Mr. Dillon to Mr. Seward.
[Extracts.]
Turin, June 10, 1861.
Sir: Since my communication of the 16th of April last, to announce my arrival here the 12th of that month, from my late post, Rio de Janeiro, and of my having entered upon the discharge of my duties as chargé d’affaires ad interim, the event first in order of importance, though not of time, which it is my painful duty to communicate, is the sudden death, on the 6th instant, of his excellency the Count Camillo Benso de Cavour, late president of his Majesty’s council and minister of foreign affairs. The count was taken ill on the evening of the 29th of May last at his residence, the hotel of his elder brother, the Marquis de Cavour, of what proved to be typhus fever. Injudicious and repeated bleedings at the commencement of the fever, though, I am told, at his own instance, hastened the sad event.
The count was never married.
Europe still echoes with eulogies to his memory. Among the most felicitous and important, as expressing at the same time a political programme, is a leading article in the Constitutionnel of Paris, semi-official, and supposed to emanate from the Emperor of the French. I extract a single sentence: “S’il y a aujourd’ lui dans la péninsule un grand homme de moins il y a, grâce à Dieu, un grand peuple de plus. Et ce peuple affranchi ne saurait desormais retomber dans la servitude.” In common with my colleagues, of the diplomatic corps, I attended the funeral obsequies in the parish church of the Madonna degli Angeli the evening of the 7th instant, and the following morning the remains were transferred to the burial vault of the Cavour family, at Santena, some six miles distant from Turin, there to remain—thus contradicting the reports of the public prints that, in compliance with the King’s wish, they were to be entombed in the royal basilica of the Superga.
“Exegi monumentum ære perennius,
Regalique situ
pyramidum altius.”
Shortly after my arrival, in consequence of the warlike disturbances at home, the applications, written and verbal, by disbanded officers and men of the late Garibaldian army of Southern Italy, for enlistment into the United States army, became so numerous that I would call attention to a card, of which I annex a copy, published at my request by his Majesty’s government in the official paper.
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The President’s proclamations of the 19th and 27th of April last, received at this legation, with the circular from the department, were by me duly communicated to his Majesty’s government, and printed in extenso in the Gazetta Officiale del Regno d’Italia the 29th of May, 1861.
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His Majesty has summoned the Baron Ricasoli, a very prominent conservative member of the chamber of deputies, from Florence, to form a new ministry, which, though not yet announced, will, it is thought, be soon completed, in continuation of the Cavour policy.
Mr. Marsh has arrived at Turin.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington.