The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-20 00:00:00

FELICE ORSIXI'S,SECOND LECTUI:R.

Last evening:Felice Orsini, geve ,second • lecture at
Clayton Hall, Clayton s.qnare, There: was 'a-,very. fair
attendance in all parts of the-hall. !Ile-. subject. upon
.which the lecturer demented eeas " The papal govern-
ment of the Roman States. - The chair was. taken by
Rawlins, who, in introducing•the -lettnrereesaid
they . were not assembled altogether to hear. an
interes ing lecture, but to congratulate Signor. Orsini
op
warm
escape from Mantua, and to
.give. him a
warm and * cordial welconie to the good old town
of Liverpool, and to bear that- talented 'and suffer•
ing advocate in the cause. of his country. He
also b 'gged to say that the lecturer would -not say a word
against-any religion, that would offend the most fastidious
—for it would be known that the Papal Stateit
were under two sovereignties—the temporal and the
spiritual, and it would he on the former that he would
speak. The lecturer was then introduced to the audience,
and was received with great applause. He commenced by
observing, that in Italy, there was no political security,
and this he showed by enumerating a number of
cases where persons had been taken up and condemned
on various occasions for political offences, and particu-
larly, alluded to one case, where 'a priest had endeavoured
to ingratiate hirriSelf into the favour of a heautiftil
Italian girl, living with her parents, hut becatise be failed
to succeed in his purposes, he then had the son appre-
hended nrder the pretence that he Wes a political
offender, 'and the father and brother of the girl were cone
d. mned to five years' itueriwntnent. After that the priest
again forced himself into the presence of. the. girl, and
to effect. his vile purpose, he told her that he had.pleaded
for her father and brother, or they would haVe had
double the term of imprisonment, but whether he Suc-
ceeded in effecting his ends, the lecturer did not know.
exe lIVAL all utlvu tu tuc ItUIIJaU orates, in wince existeu
a great number of secret societies, svhose members were
sworn to destroy all liberty and national 'sentiment,.
These societies were instituted by the Cardinals,
one of whim was afterwards - created a Pope.
By the oath they took,. • they swore by the God
and the Virgin Mary to have his right hand cut
off, his throat cut, or to endure any torture ,if
he did not fulfil the objects of the society, or assist others
in doing it. These societies were composed of the
priests, police, and officers of the Austrian army,
so that they were well enabled to make charges
against innocent persons, and have them incare
cerated upon the most frivolous pretences. The spy
system of the police was carried
.to such -an extent
that, it was all but impossible to live, as an instance of
which he stated that. at the, lime of the marriage of the
Empresi of Austria -some persons said that the Empress
was not handsome. The police immediately apprehended
those persons who had given utterance-to such a sentiment,
and had them imprisoned. After that the people began
to say that she was handsome, but the police believing
that they were only speaking in derision, incarcerated
them also, the result of which was, that after a short time(
the name of the Empress was not mentioned at. all. lie
then described the treatmeut the political offenders received
in Italy and in the Papal States, from which treatment he
had had the good fortune to escape, but stiT lie would
never cease to do all he could for . the redemption
of his noble country. liatiog at . some length- dwelt
upon the spy system.carriel on in the Pap ml States by the
Austrians he eproted from a paper found in the. Archivis di
politic in 1849, the authenticity of .whiele could not be disc
puted, because he exhibited the original. He then referred
to the hardships he had endured while imprisoned in Mantua,
and then having shown the Vale ltely.tind the R -man.S!atea
and then asked if England was situated in the same position as
Italy was—what would they do ? Why they, would rise
froth one end of the country to the other to deferid them.
selves, and save their wives end ehiPren from the brutality
of the priests and meelra of Austria. He concluded
by expressirg a hope that the ;people of Liverpod
would unite with him. in deprecating, the French
and Austrian occupation of Italy aecl the Roman States.
Mr. Williams then moved, " That while we are united in
the condemnation of • all-- intetferente,e on the part of
England, in the domestic aiftirs of 'other nations es alike
unjustifiable and impolitic, and believe it to be her duty to
press the adoption of this principle on' other powers. We
would, nevertheless, solemnly protest against its involving
a negotiation of Eeglandis•right to interfere, whenever
such interference is exorcised-for the suppression of strug-
gling nationalities by the foreign despotism of Europe,
That as free Englishmen, grateful for the dear inheritance
of freedom transmitted to us by cur forefathers, and con-
secrated by the baptism of their blood, we are especially
called upon to sympathise with other nations struggling
to be free, not only by our prayer for their success, but..
by such individual pecuniary aid as it may, be in our
power to contribnte. That the chairman-be requested to
take charge of any subscriptions which' may here or here-
after be tendered for the emancipation .of Italy, to be
forwarded to Mazeine for that object." The resolution
was seconded by John Stewart. The chairman, in putting
the; motion, advocated the course of England's non..
inteferenpe, :and hoped to see civil and religious liberty'
all over the world.
.7A. vote of thanks to Orsini and the
chairman concluded the business,