The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-05 00:00:00

THE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AT FLO,

RENCE.-THE MADIAIS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THU MORNING HERALD.

Sis,—You were so good as to insert in your columns,
a short time ago, a letter I had received from Geneva
on the subject of the Madiais at Florence.
The interest felt by the public is very great ; and I
may therefore request you to publish the accompanying
letter from Lord Roden, the head of the deputation to
the Grsnd Duke from many of the Protestants of En-
gland and the Continent.
Your very obedient servant,
Nov. 3, 1852. SHAFTESBURY.

(Copy.)
Florence, Oct. 26,1852.
Dear Lord Shaftesbury,—l feel it my duty, together
with the other British members of the deputation, Lord
Cavan, and Captain Trotter; to communicate to you, as
president of the Protestant Alliance, the course we have
adopted since our arrival here, as well as the result of
our endeavours to obtain the object for which we have
been sent.

On our arrival at Florence on the morning of the 22d,
we found that some of the foreign members of our de-
putation were already arrived ; we immediately put our-
selves in communication witn them, and, after asking
God's blessing and guidance upon our proceedings, we
came to the resolution of addressing a letter at once to
the Tucan Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, with-
out the intervention of any diplomatic agent ; praying
to bo admitted an audience by his Imperial and
Royal Highness tho Grand Duke. A copy of our ap-
plication I herewith enclose (No. 1). During many
hours of close consultation for two successive days we
wore engaged in discussing the substance of our address
to the Grand Duke, should we bo admitted to the honour
of an audience by his Imperial and Royal Highness.
Lord Cavan, Captain Trotter, and I, felt that the great
object of our mission was the case of the Madiai ; we
were, therefore, unwilling to mix up any other subject
with it, which might either retard or prevent altogether
the release of those two faithful Christians, whose
persecution has created so groat a sympathy throughout
Europe.
In the evening of yesterday we received a reply to our
communication from the Duke of Cassaglione, a copy of
which I also enclose (No. 2). We feel that the substance
of this answer is such as to induce us to hope, that al-
though our immediate request has been denied, yet
that it is the intention of his Imperial and Royal
Highness to extend his pardon to the Madiai at no saw-
, taut period. We, therefore, think that it would be
im-
prudent in us to take any further
.step at the present
time, except to send to the Duke of Cassaglione a copy
of our address to his Imperial and Royal Highness had
he favoured us with an audience—a copy of which I
also enclose (No. 3).
It is our intention to ask the leave of the Tuscan
Government to visit the prisoners at Volterra, and at
Lucca ; and, I hope on our return to England, we shall
be able to give you and those whose delegates we are
every information with respect to the circumstances in
which the Madiai are placed, and the hopes which we
entertain for their speedy release.
We do not think it right to enter into greater detail
at present, and will only add that we hope to finish our
business hero so as to leave this, on our return home,
early in the next week. We have great cause to be
thankful to God for his great mercies, which we have
received during the whole of this undertaking and in our
long journey across Europe : and we are most grateful
for those many prayers which wo know have been
offered up on our behalf.
Believe me, dear Lord Shaftesbury,
Very sincerly yours,
(Signed) RODE N.
The Earl of Shaftsbory, President of the
Protestant Alliance, London.

The following is the letter of the Duke of Cassigliano
above referred to :

" Florence, Oct. 25, 1852.
"My Lord,—l have submitted to my august Sove-
reign the letter addressed to me under date the 24th
inst., signed by the gentlemen at the head of whom
appears your name.
" His Imperial and Royal Highness, while appre-
ciating the course you have adopted in this matter,
would certainly have repelled any political pressure
(pressiine) whatever, and the honourable diplomatic
agents resident at this Court would have been careful
to avoid it.

" The Madiais (man and wife), Tuscan subjects, to
whom you refer, have been condemned to fire years'
imprisonment by the ordinary tribunals for the crime
of propagating Protestantism (de propagande protestante),
which is prescrihed by our laws as an attack upon the
religion of the State. Their punishment is the appli-
cation of these laws, and their appeal for a reversal of
their sentence has been rejected by the Court of Ces-
sation. _

His Imperial and Royal Highness, in reserving to
himself the exercise of his high prerogative in such
cases and at such times as he way judge right, cannot
permit any interposition in a case which concerns the
administration of justice in his States and his acts
towards his own subjects.
My august Sovereign, recognizing the benevolent
sentiments by which you have been actuated, but not
considering it necessary to listen to any kind of inter-
vention on this subject, commands mo to inform you,
my Lord, that ho regrets being unable to grant the
audience solicited by you and the other gentlemen who
have signed the letter which has been addressed to me.
" Accept, my Lord, and convey to those gentlemen,
the assurance of my high consideration.
" LE DUC DE CASSIGLIANO.
" To the Right Hon. the Earl of Roden, blorence,"

