The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-03 00:00:00

M. CARACCIOLI.

A Monsieur le Redactenr-en-Chef du Times.

PriONSIEER LE REDACTEUR,—J'apprends quo dans le
Times, du 16 Mai, votre correspondent de Turin, YOUB ecrit :
—" Quo les aventuriers qui ont fait cause commune avec
les brigands ont its traites d'une fagon trop douse. Si le
Comte de Christen &aft attache a la meme chaine qu'un
malfaiteur ordinaire, a common malefactor (c'est-a-dire un
voleur ou un assassin), on doit so rappelor que ce memo
malfaiteur n'6tait que le complies du Comte, et que tons
deux (7it fait ensemble une expedition de brigandage, &c.
Le fait est, qtic, messieurs de Christen et Bishop sont traits
comme des gentilhomules: pour leurs compagnons de capti-
vittl le bagne eat trop bon."
Il no peut y avoir de doute sur la personne quo Von a
voulu designer par co mots—un malfaiteur ordinaire, a
common malefactor. C'est le Chevalier Achille Caracciolo
des Dues de Girifoles. Il fit en effet avec le Comte de
Christen la campagne des Abruzzes, gentiment appelee par
votre correspondent, une expedition de brigands, quoiqu'il
n'ignore pourtant point que cette campagne a eu lieu pen-
dant le siege de Gaiite, et que ces soi-disants brigands ont
fait capituler a Banco, un des meilleurs generaux Piemon-
tois, le Gineral do Sonnaz a la tile de sa division.

De plus, M. Caracciolo juge avec M. de Christen dans le
meme proces, condatnne avec lui a 10 ans de travaux forces,
enferme dans la meme cellule a Santa Maria Apparente,
fist au bagne attache a la meme chaine. Ainsi quo l'attesta
Lord Henry Lennox, dans son eloquent diseours, quand, en
parlant de sa visite au bagne of Nisida, it dit avoir eu de la
peine a reconnaitre attaches ensemble par de fortes chaines,
Monsieur de Christen and Monsieur de Caracciolo.
Il est done evident, Monsieur le Redacteur, que votre
oorrespondant n'a pu avoir en vue que le Chevalier Carac-
ciolo quand it traitait de malfaiteur la personne qui avait
etc attache a la meme chaine que le Comte de Christen, et
qui auparavant s'etait battu avec lui. Il y a certaines in-
suites qui partent de trop bas, et s'attaquent trop haut,
pour qu'elles puissent arriver a leur but : elles n'eelabous-
sent que ceux qui les lancent, et ne rne:ritent que la dedain,
Mais j'attache trop de prix a l'opinion de la libre nation
Anglaise pour garder le silence, quand je vois que les servi-
teurs du Piemont, cherchent l'abuser par d'aussi groissiers
mensonges, et que, non contents d'applaudir aux fusillades,
ils cherchent encore a salir da venin de la calomnie les plus
nobles caracteres. _

Ignorant les faits je n'en doute pas, vous avez donne a
l'insulte, monsieur le redacteur, la publicitd par votre jour-
nal ; a ma reponse vous devez cette meme publicite.
Beau-frera de M. Caracciolo et amide M. de Christen
j'ai le drcit de l'exiger ; mais j'aime mienx m'en rapporter
a votre loyaute, certain qu'elle vous fera un devoir de
publier ma lettre. Votre correspondant s'est garde de nom-
mer la porsonne qu'il insultait, c'est toujours en se cachant
ainsi que marche la calomnie. Aussi pour la demasquer et
pour toute reponse n'ai-je voulu que nommer celui que I'on
sppelle an malfaiteur, le eomplice du Comte de Christen !
Oui, ils etaient complices l'un do I'autre, complices pour
faire leur devoir de soldats I Officier de l'ancianne armde
Napolitaine, M. Caracciolo n'abandonna pas son drapeau,
et c'est pour etre reste fißle a son serment et a son roi
qu'il gemit aujoud'hui, avec son noble compagnon, M. de
Cnristen, sous les verroux Piemontais. Mais, aussi sous
la veste et le bonnet rouge du bagne, son honneur de gentil-
h)mire 6tait intact, et it ne cessait pas au moins de porter
noblement son nom.

Un dernier mot, monsieur, votre correspondent pretend
qua Messieurs de Christen et Bishop sont traitds comma dis
gentilhommes, mail qua pour leurs compagnons de cap-
tivite le bagne est trop bon. J'ignore comment sont traites ces
infortunes, jo sais seulement qua M. de Christen est encore
le compagnon de cellulo de M. Caracciolo dans la fortress')
d'Alexandrie a M. Bishop est aussi detenu.
Je n'insiste pas, monsieur le redeeteur, pour vous de-
mander d'inserer ma lettre dans le plus prochainnumero de
votre journal ; je sais qu'en Angleterre, a quelque parti
qu'on appartienne, os respecte les vaincue, et toutes les in-
fortunes noblement supportees,—Agreez, monsieur, le
redacteur, Ece. VISCOMTE DE LUPE.

