The Express.
London, England, 1856-12-24 00:00:00

ITALY.

THE TWO SICILIEL
punt OUR OWN 00/IIIOPONDI

NAPLES, Dzo. 18.
It is to be regretted that,insteed of being generous
and disposed to grant reforms, the government shows
itself suspicious and severe. Accordingly, we hear
again of renewed arrests and pre: muttons, and a
determination to look upon the recent affair ss alto-
gether the result of a conspiracy. As a coosequener,
there have been arrested and taken cif to the Prefec._ _

.—.—.--
tare of Polies a Signor Caristo, who in 1849 was
deprived of his office of judge--a Calabrese long
settled here, of the same country with Agesilao
Melano, of whom he was a fellow-student, and
several other persons. To Sta. Maria Apparente
has been taken Signor Fittipaldi, a dealer in
ornaments for the churches, end one of a family
which has been much persecuted. To St. Elmo yes-
terday morning was taken a non•commissioned
officer in the Lancers. From the Royal Guard of the
Ist Grenadiers have been removed two soldiers, both
Calabrese, and consigned to the police. Many Cala-
brese have been sent oat of the city. A commissary
of police, M. Spagnolis by name, has bren sent into
Calabria, to seek limber information about the recent
affair; and doubtless the family and connexions of
the criminal will suffer. I fear that we shall hear

