82R14352 BPG-D
By: Fletcher H.R. No. 855
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, On March 17, 2011, the Republic of Italy is marking
the 150th anniversary of its unification, and this occasion
presents an ideal opportunity to celebrate the historic ties
between Italy and the United States and to recognize the remarkable
contributions of Giuseppe Garibaldi, an international hero of
liberation; and
WHEREAS, Born in Nice on July 4, 1807, while the city was
under French control, Mr. Garibaldi became a merchant marine
captain before joining Giovane Italia, or Young Italy, to free the
Northern Italian provinces from Austrian domination and create a
republican government; following a failed insurrection in 1834, he
made his way to South America, where he formed the Italian Legion
with other exiles and republicans; they fought Brazilian and
Argentinean imperialism, and Mr. Garibaldi's military victories
assured the independence of Uruguay and earned him acclaim far and
wide; he nobly declined the offer of land grants from the president
of Uruguay, stating that the "Italian legionnaires hold firmly to
the belief that it is their duty as free men to fight for freedom
wherever tyranny exists"; and
WHEREAS, The "Hero of Two Worlds," as he became known,
returned to Italy to defend the short-lived First Roman Republic,
but after its fall, Mr. Garibaldi escaped to the United States;
during a brief period as a Staten Island resident, he applied for
U.S. citizenship, only to rejoin the Italian Risorgimento, or
Resurgence, in 1854; he achieved decisive victories over foreign
imperial dynasties and on March 17, 1861, their occupation was
ended; and
WHEREAS, Italy's triumph of political self-determination
inspired Americans, and Mr. Garibaldi's military genius prompted
the Lincoln administration to approach him with the offer of a Union
Army command early in the Civil War, but negotiations foundered; he
continued to participate in the struggle for freedom in Europe and
died at his home on the Italian island of Caprera on June 2, 1882;
and
WHEREAS, Through the years, Italy and the United States have
forged innumerable bonds through shared history, culture, and
intellectual endeavors; moreover, Italian Americans are one of our
nation's largest ethnic groups, numbering nearly 25 million,
according to the National Italian American Foundation, and many
Italian Americans make their home in the Lone Star State; Texans of
Italian descent have made vital contributions to their communities
and their country, and Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italy's national hero,
is also celebrated as a defender of liberty, much like those who
gave their lives at the Alamo; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of the
unification of the Republic of Italy and posthumously recognize
Giuseppe Garibaldi as an honorary Texan.