice. Among these we count exceptional tribunals, special commissions, the tombs of Spielberg; we give a large scope to Austria, since it is not requisite with her to descend to subtleties. We will grant that without such means she was not safe in Italy; but now it is not we who affirm it.: she has herself proclaimed that even they suffice not, and that she must have recourse to assassination.
Therefore, I repeat, the cause of Italy is won!
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