ever betray. Solferino and San Martino may sometimes
redeem Novara and Waterloo, but the apostasies of princes are always
irreparable. I am moved to the bottom of my soul by the faith and love
which this noble and unfortunate people has reposed in me, and rather
than be unworthy of it, I will break my sword and throw the crown away
as did my august father. Personal interest does not guide me in
defending the annexations; the Sword and Time have borne my house from
the summit of the Alps to the banks of the Mincio, and those two
guardian angels of the Savoy race will bear it further still, when it
pleases God.'

The events in Central Italy to which the King alludes were of the
highest importance. L.C. Farini, the Sardinian Royal Commissioner at
Modena, when relieved of his office, assumed the dictatorship by the
will of the people. L. Cipriani became Governor of Romagna, and at
Florence Ricasoli continued at the head of affairs, undismayed and
unshaken in his resolve to defeat the combined machinations of France
and Austria. In August the populations of Modena, Reggio, Parma and
Piacenza declared their union with Piedmont by an all but unanimous
popular vote, the two last provinces placing themselves for temporary
convenience under the Dictator Farini. A few days later, Tuscany and
Romagna voted a like act of union through their Constituent
Assemblies. The representatives of the four States, Modena, Parma,
Romagna and Tuscany, formally announced to the great Powers their
choice of Victor Emmanuel, in whose rule they recognised the sole hope
of preserving their liberties and avoiding disorder. Delegates were
sent to Turin with the offer of the crown.

Peace, of which the preliminaries only were signed at Villafranca, was
not yet definitely concluded, and a large French army was still in
Italy. The King's government feared therefore to adopt the bold course
of accepting the annexations outright, and facing the responsibilities
which might arise. Victor Emmanuel thanked the delegates, expressing
his confidence that Europe would not undo the great work that had been
done in Central Italy. The state of things, however, in these
provinces, whose elected King could not yet govern them, was
anomalous, most of all in what related to defence; they being menaced
on the Austrian side by the Duke of Modena, and on the South by the
Papal troops in the Cattolica. An armed force of 25,000 men was
organised, of which the Tuscan conting