MANIN, DANIEL, an illustrious Italian patriot and political leader, elected, during the revolution of 1848, president of the Venetian republic. Born in 1804 at 'Venice, 3Ianin graduated at the university of Padua, was admitted doctor of laws at 19, and sub sequently practiced at the bar, of which his father, Pietro 3Ianin, was an eminent mem ber. From 1831 he became a recognized leader of libera, opinion in Venice; in 1847 his reputation as a political economist was established during the sittings of the scientific congress at Venice; and shortly after he was thrown into prison for a spirited public address of which he was tile author.
Previous to the outbreak of 1848, Manin was for the second time incarcerated; but on the promulgation of the news that Paris, Naples, and Tuscany were in revolution, he was released in triumph by the populace, and WaS at once 'Invested with supreme power. The organization of a civic guard, and the expulsion of the Austrians from the arsenal, were Manin's tirst public measures; the mob that clamored for the lives of their former oppressors, shrunk back abashed at his dignified rebuke.
From the period of his election to the presidency of the Venetian republic, Manin's energies were devoted to the oroauization of the inhabitants for self-defense.
During the annexation of ambardy to Piedmont, Manin laid down his authority; but on the defeat of the Sardinian army at Novara, 31ar. 23, 1849, he resumed it, and was the animatiug spirit of the entire population of Venice during the heroic defense of the city for four months against the besieging Austrian army. On Aug. 24, Venice capitulated; but 31anin, with 40 of the principal citizens, being excluded from all stipu lations, quitted the city. He retired to Paris, where he taught his native language, declining innumerable offers of aid. From thence lie proclaimed his desire that the republican system should give place in Italy to the Sardinian monarchy, or any execu tive form tending to get rid of Austrian rule. He died of heart-disease in Paris in Sept., 1857.
In this really great man appeared a rare union of qualities the most exalted, enthu siasm being guided by great practical sagacity ; extreme personal humility coexisting. with a lofty sense of authority, and great faculty for command; and the energy and tire of fiction being equaled by the calm and stoical endurance of defeat and mortal disease.
MA'NIOC, 31A-xmoc, or CASSAVA, Manihot utilissima, formerly known as jatropha 9nanihot. and as janipha manihot, a large, half-shrubby plant of the natural order euphor biacece, a native of tropical America, and much cultivated there. It is now also exten sively cultivated in Africa, and has been introduced into other tropical countries.
Manioc, or manclioca, is the Brazilian name; cassava, the West Indian; and in Peru and some other parts of South America, the name is juca or yucca. The plant grows in a bushy form, with stems usually 6 to 8 ft. high, but sometimes much more. The stems are white, brittle, and have a very large pith; the branches are crooked. The leaves are near the extremities of the branches, large, deeply 7-parted. The roots are very large, turnip-like, sometimes weighing- 30 lbs., from three to eight growing in a cluster, usually' from a foot to two feet long. In common with other parts of the plant, they contain an milky juice, so poisonous as to cause death in a few minutes; but as this,is owing to the. acrid presence of hydrocyanic acid, which is quickly dissipated by heat, the juice, inspis sated by boiling, forms the excellent sauce called Casareep (q.v.); and fermented with molasses, it yields an intoxicating beverage called ouycou; whilst the root, grated, dried_ on hot metal plates, and roughly powdered, becomes an article of food, very largely used. in South America, and there very generally known as farinca (Portug. rneal). It is made into thin cakes, like the oat-meal cakes of Scotland, which are formed, however, not by inixing it with water, but by the action of heat softening and agglutinating the parti cles of starch. These cakes are sometimes called cassava or cassada bread. lt is also imported into Britain, to be used in manufactories as starch. The true starch of MaIli0C, separated In the ordinary manner from the fiber, is also imported in considerable quan tity into Britain, under the name of Brazilian arrow root ; and from it tapioca is made, by heating it on hot plates, and stirring with fin iron rod; the starch-grains burst, some of thee starch is converted into dextrine, and the whole agglomerates into small irregular masses. Another species or variety of manioc is also cultivated, the roots of which contain a per fectly bland juice, and arJ eaten raw, roasted or boiled. This, the SWEET CASSAVA or SWEET JUCA (M. aipi of some botanists, said to be a native of Africa a.s well as of Amer ica), is described as having the leaves 5-parted, and the root of longer shape than the, common or bitter cassava, and much smaller, only about six ounces in weight; but other • descriptions represent the sweet cassava as having roots quite equal in size to the bitter. The manioc is easily propagated by cuttings of the stem, and is of rapid growth, attain ing maturity in six months. The produce is at least six times that of wheat.