The terms in which the plebiscite had been cast made it difficult to establish the precise significance of this overwhelming majority vote. Most of the leading political figures claimed for one reason or another to be more than satisfied with what had occurred, Garibaldi as well as Cavour, Mordini as well as La Farina. If what had been achieved was less than the radicals had hoped a month earlier, it was far more than might have been expected in May when they first conceived their outrageously daring expedition to the south. But this multiplicity of approval only serves to show how variously these results could be interpreted. Cavour was the man who had tried hardest to bring the plebiscite about, and his only concern had been to settle matters quickly by an impressive vote of whatever sort. He had not been able to consider whether, and if so how, he could also sound southerners about their more detailed wishes; because this would have added yet a further complication, and his other plans might well have collapsed under it. Hence his interpretation of this simple ‘yes’ and its significance had to be intuitive. Important consequences were soon to follow from the fact that his particular interpretation was not to be in all respects accurate or justifiable. It was easy enough to see that the vote signified a universal desire to return to peace and quiet and good governance. But beyond this point there were many varying reasons, both ideal and material, why different people should have wanted to put themselves under the constitutional monarchy of Piedmont-Sardinia.