By the beginning of October, some formerly doubtful points had been more or less settled so far as Sicily was concerned. First, the postponement of at least the outward form of union with Piedmont was hardly possible much longer. Secondly, this would have to be decided by a plebiscite, with or without the addition of a representative assembly to decide ways and means. Some men of high standing and repute continued to advocate that there should be this prior summons of a constitutional assembly, just as there had been local parliaments in Tuscany and Emilia when those other provinces had considered the same question of annexation some months earlier. Among Sicilians there was a number who would have welcomed this as a good chance to debate the terms on which annexation should be voted. Not many people outside Sicily would have looked very favourably on this idea at the time, but in later years the impression was to gain ground that some good might have been done, and some evil have been avoided, had Sicily either demanded or else been spontaneously granted partial autonomy from the first. Arguments were frequently put forward in 1860 to show that the island had special needs and interests which a parliament at Turin or Rome would never have the time and knowledge to attend to; and hence, that Sicilians should thrust them forward for consideration while their island still had some independent status. Probably most of those who wanted autonomy were also hoping for a speedy union with Piedmont; but their ambition was for a union tempered by conditions.