again of a renewal of persecutions, whilst not &single
step has been taken to conciliate or referee, unless the
setting at liberty a few of the least important of pri-
soners can be called so.
I must estrum my steps to give you some fresh
details conducted with the extraordinary attempt
which has lately been made upon his Majesty. I call
it extraordinary, and no other epithet can be applied
to an attempt upon the life of a sovereign, not from
behind a door with a pistol, but face to face, when
the King was surrounded by his family, his court,
and his army, in the midst of perhaps 60,000 per-
sons, and when there was the prospect of certain and
almost instant death to the assassin.
I said that upon high authority_ the torture of the
prisoner had been denied, but I must also say that
from • number of independent sources I hear it
strongly Deserted that he was tortured. Before the
council of war he did not speak of it, but to one of the
Padri Assieteuti at the place of execution he observed,
It seems as if they would torment me again."
On being bound after he had been stripped of his
military uniform, he shrunk from the pain which a
mere touch inflicted upon him, when one of the
officials said, " Don't be afraid, we are not going to
torture you." This I have heard from an eye-witness.
Melanie wrote to hie family a short time before his
execution, and consigned the letter to one of the
Padri. From the Vivaria (the prisons described by
Mr. Gladstone), he was accompanied by a double file
of the Chaucer', • body of mounted gendarmes, end
the Bianchi, with the cross covered with black, at
the head of the cortege. After he had been blinded
he endeavoured to look from beneath the bandage
upon the people, and whilst throwing back his head
for this purpose, his shako fell off, and was not re-
placed.
The scaffold was erected in the:midst of the Piazza
Cavalcatojo, which was lined with detachments of
troops from every corps in the garrison ; and outside
as well all upon the houses • vast crowd had
assembled. Whilst be was being taken round in a
car, he continually prayed, kissed the crucifix, sod
exclaimed," Viva la Religions!" " Viva la Liberia !"
" Viva la Patna!' u he did even whilst muting
to the scaffold.
The particulars of the execution are as disgusting
as can well be conceived. A ladder rested against
the cross beam, up which the criminal was compelled
to mount. It took full five minutes or more to adjust
the rope; as soon es this was done the body was
turned off the ladder, and the executioner mounted
on the man's shoulders, worked up and down,
as if on horseback, and beat the head from side
to side with hie fist., whilst he looked around
upon the officials as though seeking for approbation.
This disgusting scene naturally produced a great
impression on the crowd, some of whom fainted, and
the cry of "Fed, fui," began to be raised; but the
soldiers turned round, and all was again still. A
gendarme pointed out the executioner to • friend of
mice when the tragedy was over, saying: "Then,
that is the fellow. My son nearly (stilted, he could
not stand it."
Aster as I can learn, not merely the crowd but the
soldiers observed a proper and &serious demeanour on
the occasion, and a general sympathy was felt with
the sufferer. "What courage! what piety !" the
people exclaimed : Fourier)! poor fellow I' Such
was the sentiment and such were the words that
were uttered.
A. soon as the execution was over the troops de,
flied under the scaffold and returned to their respec-
tive barrack,. In the barracks where the prisoner
bad been lodged, immediately on the return of the
troops, thing belonging to him was burnt, and
the ashes scattered to the winds.
The Padri Bianchi, who as usual accompanied the
criminal, conducted themselves with great humanity
and earnestness ; and upon the urgent representations
of one of them the executioner has been put under
arrest, but the wonder is that the authorities them
selves did not interfere to put • stop to such bru-
talities. "I would not hang a rat so," was the re-
Ilerief en eye witness, not a Neapolitan, who has
bLan with me.
The Padri speak of the devotion of the criminal
with great admiration, and this feature, together
with the courage and fortitude of the man, appears to
have awakened an universal sympathy. There was
a general expectation of pardon down to the last, and
when the man was swung off there was a general
murmur of compassion amongst the crowd. These
people feel rather than reason, end their impression
is anything but favourable or pleasant towards the
government. So much is this felt to be the case,
that the police authorities are insinuating every-
where that "the King had wished to pardon, but
that the Foreign Ministers would not permit him to
do so." As a proof of the sympathy entertained
towards the unfortunate man who has so recency
and so cruelly expiated his offence,it may be men
Sued that the congregation of friars who, on the
morrow of an execution, go round the city calling
out for collections, " Per la manta Meese, per quells
anima scordats," on this occasion gathered half as
much again u on any previous occasion, silver being
thrown in as well as copper. Of the Padri Bianchi
I may say, that they are • congregation formed of
regular and secular clergy who are associated together
for the purpose of assisting criminals, and accom-
panying their bodies to the grave.
Great numbers of people have been to the Palace
to congratulate the King, but the fact proves nothing
in thiacountry where safety is beet purchased by
an appearance of loyalty, and where official employ-
ment is the only career open to the youth of Naples.
Enthusiasm there has been none, nor has there been
anything like the expression of attachment to the
Kiog. His Majesty yesterday went to the church of
Bt. J ins to return thanks for his recent wonder-
ful deliverance, but most of the balconies were closed,
few people were present, and not a "viva" was
raised, nor has there been • "viva" heard on any
previous occasion, so far as I can gather, since the
attempt was made.
Disasters seem never to come alone. Within the
last three roonthe I have had to record an earthquake,
the outbreak in Sicily, and an attack on the Keg's,
life. To thee. I have now to add the explosion of a
powder magazine at the end of the new Mole, near
the small Lanthorn. About midday yesterday the
entire population wee alarmed by a tremeedour colee,
as of • cannon close at everyone's ear. Thoee in
their houses were lifted in their seats; those in the
streets were some of them thrown down. All were
dreadfully frightened, imagining at first that a revo-
lution had broken out, and accordingly 4, lid, jai,"
was the cry, and people began to fly in all directions.
Some mounted whatever carriage trey could lay
bold of—others rushed into the horses: in short,
there was an universal panic. Shops were closed,
and churches were filled, and the horrors
of a revolution, it was believed, were spin
to be endured. Nevertheless, the fact thet almost
every window was broken, and the glees
powdered streets, made people thiiiie that there was
some other cause for the noise which had astonish, ri
them then that which their tears first suegested. It
was shorty ascertained ;hat the powder magazine at
the end of the new mola had :elected. I ern in-
formed, upon excellent authority, that in the wage-
siuo :here were eighty can'eri of powd,r. The ea•
plusion has destroyed a pert of the fortifications; the