Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/410

426 years of 1840 and 1848. Awakened by the noble Piedmontese, Gioberti, in his Primato d'Italia, it entered with new life into millions of souls. “A united and free Italy! A fraternal, free, and humanly-noble people!” was the cry which was heard from the Cottian Alps to the foot of Etna. In Piedmont, a very distinguished and liberal-minded man had already given the State an impulse towards independence and constitutional freedom. Carlo Alberto, at that time king, and Duke of Savoy, had early shown sympathy with this freedom. As king, he gave to his States Il Statuto, which secured this to them. During this time of general excitement, the Advocate Audifredi exclaimed one day, at a great public entertainment at Turin: “Twenty thousand of our brethren are now shut up in their valleys, deprived of their rights as fellow-citizens. They are industrious, moral, sensible, vigorous; they inspire their children with noble thoughts; they have sacrificed and suffered much and long for their freedom and their faith. Let us, in the common father-land, restore to them a mother; and, as brothers, give to them their share in the common social life. Long live the emancipation of the Waldenses!”

Vehement applause from the assembled guests replied to this exhortation.

Soon after this, the Marquis Roberto d'Azeglio headed a petition, the purport of which was, that the Waldenses should have the same rights as all other citizens of the State of Piedmont. And this petition, when represented to Carlo Alberto, was signed by six hundred citizens of note of all classes; amongst whom were several priests, but not a single bishop.