h, the
energies of Government were exhausted in a vain attempt to keep the
peace in the city, which was now a constant scene of turbulence and
disorder. Bologna also, having successfully repelled an unauthorized
attack made upon it by the Austrians under Welden, had become a prey to
the wildest confusion, owing to the continuance there of the irregular
bands of armed men who had contributed to its defence. At the urgent
request of the Bolognese Deputies, the Ministry determined to send
thither one of their own number to aid in restoring order; and Farini
was deputed for this purpose. The following is a portion of his account
of what he saw there and what he accomplished:

"In the streets and open places of the city, for two days, the brigands
had been slaughtering every man his enemy among the Government officers,
some of them indeed disreputable and sorry fellows, others respectable.
They killed with musket-shot, and if the fallen gave signs of life they
reloaded their arms in the sight of the people and the soldiers and
fired them afresh, or else put an end to their victims with their
knives. They hunted men down like wild beasts, entered their houses, and
dragged them forth to slaughter. One Bianchi, an inspector of police,
was lying in bed, reduced to agony by consumption; they came in, set
upon him and cut his throat in the presence of his wife and children;
the corpse, a frightful spectacle, remained in the public streets. I saw
it, saw death dealt about, and the abominable chase. Cardinal Amat, who
had given notice of his arrival, came the day after; and the armed
commons escorted him to the palace at the very time when the villains
were perpetrating their murders.

"There were no longer any judges, or any officers of the police; those
who had escaped death either had fled or had hidden themselves; the
Civic Guard was disarmed, the citizens killed, the few soldiers of the
line either mixed with the insurgents or were wholly without spirit; the
carbineers and dragoons in hesitation, the volunteer legions and free
corps a support to the rioters, not to the authority of Government. We
sent to Rome for leave to declare Bologna in a state of siege; but the
answer was that the Ministry having taken the opinion of the Council of
State considered that order might be restored without recourse to this
extreme measure.

"All our best exertions were made to draw to the side of Government the
carbineers and dragoons, as al