Savoy To The English People
Par _ le vendredi 13 novembre 2009, 16:12 - 2010: les 150 ans de l'Annexion de la Savoie à la France - Lien permanent
The Times, London. 1860. We have received from Chambery under date of the 7th of February the following appeal to the English people against the annexation of Savoy to France. It is signed by 24 of the leading men of the capital of Savoy.
“SAVOY TO THE ENGLISH PEOPLE.
“Chambery, Feb. 7.
“During nearly the last six months some individuals of Savoy, whose petitions, carried from house to house, have not succeeded in obtaining 20 respectable signatures, have formed the plot to make over Constitutional Savoy to the Imperial Government of France.
“The Courrier des Alpes, which is their property and their organ, has, since then, never ceased to proclaim the unanimous adhesion of Savoy to those desires of annexation.
“As long as those assertions remained within our mountain range, our quiet and proud population treated them with contempt.
“But the Paris press has thought fit to make itself the echo of these falsehoods; the officious accomplice of supposed ambitions, it has endeavoured to lead public opinion astray, and to deceive Europe by announcing a few isolated wishes to be the expression of the sentiments of the whole of Savoy.
“Silence and inaction were no longer possible.
“On the 29th of January last an important demonstration was made at Chambery, the capital of Savoy. Nearly 3,000 citizens of every class, rank, and profession–magistrates, lawyers, officials, doctors, merchants, workmen, nearly all the officers of the National Guard, responding to the appeal of the patriotic committee constituted by themselves, met on the Champ de Mars, whence, with the national colours flying, they proceeded to the residence of the head of the Government, to declare publicly their wish to remain free under the Constitutional Government of Victor Emmanuel II., the king, the honest man, and the first soldier of Italian Independence.
“In this concurrence of citizens, marching in admirable order and manly dignity to the accomplishment of a great duty, there were, doubtless, many opinions mingled together; but, putting aside the distinction of private and political views, all were united in one common devotion for their country and for liberty.
“Such a manifestation was of a nature to excite the anger of the French press, so compliant to authority; and we behold lately an incredible audacity of falsehood and calumnies dishonouring the journals of France.
“The demonstration of the 29th of January has been most unworthily misrepresented.
“The English people, accustomed by the free exercise of freedom not to allow itself to be taken in, accustomed also by its well-founded distrust to be on its guard against perfidy and interested ambition, will not be deceived by such manoeuvres.
“Threatened in her integrity, in her independence, in her liberties, Savoy has counted upon England.
“Certainly, we have confidence in the loyalty and attachment to our country of Victor Emmanuel II, in the straightforwardness and firmness of his Government, but we are also aware of the strength which power misled by error may wield in the world.
“We come to you, people of England, because among all people you are great in liberty; because your powerful voice, encouraging nations struggling for their independence, can protect them by raising up insurmountable barriers before them.
“In the name of those joint interests which unite peoples do not allow that old Allobrogia, which defended its territory and its rights against the ancient rulers of the world, to become now the ransom of their descendants; do not allow a people, however small it may be, to be extinguished, to give liberty to a nation, however great it may become.
“May your Government, the faithful exponent of your sovereign orders, inform the world that Savoy, having become your ward in the hour of supreme danger, shall not be given up and sacrificed!
“The defence of our liberties is also the defence of the liberties of the world, which to-morrow, perhaps, may be compromised by an ambition which a first success would render stronger and more exacting.
“And, should ever a danger threaten the free soil of England, the ardent and mature devotion of the people protected and saved by you, by England, would afford you a secret and powerful support, which, joined to the patriotic energy of your children, would render you invincible.”
