GARIBALDI

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 55, Issue 3929, 21 July 1937, Page 4

GARIBALDI

THE LEGEND AND THE MAN. June 2nd marked the 55th anniversary of Garibaldi’s death on the island of Caprera. No man captured more completely the imagination of his contemporaries at home and abroad. His dashing personality and reckless adventuring in many parts of the world made Garibaldi almost a legendary figure in his own time. Those who know something of his colorful career will not wonder that, even in his own day, there were many hero worshippers who could see in this romantic Red Shirt a living and virile reflection of some dormant impulse within their own souls; more than Italians felt a lump of liberalism rise in their throats when they heard the name of Garibaldi, Garibaldi the deliverer. The people of every European nation followed Garibaldi’s exploits with m,ore than usual interest —in 1849, when he and his 1200 legionaries defended Rome for two months against the French armies; in 1860, when his “Thousand” immortal Red Shirts drove the Bourbons out of southern Italy; in 1882, when he passed to' an eternal freedom with a peace that his violent career had suggested to be most unlikely. Between 1860 and 1865, Garibaldi's international popularity rose to its greatest heights, and it was at this time that all kinds of legends originated as people endeavoured to elaborate the hero’s personality and achievements. The public wanted to know the facts about Garibaldi and to be instructed in the history of his early career, of which many only had hazy recollections. Men with a fertile imagination and a ready pen began to exploit this boisterous enthusiasm for "The Liberator.” Then, as now, there was a regret amongst foreigners that a great man could not be claimed as one of themselves. If only Garibaldi were an Englishman! What a tribute it would be to the English people, and what an illustrous name could be added to the already lengthy list of Britons who had served the cause of liberty beyond the limited bounds of Britain itself! IRISHMAN OR RED INDIAN? Early in 1860 there appeared in an Lrish paper, the Clonmel Chronicle, the following letter submitted by a contributor who signed himself as “Garry Owen.” "The public will no doubt be surprised to learn that the illustrous Garibaldi ... is a native of Mullinahone in this county (Tipperary), where his father, as worthy a man as ever breathed the breath of life, kept a school. His name was Garret Baldwin, but being liked by his scholars they used to call him playfully, and for shortness sake, old ‘Garry Baldi.’ On the death of this excellent old gentleman, his old child, the gallant subject of this notice, was left under the care of his maternal uncle, a

much respected priest, of a neighbouring parish.” “Garry Owen” went on to relate how the priest journeyed to Rome, taking his nephew with him. The said nephew was placed in a school, but, disliking the restrictions of that institution, he ran away and enlisted in the Sardinian army. Our Clonmel contributor stated that he did this under the pet name of his worthy father which he Italianised for the purpose, and which he has rendered illustrious by his heroic valour and noble disinterestedness. Ireland, but especially Mullinahone, has just cause to be proud of her gallant son.” - The story was taken up by the Limerick Chronicle, and, naturally enough, the suggestion that Garibaldi was an Irishman aroused considerable interest in Ireland and England. Numbers of readers wrote to the papers in support of the claim. Why not? Had not Irishmen fought in the armies of the world for two hundred years? Was not the name “Cavaignac” a distortion of the Irish “Kavanagh,” and had not O’Higgins, the hero of Chile, been an Irishman? The majority of English opinion was, however, against the Irish story. It was, if anything, too eloquent! Then “Garry Owen” returned to the scene of action and admitted that he had made up his “romance” —and it certainly was ingenious—to “humour the national propensity for hero-an-nexation amongst the Irish.” Having seen due publicity given to his hoax he thought it fit and proper to confess his son. No doubt the Mullinahone folk were

honestly disappointed, but, in any case, their triumph would have been short lived, for about this time there appeared in a Canadian paper (L’Orde, of Montreal) an article in which Garibaldi was claimed to be a Red Indian. The article makes very good reading:—

The birth place of the noted Sardinian general has been claimed by several countries, all making out a tolerably clear case. All disputes on this subject may, however, be considered as settled, as we give below proof sufficient to satisfy all thinking individuals that he is a Canadian. In the year 1812 a noted Iriquois chief named Garrabaldeth (signifying “Mighty in War”) immigrated to Lower Canada. He had several sons, the eldest called Joseph, who was called by the French “habitants,” who could not pronounce the Iriquois correctly, “Garibaldi.” In the year 1820 old Garrabaldeth died, and Joseph was prevailed upon by a priest to accompany him to Italy. He was educated by this priest, and received Guiseppe as a name instead of Joseph, and was taught to write his name Garibaldi. This information was received from Francis Garibaldi, at present living near Sori, with whom the great general constantly corresponds. Persons still having doubts can satisfy themselves by applying to Francis at Sorel. It can no longer be said that Canada has not produced one great man.

