<論説>ニューヨークの「イタリア統一運動」 --ガリバルディ支援をめぐるイタリア系亡命者の実践とその連鎖--

Abstract

本稿では、ニューヨークで展開したガリバルディ支援運動を、「イタリア協会」の実地活動から検討した。「イタリア協会」代表アヴェッツァーナは、ニューヨークに自由への賛同の素地を感じ取り、ガリバルディへの寄付募集活動に、イタリア系以外の人々が参加することを目指していた。そのような背景のもと、「イタリア協会」は広報活動によって寄付活動を周知させることを目指した。さらに、同団体は文化興行の開催により寄付募集を展開させ、多民族亡命者団体「友愛委員会」との協働により、民族の垣根を超えた寄付展開も行った。加えて、ニューヨークでのガリバルディ支援がイタリア系以外の亡命者や現地の知識人からも賛同を得ていたことも立証し、リソルジメントのもつトランスナショナルな一面を示した。

Among the multiple aspects of the Risorgimento, little is known about its transnational character. Tracing the path of the subscription movement for Giuseppe Garibaldi by Italian exiles in New York during 1859-1860, this study sheds more light on these events from a circum-Atlantic perspective. In the United States, many politicians, merchants, and religious leaders observed the politic trends in Italy according to their self-interest; namely, to the Americans, the upheaval across the ocean was seen at the same time as an important affair in their own history. During the period in the United States when the crisis over slavery threatened the union, New York witnessed the unfolding of political activities by the Italian exiles. As regards donations collected for the unification of the peninsula, the subscriptions for Giuseppe Garibaldi, whose global fame as a champion of liberty had already become unshakable, had grown into a large sum. In his latest work on the comparative history of the two countries, Daniele Fiorentino has emphasized that in a broad sense the liberty advocated in Garibaldi's expedition was linked with Abolitionism in the North. Historians have consistently supported this view and by analyzing the ideology of the Italian exiles and contemporary American intellectuals have characterized Garibaldi's campaign as within the broad movement for liberty in the 19th century. The scholarship has certainly paid attention to the substance of the movement, but Fiorentino and his associates have focused mainly on the history of thought in this era and less on the concrete efforts of those who actively participated in collecting subscriptions and donations. To put it another way, it is still unclear who participated in this endeavor and how Italian exiles collected funds. In this sense, addressing the roles and activities implemented by Società Italiana (Italian Society) in creating a fund to raise money for Garibaldi, turns the spotlight on unexplored aspects of the campaign. This paper reveals two strategies of the Società Italiana: publicity and cooperation. First, by investigating the advertisements purchased by the Società Italiana in major newspapers in New York, this study clarifies the publicity strategy and the specific ways they raised funds in the U.S. The fund regularly issued a list of contributors and the amount of each donation to demonstrate to the people of the city how the project was progressing. Furthermore, the Società Italiana held various charity shows such as Operas performed by Italian singers and exhibitions of gymnastics by Germans were also a significant part of their support. These performances were great successes, collecting large sums of money for the cause. Second, the cooperation between Italian exiles and people of other ethnic groups was of crucial importance. The amount of aid offered by German exiles and settled residents to the fund was remarkable: they established a temporary committee to appeal for funds and requested those of German descent in other American cities to supply the Italians with funds. German exiles were convinced that with their assistance the Italian cause would be more easily accomplished and that the wave of revolution would reach their Vaterland. The movement to support Garibaldi was not confined to his compatriots, but rather involved large numbers of the inhabitants of New York regardless of their national origin.