Offcial Recognition of the Kingdom of Italy by the United States

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes1. In my study of American Opinion on the Unification of Italy 1846‐1861 (New York 1932), I traced briefly the steps that eventually led to the official recognition of the Kingdom of Italy by the United States government. Since then further research in the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome, in the Archivio di Stato of Turin, and in the National Archives in Washington has shed considerably more light on this neglected or relatively unknown chapter of American diplomatic history and on contemporary American opinion in relation thereto. The subject of American opinion on the unification of Italy has also been treated in its broader aspects by Sister Loretta Clare Feiertag's American Public Opinion on the Diplomatic Relations between the United States and the Papal States, 1847‐1867 (Washington, 1933), by Leo F. Stock's works on Consular Relations between the United States and the Papal States 1797–1870 (Washington, 1945) and United States Ministers to the Papal States: Instructions and Despatches 1848‐1868 (Washington, 1933). I have published the following articles that are germane to the present topic: "The Religious Problem of the Italian Risorgimento as Seen by Americans,"Church History, XXV (March 1956), 41–62; "Il problema religioso del Risorgimento italiano visto dagli Americani,"Rassegna Storica del Risorgimento, XLIII (July‐September 1956), 463–472; "Unpublished American Documents on Italy's Occupation of Rome,"Journal of Modern History, XIII (March 1941), 48–64; "Unpublished American Documents on Garibaldi's March on Rome in 1867,"Journal of Modern History, XVI (July 1944). 116–123; "Canadian and American Zouaves in the Papal Army, 1868‐1870,"Canadian Catholic Historical Association Report, 1944‐1945, 83–102; "Our Diplomatic Relations with the Vatican,"Cathotic World, CLXIV (1946), 131–139; "American Opinion and Documents on Garibaldi's March on Rome, 1862,"Journal of Central European Affairs, VII (July 1947), 143–161; "The Closing of the American Diplomatic Mission to the Vatican and Efforts to Revive It, 1868‐1870,"Catholic Historical Review, XXXIII (January 1948), 423–447; "American Opinion on the Occupation of Rome in 1870,"South Atlantic Quarterly, LIV (April 1955) 221–242.2. New York Herald, April 21, 22, 26, 30, 1860.3. Ibid, April 22, 1860.4. New York Daily Times, April 24, 1860.5. New York Herald, April 22, 30, 1860; New York Daily Times, April 24, 1860.6. Providence Daily Journal, April 28, 1860.7. Bertinatti was a native of Turin and an intimate friend of the Italian philosopher Gioberti, with whom he had shared the sufferings of exile in Belgium for religious and political opinions. During the revolution of 1848 Gioberti was recalled and made first minister by Charles Albert. King of Sardinia. Bertinatti then received a diplomatic post to Germany. After the acccession of Victor Emanuel II to the throne, Prime Minister D'Azeglio recalled Bertinatti to Turin and gave him an important position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was decorated with the cross of St. Maurizio and Lamro and also with the Legion of Honor. Finally, Count Cavour in 1855 appointed Bertinatti chargä d'affaires at Washington; in 1861, he became minister resident; he presented a letter of credence as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary on July 30, 1864; he left the United States on leave June 8, 1866.8. New York Herald, April 30, 1860.9. Congressional Globe, 36th Cong., 1st sess., 1944; Appendix, 481; New York Herald, April 26, May 8, 1860. The efforts of Mr. Burlingame in introducing this measure and supporting it to its final passage turned Austria against him. In 1861, when he was appointed minister to that court, the Emperor refused to receive him. The New York Daily Tribune said that the act of Austria was a blunder she may repent of and only served to bring into prominence one of the most honorable events in Mr. Burlingame's political career. [New York Daily Tribune, June 10, 1861; New York Herald, June 7, 10, 1861.]10. New York Herald, May 8, 29, 1860; Congressional Globe, 36th Cong., 1st sess., 1944.11. Papers of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Legation to United States, fascicoli 143–145, Archivio di Stato, Turin, Sect. la.12. Ibid.13. Washington Daily National Intellingencer, March 28, 1861.14. Ibid.; La Nazione (Florence), April 25, 1861.15. Ms. dated "Washington, March 31, 1861, Despatch No. 73." Dispacci Diplomatici, Stati Uniti d'America, Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Rome.16. Ibid. This letter and Mr. Seward's reply of April 13 (Enclosure C) were Published in the Gazzetta U fficiale del Regno d'Italia(Turin), May 28, 1861.17. Dispacci Dipomatici, Stati Uniti d'America, Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Rome.18. New York Evening Post. March 19. 1861.19. New York Herald, March 15. 1861.20. Providence Daily Journal, April 5, 1861.21. See Howard R. Marraro, Diplomatic Relations between the United States and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, 1816‐1861 (New York, 1952). I, 78 ff.22. Cincinnati Daily Gazette, June 28, 1860.23. New York Daily Times, May 8, 1860.24. Echoes of American press reaction were published in La Nazione (Florence), May 23, 1860, which republished an article that had appeared in L'Eco d'ltalia (New York), April 28, 1860.25. Despatches from U. S. Ministers to Italian States, National Archives.26. Diplomatic Instructions of the Department of State to Italy, National Archives.27. Ibid28. Dated "Turin, June 27, 1861, Despatch No. 3," Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Italian States. For further information on Marsh see Caroline Crane Marsh, Life and Letters of George Perkins Marsh (New York, 1888); David Lowenthal, George Perkins Marsh: Versatile Vermonter (New York, 1952); Sister Mary Philip Trauth, Italo‐American Diplomatic Relations, 1861‐1882: The Mission of George Perkins Marsh, First American Minister to the Kingdom of Italy (Washington, 1958).Additional informationNotes on contributorsHoward R. MarraroThe author is Professor of Italian at Columbia University. He was granted his Ph.D. (1932) by Columbia University. He is the author of American Opinion on the Unification of Italy (1932), Relazioni fra l'Italia e gli Stati Uniti (1954). Diplomatic Relations between the United States and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1955). and numerous articles in the same field

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