The
crowd, thus raked together, then began to hoot at and insult the
gendarmes, and at last attempted to rescue the prisoners. Not
succeeding in this attempt, the rioters, whose numbers had now been
swollen by a lot of idle fellows from the vilest rabble, crowded
together into the Piazza Colonna, and continued to outrage the
officers of public justice with every kind of insult. Thereupon a
handful of police advanced courageously against the rioters, and
proved quite sufficient to disperse and rout them.
"The friends of order applauded the gallant gendarmes in the execution
of their duty. In less than an hour the most perfect quiet reigned
around, and in the affray a very few persons were injured, whose
injuries have proved to be of slight consequence."
Throughout the whole of this document the _suppressio veri_ reigns
supreme. It is ludicrous describing the _emeute_ as an event unworthy of
special mention, when rewards and praises have been heaped by the
Government on the heroes who distinguished themselves in the suppression
of this contemptible fracas. In a city like Rome a crowd which filled
the whole Corso's length cannot be described as a faction, while the
occupants of the aristocratic carriages which lined both sides of the
street are not likely to have had two hide-tanners for their leaders.
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