"If," he said, "the statement that members of this House are in alliance

with the Pope and the Vatican is meant for me and mine, I give it a flat

denial. And, in order to have done with this calumny once and for ever,

permit me to say that between the Papacy and the people, as represented

by us, there is not, and never can be, anything in common. In temporal

affairs, the theory of the Papacy rejects the theory of the democracy.

The theory of the democracy rejects the theory of the Papacy. The one

claims a divine right to rule in the person of the Pope because he is

Pope. The other denies all divine right except that of the people to

rule themselves."

This was received with some applause mingled with laughter, and certain

shouts flung out in a shrill hysterical voice. The President rang his

bell again, and David Rossi continued.

"The proposal to increase the army," he said, "in a time of tranquillity

abroad but of discord at home, is the gravest impeachment that could be

made of the Government of a country. Under a right order of things

Parliament would be the conscience of the people, Government would be

the servant of that conscience, and rebellion would be impossible. But

this Government is the master of the country and is keeping the people

down by violence and oppression. Parliament is dead. For God's sake let

us bury it!"

Loud shouts followed this outburst, and some of the Deputies rose from

their seats, and crowding about the speaker in the open space in front,

yelled and screamed at him like a pack of hounds. He stood calm, playing

with his watch-chain, while the President rang his bell and called for

silence. The interruptions died down at last, and the speaker went on:

"If you ask me what is the reason of the discontent which produces the

crimes of anarchism, I say, first, the domination of a Government which

is absolute, and the want of liberty of speech and meeting. In other

countries the discontented are permitted to manifest their woes, and are

not punished unless they commit deeds of violence; but in Italy alone,

except Russia, a man may be placed outside the law, torn from his home,

from the bedside of his nearest and dearest, and sent to domicilio

coatto to live or die in a silence as deep as that of the grave. Oh, I

know what I am saying. I have been in the midst of it. I have seen a

father torn from his daughter, and the motherless child left to the

mercy of his enemies."




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