this very critical juncture in the
cause of Italian unity and independence, the English Government gave its
very cordial support to that cause, and ably defended the course pursued
by King Victor Emmanuel, his ministers, and his people.

The cause of Italian unity and independence had indeed made prodigious
strides, due not only to the marvellous victories of Garibaldi, which
had brought him in four months from Marsala to Naples, but also to the
skilful campaigns of Generals Fanti and Cialdini in Umbria and the
Marches. Cavour now followed up these successes by advising a course
calculated to give them consistency and endurance. He counselled the
immediate assembling of Parliament, the acceptance by Victor Emmanuel of
the sovereignty of the Papal, Neapolitan, and Sicilian Provinces, if
such were the will of their inhabitants, and the departure of the King
from Turin to take the command of his troops now advancing toward Capua.
Victor Emmanuel entirely agreed with his minister's advice. On October
2, 1860, Cavour asked Parliament for full powers to annex all the new
provinces of Central and Southern Italy if they desired it. He contended
that the events which had taken place were due to the initiative of the
people, the noble audacity of General Garibaldi, and the constitutional
rule of Victor Emmanuel, united to his devotion to the cause of Italian
freedom.

Even those deputies who represented the views of the extreme Left, some
of whose members avowed a preference for Republicanism--in theory at any
rate--supported the Government. One of them, Signor Bertani, declared he
would not now raise any point of difference, and frankly acknowledged
that in reality all Italians wished the same thing--"Italy one and free,
under Victor Emmanuel." Cavour further satisfied the Chamber by saying
that Rome and Venice must in the end be united to the mother country,
though the questions involved in such union must, out of deference to
Europe and France, be postponed for the present. A vote of two hundred
ninety against six confirmed the policy of the Government and gave full
expression to the wishes of the country.

Garibaldi had in the mean time pushed on his forces from Naples toward
Capua and the line of the River Volturno. On September 19th his troops
took Caiazzo, from which, however, they were dislodged on the 23d of the
month. After this success Francis II determined to take the offensive
and attack in force the Garibaldian l