In consequence of the refusal to off,rd an andience,
Lord Roden, and his colleagues, acknowledging the pro-
mise on the part of the Grand Duke to exercise his pre-
rogative at the fitting moment, thought it incumbent in
the discharge of their mandate, to present the following
expression of sentiments which they had been authorised
to lay before the Grand Duke :
" Alonsigneur,—Your Imperial and Royal Highness
already kncws with what object, and in what quality we
have the honour to present ourselves before you ; not
only have we avoided recourse to diplomatic intervention,
which would have compromised the exclusively religious
character of the step we have taken, but we manifest
now again our express desire, that this step shall not be
made the ground of any future political action.
" Hero are only simple Christians, representing mil-
lions of other Christians, who desire no other arms than
prayer—no other force than that of their Divine Master.
This is an Embassy of a new kind, and which manifests,
we dare to think, our respect for the sentiments of the
Prince to whom it is sent.

" Our brethren said to us, Go not in the name of
such or such Protestant power, but in that of the Lord
Jesus; bear to the Sovereign of Tuscany the expression
of profound sympathy which is excited by the situation
of Mons. and Madame Madiai. We dare to hope that
sympathies so general will be taken into consideration
by your Imperial and Royal Highness.'
" We will not, Monseigneur, commit the impropriety
of expressing au opinion upon the law that has been
applied, and on the manner of its application. It does
not belong to us truly to meddle with legislation, or the
admicistration of
,justice in your states. We feel simply
the need of adding a word which will justify our pro-
ceedings, by showing that what we desire for partners
of our oven creed we do not refuse to those who are
straegers to our faith.
" Roman Catholicism is free in the Protestant coun-
tries which wo represent. Your Imperial and Royal
Highness comprehends why we rectal this fact. How
could we have dared to address our memorial in favour
of our brethren, the Madiais, if we knew not how to
respect ourselves the liberty of Roman Catholics.
" We should have been wanting in the profound re-
spect wo owe your Imperial Highness had wo hesitated
to hold this language.
" Respect is not only on our lips, it is in our hearts.
The evangelical Christians who sent us hero have all
learned by the study of the Holy Scriptures to honour
established powers, and their prayers for your Imperial
and Royal Highness are joined to those which from all
parts et Europe and America rise for our brethren, the
Madiais.

" Wo dare to hop., Monseigneur, that your reply w
give nouiplete joy to those who sent us.
(Signed) " 110 DEN. A. DE GASPERIN.
A. DE BONIN. CAVAN.
F. DE Mar.lONT. TROTTER."

, NEW WA TER Costrart Y.—The " Wandle Water
and Sewage Company" has been formally introduced in
the market, with a nominal capital of half a million
sterling in 101. shares. It will be remembered that the
bill embodying the objects of the proposed association
actually engaged the attention of the Select Committee
on the Metropolis Water Supply last session, but that
owing to its being delayed till a late period of the session,
it was judged expedient, with a view to avoiding unne-
cessary expenditure, that the bill should be withdrawn,
upon the understanding that the same measure would
be proceeded with in the new parliament. The objects
of the association aro the supply of an unlimited quantity
of pure water from the River Wandle and its vicinity to
the inhabitants of the southern portion of the metropolis
extending from Richmond to Deptford, Streatham and
Norwood; and the simultaneous execution of sanitary
improvements. The rates of charge aro to be much
lower, it is stated, than those of the Lambeth and South-
wark and Vauxhall water companies.
THE MEMORY' OF THE DEAD.—At a meeting of the
corporation yesterday, one of the members, Mr. Codd,
a Roman Catholic, submitted a motion to the effect that
the Lord Mayor having apprised the House that the
Earl Marshal has reserved for the members of the cor-
poration 25 places in St. Paul's Cathedral, to attend the
funeral obsequies of the late illustrious Duke of Wel-
lington, his Lordship be requested to ascertain the names
of the members who are desirous to be present on the
occasion ; and should the number exceed that for which
accommodation has been provided, that the members be
then selected from those by ballot. After a sharp dia.
mission the motion was carried by a majority of 26 to
eight. The minority was wholly composed of Roman
Catholics.
IRON FOUNDERS IN GLASGOW.—The following are
the number of foundries in Glasgow and suburbs, viz.:
—North side of the town, 17 ; west side of ditto, 10 ;
south side of ditto, 7 ; east side of ditto, 9 ; total, 43.
These are all in full operation, with the exception of
three standing.
NEW FOREIGN llsatr.wAY.—lt is stated in n
letters
from Copenhagen that Sir Charles Fox, as was
pated, has obtained the concession of the Roskilde-
Kortor Railway on favourable terms, the state giving a
guarantee of 4 per cent. The line is believed to be about
50 miles in length. It is understood, however, that
some official formalities remain to be gone through.
Surveys of the Copenllagen and Elsinore line are also
being pro:ecuted on tted'ount of English opitsliata,