The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-11-26 00:00:00

THE GARIBALDIANS IN FRANCE.

The following extracts from the letter of • correspon-
dent of the lady N. acs contain somewhat unfavourah:e
accounts of the conduct of the Garibaldians and we
regret to see the same statetnents are confirmed in
detail by account* given in private letters -

"Aufini, Nov. It
" To tell yon that the wearers of the red shirt, mid, to fact,
every one serving under the orders of General Garibaldi, are
looked upon by the prints as the apthities of the devil would
be nothing new ; but, this being the case, it will tot he
difficult to form an ide a f the Imitation, it such It can be
called) that the eMribaldlana have caused In a town like Autism
which counts no less than Dive convents anti which ill literally
choked with priests, who possess • tremendous hifluence both
in the t”wn and the surrounding country. I have
now been hero several days, and during that period have had
numerous opportunitte. of talking on thi. subJeot with the
townsfolk, more than two.thirds of whom, loin eorry to say,
are completely priestridden. tiny of the tradeapeople seem
perfectly astounded to find that the Garibaldi.s pay for
everythlne they take, and that they at ither rob nor would-
nat.] the Inhabitants, nor carry off their wives, fir it appears
that moon a. it became known that Garibalril's Head (Marti-ra
were to be established here the clergy sent abroad re;,orts that
were calculated to persuade the people that the Premien luva-
sion even would be preferable to the ocoupation of the town by
Garibaldi'. army, which they Insinuated was nothing less ihsrt
an undiscipline d hand of brigands whore principal aim • aa
pillage. One of these gentian., a village mg, having been
denounced hy some of the peasantry, was tiled • day or two
alter our arrival by court martial, on the charge of inciting
his pariahloners to rebel agalost the military authorities.,
and, his guilt having been proved beyond a doubt, he wee, in
accordance with the law, °omit Dined to death A memorial,
however, was presented to the Idinlater of War, who thought
fit to sign his pardon.

" You can meetly conceive that tide aft tir has exasperated
the clergy against us. They dare not attack us openly, b
il
the Mahon appear, to have undertaken the task of annoying
es as mud's" possib7s,and ash. is supported by a great many
of the townspeople, he finds almost daily an excuse for oom-
plaining about some trilling matter or other, bince we have
been here the staff has carried on quite a volumnlons COM.
spondence • ith the reverend father, who every morning has
something now to say. It la however, only [dr to mention
that the biehop's tat complaint is to a certain extent well.
fooodvd. It appears t kat the bight before last • party of 3) men,
commanded, It is said, by a captain, went to hi. palace mid
demanded admittance, upon the pretence of searching for
concealed arum and • Prussian spy. Abe worthy Bishop,
without dreaming to ask the officer for a written order,
allows Wm and his troops to be admitted, ant while Ms
Mame is being searched quietly remains in bed. After the
party had retired, the Bishop mines two watchee, and
thereupon draws up a complaint wherein fus mecum. the
tharibald lens of having be, ken into his house and robbed
him. An inveetlgatton has Men commenced, and it is now
aim mt proved that the outrage was perpetrated by a party
of grance-Tizeurs, who will naturally be severely punished.
This matter was diecumed this morning by the committee
for the defence of Autun, oho also took Into r nsidtratfors
the decree of the under. prefect, whereby certain cafes the
proprietor, of which bad given liquor to people inc state of
intoxication were closed for • certain number of days, and
sentinel. were posted before the hoaxes of 111-repute in order
to prevent them being freqn mted by the coldlers.
• - - -

_ .
The cemmittee, probably with a view of showing that it
sides with the Bishop and disapproves the measures taken
by the under.pref ect, acting possibly with General Garibsldi's
cob sent, to maintain public order, has, 1 am told resigned ea

ti If the pricate are very savage with the followers of the
great red.shirted hero. who has ale aye Leen the bugbear of
the Roman Catholic clergy, I am in Jo tice bound to say that
this 111-feelli g has in a grett mamma bt en inereosed by the
unceremonious manner in which his trout, have turned the
convent. and churches into barracks. Yesterday afternoon,
for example, which was Sunday, I went to have a look at the
cathedral, and found it occupied by a corps of 3yi ismuca.
Them.. Almost all the wen were ly h. g wrapped up in
their rug. on the sten e Wade ; hut I noticed one man who
was pitting on the altar smoking a pipe and reading a um-
ber of the Petit Jo,rnal, while at the other end his coin.
pinion was engaged in writing a letter, during the penning
of which he had Itemised ta upset the ink-pot on tbs.
crimson velvet. At the entrance to the building fires 'sail
been lighted for the evening soup, which was tieing pre.
pored by the cooks of the corps with a perfect illaresiarel
or closallneu."