Garibaldi — praiswed by Victor Hugo and George Sand but not Baudelaire

I am a Christian and I speak to Christians—I am a good Christian and speak to good Christians. I love and venerate the religion of Christ because Christ came into the world to deliver humanity from slavery for which God has not created it. But the Pope, who wishes all men to be slaves—who demands of the powerful of the earth fetters and chains for Italians—the Pope king does not know Christ. He lies to his religion. Among the Indians, two geniuses are recognized and adored: that of good and that of evil. Well, the Genius of Evil for Italy is the Pope king. Let no one misunderstand my words—let no one confound Popery with Christianity—the Religion of Liberty with the avaricious and sanguinary Politics of Slavery. — from Giuseppe Garibaldi’s Address on Delivering Flags to the Hungarian Hussars in Naples.

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) was an Italian military leader, a general in the Italian army, and a politician who played a significant part in the unification of Italy, which began in the 19th century but was not completed until the early 20th century. A popular figure on the global stage, he was hailed by the literati of the day, earning praises from Victor Hugo and George Sand, although the French poet Charles Baudelaire was suspicious of his nationalism, and Pope Pius IX opposed him publicly for his desire to suppress the Papal States.