A PATRIOTIC SCENE AT LEGHORN.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 220, 29 November 1859, Page 3

A PATRIOTIC SCENE AT LEGHORN.

Signor Buonicompagni, the Piedmontese com missary, on his departure for Genoa, on the 3rd August, received an ovation, which a correspondent of the Athenaeum describes as follows :— " A few moments after the carriage had drawn up, a group of gay uuiforms, most of them crossed on the breast with tri-coloured scarves, was gathered on the wide broad balcony overhanging the square, where many thousands of persons were assembled, despite the fiery mi<! * day sun. In the middle of the group stood the hero of the day, evidently not ill-pleased with his reception. Here and their through the crowd were scattered the picturesque figures of .the Tuscan and Piedmontese Volunteers— fine young follows who had charged at Magenta and stood the murderous fire of Soiferino. They were, to be sure, as unlike the conventional starched pattern of military percision in dress as it is possible to conceive; but none the less were they fit to be taken as types of soldierly bearing, despite their scanty, almost uncouth dress, their canvas trousers tucked into heavy half-boots, and their tunics belted in at the waist with a red cord. One of the 'Garibaldi's,' as they here call the Cacciatori dell'Alpi, stood dose to me, and I think I never looked on a nobler figure of a man, with his six feet length of limb, broad, well-formed shoulders, sun-burnt face, nobly cut features, great, frank, intelligent eyes, brown chesnut moustache, and ample forehead, surmounted with a bright scarlet fez and long blue tassel. Truly thought I, such as these are the defenders that shall right Italy's quarrel, and hold the list for her against the world. After a moment's pause, a voice from the throng, nearly under the balcouy, cried aloud ' Vioa Fittorio Emmanusle!' and the mass of humanity hurrahed in reply with hearty good will, and ! prolonged hand clapping, which echoed strangely from the buildings around. Then the same voice again took up the strain with ' Viva la Iridipanderiza drltatial' and then, indeed, the popular heart was touched to the quick, and sent foith the mighty shout whioh can come only, from the 'great deep,' of a ptopkfo

1 that cry with clasped,bands raised above their heads.; many with outspread palms, as if in the act of supplication. Then came a second pause, and ' Hush ! hush ! he is going to speak.' And so he did, in a few sentences, uttered in a pleasant, clear, manly voice, which rang to the very out-skitts of the crowd. He thanked the Tuscan people in tlie name of his King (here broke in a shout) and of the army, for the admirable manner in which, during his stay among them, they had maintained public order and tranquillity,. and assured them that the continuance of such a state of things in Tuscany would be the best means of ensuring their attainment of What they had most at heart. As these last words were being uttered, aa I said bef.tre, clearly and distinctly in their *dolce fnvella; the military band coming down the Via Grande sounded the first measures of the war hymn, • All' armi, all' armi!' which I have heard sung with such heart-stirring effect by thousands of voices in the Via Larga, at Florence, before the paralytic peace of Villafranca. The notes of the band were faint and distant, and seemed a warlike accompaniment to the speaker's recitative. Perhaps many of the hearers, like myself, had little dreamed they should hear the, hymn again so soon; perhaps they accepted it (I almost did) as a good omen for the future, for I,saw that the strain of music accompanying the last words from the balcony, and swelling out into a crash «9 the band turned into, the Piazza, sent a strong thrill of emotion through the croVd. At its close there were more shouts of ' Viya ? Vittorio Emmanuele.' 'Viva i'ltalia!' and after that the martial song of the Cacciatori dell' Alpi rolled through the square with its thundering burden ' Viva fuori d'ltalia,' &c, Kvery time the first notes of the chorus rang forth, though there was no attempt at general singing, the hand-clapping and vivas rose to fever height, utterly drowning the last measures of the, strain. In the midst of the tumult I saw a fair-haired girl of about eighteen standing close behind me, whose earnestness of feeling attracted me greatly. Sbe belonged to a quite humble class, and her white silk kerchief was pinned at the back of her smooth hair, as the lower ranks wear it here. She gazed up at the balcony, singing every word of the Garibaldi hymn, beating time unmercifully the while on my shoulder with her fan. Her face was pale and eager, and her eyes filled with tears as the vivas ebbed and flowed. Tbe hour fixed for Signor Buonicompagm's departure (six o'clock, p.m.) is just come. He is about to start for Genoa. As I write a thunder of guns from the forts, the mole, and the vassels is giving him the parting salute. I see the gray trail of the steamer's smoke wavering among the crowded masts of the port, backed by the golden evening sky, and I am told that an enthusiastic crowd is just now escorting him to his boat, with two bands lustily playing ' Viva fuori d'ltalia,' which seems here a greater favorite than that which made such a. furore at Florence. Now, then, Tuscany is at last left alone under her gorgeous to try and work out her political reredemption, as far as she may be allowed todosr.