It is of interest to note that the writer explained that. “Garrabaldeh” was an Indian word, meaning

“Mighty in war,” whilst in England a letter has been written to "Notes and Queries” (I 860 pointing out that the ward “Garibaldi” was derived from an old high German word, meaning “Bold in war.” Certainly it is not difficult to imagine the relationship between “baldi” and “bold” on the one hand, and between "Gari” and the Italian word "Guerra” on the other. If the two statements were correct there is no reason why we should not assume that the Iriquois were Teutons, or, alternatively, that the Ger-

mans were Iriquois—that is, if we are satisfied with the logic of the above argument in the I’Drde.

As you read the Montreal account no doubt you were frequently tempted to interpose a “Why?” There are so many loose ends in even that short statement. If we had visited Francis Garibaldi at Sorel I doubt whether he could have found his "kinsman's” letters, or, if letters did exist, whether he could have established their authenticity, let alone prove that Garibaldi was the son of Garrabaldeth. Probably Francis was a dear old fellow in the last stages of senility, who, having the same name as the “noted Sardinian general,” felt he owed it to his family to prove that Garibaldi was a connection, and therefore a Red Indian. Altogether we have here excellent material for a comic opera.

These efforts to decide Garibaldi’s birthplace and his nationality make amusing reading at this remote date. It. was unfortunate that the Canadian and the Irishman should have attempted to determine that birthplace fifty-four years after Garibaldi was born. The subject is not really controversial, for it is certain that Giuseppe Garibaldi was born to the wife of Domenico Garibaldi, a Nicois sea captain, at Nice on 4th July, 1807. Giuseppe, once wrote of his father: “He was a seaman, and the son of a seaman.” There is no evidence here of

the Irish pedagogue or the Iriquois brave! POPULARITY IN ENGLAND. Garibaldi paid two visits to England. Tlie first was as an exile in 1854, when lie soon graduated as the idol of London society, became engaged to a ricli widow, Mrs Roberts; escaped to the North of England, and became the hero of the workmen of Manchester and Newcastle. Many Englishmen subsequently enlisted in the ranks of his army, and after the adventures of the "Thousand" became generally known in England. Many English infants were triumphantly baptised with the name “Garibaldi.” A second and semi-official visit was made in 1864. There followed a round of banquets and public demonstrations, during which the “wounded Lon” was feted with extraordinary enthusiasm. He was entertained by Mrs Charles Seely and the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland. He visited Gladstone and Palmerston; Tennyson came to see him. Five thousand people paid as much as a guinea eacii to see him meet Mazzini in a public hall, to which he was escorted by a hundred thousand cheering workmen. Their “Hurrahs” were every bit as convincing as the “Evvivas” of his own countrymen. And yet, he was too successful, too popular. The British and Italian Governments put their diplomatic heads together and agreed that all this cheering and demonstration might be dangerous; It would bo much better if Garibaldi were back on Caprera with his crops and his sheep. All that he knew was that the English Government commenced to show a deep concern about the state of his health, and to suggest that, in his weakened condition, the dreadful London climate would be dangerous should he decide to remain during the autumn. It was made clear that it would be wise for the “wounded lion” to return home. So he went back to Caprera, with the cheers of the English crowds ringing plasantly in his ears. What would bo the record of history if he had been proved an Irishman or a Red Indian? We can easily imagine him as an Irish leader —the cause of Home Huie would have been right into his hands. But conjecture is futile. These “birthplace” stories are most interesting in that they demonstrate the way in which all sorts of legends attach themselves to prominent personages, and in many cases gain credence by the ingenuity with which they are presented. No doubt time and research will shatter many of the fine stories which we associate with the men of this and previous ages. In some instances they have been merely political propaganda, eagerly believed by the partisan and the unwary; often they are the plausible progeny of rumour and imagination.