"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."