ROME AS THE CAPITAL OF UNITED ITALY[1]
(1861)
Born in 1810, died in 1861; entered the Sardinian Parliament in 1848; became Prime Minister in 1852; joined the Alliance in the Crimean War; acted with Napoleon III. in 1858–59 in the war against Austria; secretly supported the expedition of Garibaldi of 1860; secured the unification of Italy under Victor Emmanuel in 1861.
Rome should be the capital of Italy. Without the acceptance of this premise by Italy and all Europe there can be no solution of the Roman question. If any one could conceive of a united Italy having any degree of stability, without Rome for its capital, I would declare the Roman question difficult, if not impossible, of solution. And why have we the right, the duty of insisting that Rome shall be united to Italy? Because without Rome as the capital of Italy, Italy can not exist. This truth being felt instinctively by all Italians, and asserted abroad by all who judge
- ↑ Delivered early in 1861, and one of the last of Cavour's speeches. On February 18 the first Italian Parliament had met at Turin. Cavour urged with all his power that Rome should be made the permanent capital. In May a vote to that effect was passed, but Cavour did not live to see the transfer made. He died on June 6 following the vote. A contemporary translation revised for this collection.
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