"Secretary of State—(Signed)—Francesco Crispi.
"Palermo, June 2, 1860."
This is a characteristic act of Garibaldi, in whom sympathy and compassion for the poor, weak, and defenceless, form the basis of his character, and have ever given the impulse to his great enterprises, his perseverance, dauntless heroism, splendid successes, and disinterested rejection of honors and rewards. (See these traits, as displayed in childhood, on pages 14 and 15 of this volume, and recorded by his own pen.) Oh, when shall we see such principles ruling our legislators and our citizens? When will they rule in the early education of our families? When all our mothers and fathers are more like Garibaldi's!
CHAPTER X.
"There are some good priests in Italy, but so few, that we call them Mosche Bianche (White Flies)."—Adventures of Rinaldo.
GARIBALDI SOLICITED BY THE SICILIANS TO ACCEPT THE DICTATORSHIP—DEMAND FOR ARMS—GARIBALDI'S PROCLAMATIONS ESTABLISHING A GOVERNMENT, ETC.—HIS DIFFERENT WAYS OF TREATING GOOD PRIESTS AND JESUITS—REASONS—THE KING OF NAPLES' LIBERAL DECREE—REJECTED.
As soon as Garibaldi landed and went a little way into the interior, all the most influential members of the aristocracy, as well as the free communities, asked him to assume the dictatorship in the name of Victor Emanuel, king of Italy, and the command in chief of the national army.
The first thing, of course, was to organize the military forces. Until then it was an affair of volunteers, who collected round one or another influential man of their town or district, all independent of each other, and remaining together or going home, as they pleased. A decree of the 19th May, from Salemi, instituted a militia, to which all belong from 17 to 50; those from 17 to 30 for active service in the field all over the country; those from 30 to 40 in their provinces, and those from 40 to 50 in their communes. The officers for the active army are named by the commander-in-chief, on the proposal of the commanders of the battalions; those of the second and third categories, only liable to local service, are chosen by the men themselves. But it is rather difficult to act up to this decree under the circumstances. Still, the thing in and about Palermo made progress. The squadre were now regularly paid, and probably they could not be kept together if they were not. They are called "Cacciatori del Etna" (Hunters of Etna).