Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1901. AN ITALIAN PATRIOT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 16 August 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1901. AN ITALIAN PATRIOT.

“The crowd, to restless motion still inclined; Are clouds that rack according to the wind, Driven by their chiefs, thy storms of hailstones pour, Then mourn and soften to a silent shower."

The widow of tlie late Francisco Crispi—the patriotic Italian statesman—may well liken her countrymen to fickle clouds that change with every wind. Yesterday we were told that to such a state of poverty had he who in by-gone days had done so much for his country, come to, that the last jewel he possessed had been sold to provide the bare necessaries of life. To-day we are told of the honor and tribute paid to the mortal remains—a splendid spectacle, recalling the enthusiasm of the Garibaldian period, to which kings and foreign statesmen contributed, was witnessed. And yet his countrymen a lowed him to die in poverty. Italy is not alone in such conduct. ’Tis a scene that has occurred scores of times in the history of nations ; ’tis a sad commentary upon the fickle qua'it es of the populace, which to day applauds the darling of the hour, and, to-morrow, without any cause, turns and rends him. Truly Crispi deserves the thanks of his co ntrymon, and now that his name is but a matter of history Italy can be relied on to place Francesco Crispi among her more patriotic statesmen. The deceased Count was a native of

Ribera, in Sicily, where ho was born in 1819. He was educated for the law, and was called to the Neapolitan bar. His early aspirations for the realisation of Italian unity prompted him to take an active part in the revolutionary movement of ’4B, when the kingdom of the two Bid* lies was overthrown. He inspired the resistance of the Sicilians during the insurrection of Palermo, and was compelled to ily to France. He subsequently landed with Garibaldi at Palermo, and distinguished himself by his courage and capacity. In ’6l he was elected to the first Italian Parliament as member for Palermo, and was recognised as leader of the Constitutional party. On the death of Signor Depretis, ’B7, Signor Crispi, who had been Minister of the Interior, b'-came President of the Council and Minister for Foreign Affairs. His Ministry was defeated (Jan. ’9l), and he resigned. In ’92 he annonnced his intention to quit politics and gave up the Leadership of the Opposition. The voice of his country however, called him to the head of affairs early in ’94, when all was chaos and uncertainty Under his powerful leading the condition of affairs gradually"improved, notwithstanding the desperate efforts of his opponents to discredit and overthrow him by slanderous personal attacks upon him. He fell eventually in ’96, through the disasters that overtook the Italian arms in Erythoa.