Nuits C6te d'Or, le 29 Mci, 1863.
P,S. Je doie vous prevenir, monsieur, qua j'adresse une
copie de cotte lettro plusieurs journaux et qua je lui don-
nerai la plus grande publicite on France et a l'etranger.

[Translation.]
SIR,—I understand that in the Times of the 16th ult.
your correspondent at Turin wrote to you:—" That the ad-
venturers who have made common cause with the brigands
have been treated in the gentlest manner. If the Count de
Christen was attached by the same chain to a common
malefactor (that is to say, to a thief, or an assassin) one
ought to recall to mind that that same malefactor was only
the accomplice of the Count, and the two of them had
together embarked upon an expedition of brigandage, &c.
The fact is that Messrs. de Christen and Bishop are treated
like gentlemen—for their companions in captivity, the con-
vict prison is too good."
No one can possibly have an instant's doubt as to the iden-
tity of the person intended to be indicated by these words, a
common malefactor—viz., the Chevalier Achille Caracciolo
des Duce de Girifoles. He, it was in effect, who made with
the Count de Christen, the Campaign of the Abruzzi,
politely called by your correspondent, an expedition of
brigands, although he could not but be perfectly well aware
that that campaign took place during We siege of Gaeta,
and that these so-called brigands had compelled to
capitulate at Banco one of the ablest of the Piedmontese
generals, General de Sonnaz, at the head of his division.
More than that, M. Caracciolo, tried in the same cellos
with M. de Christen, condemned with him to ten years'
incarceration with hard labour, shut up in the same cell
with him at Santa Maria Apparente, was attached with the
same chain to him at that convict establishment—all which
was attested by Lord Henry Lennox (very recently in the
House of Commons) during the course of the eloquent
speech delivered by his lordship when, describing his visit
to the convict prison of Nisida, he spoke of having had the
pain of recognising fastened together by the same strong
chains Messrs. de Christen and Caracciolo.
It is thus evident, sir, that your correspondent could not
possibly but have had in view M. the Chevalier de
Caracciolo—when he designated as a malefactor the person
who had been attached to the same chain with the Count
de Christen, and who had already been associated with him
in the same warlike enterprise. There are certain insults
which emanate from a source too low, and are directed
altogether too high, to render it possible that they should
ever reach their aim. They bespatter only those by whom
they are hurled—and they merit only disdain. But I attach
too much value to the opinion of the free English nation to
remain altogether silent when I see that the sycophants of
Piedmont endeavour to delude it (that Public Opinion in
England I) by any such monstrous misstatements as these—
and that, not satisfied with applauding fusilaeds, they strive
to sully with the venom of infamy the noblest characters.
Ignorant, I doubt not, of the facts here stated, you have
given to this insult, sir, the publicity of your journal. To
my reply, therefore, you owe that same publicity. As the
brother-in-law of M. Caracciolo, and as the friend of M. de
Christen, I have the right indeed to demand this. I prefer,
however, on the contrary, simply to appeal to your sense of
courtesy and generosity, feeling assured that you will
hasten, in discharge of an honourable duty, to publish my
letter.
Your correspondent, it is observable, carefully guards
himself from mentioning the name of the person whom he
insults. It is always thus covertly in fact that calumny
advances to its end. And now, also, in order at once to
unmask• it, and as my solo and sufficient response, I have
wished to do no more than simply to name him who is called
a malefactor and the accomplice of M. de Christen I Yes—
they have been accomplices the one with the other—accom-
plices, that is, to do their duty as soldiers An officer of
the old Neapolitan army, M. Caracciolo, would not abandon
his flag—and it is precisely because he remained faithful to
his oath and loyal to his king, that he has to lament to-
day, together with his noble companion (and accomplice !)
M. de Christen, under the Piedmontese prison-bolts.
Yet, as under the vest and the red cap of the convict
prisoner his honour as a gentleman remained intact, he is
still none the less enabled to carry his name nobly and
unsullied.
One word more.; air : your correspondent pretends that
Messrs. de Christen and Bishop are treated like gentlemen,
although for their companions in captivity the convict pri-
son is too good. Now, lam ignorant certainly as to how
those unfortunates are treated. I only know that M. de
Christen is still the companion in captivity of M. Catlicciolo
in the fortress of Alexandria, where Mr. Bishop is Also
detained.
I now only urgently request you, sir, that you will pub-
lish this letter of mine in the earliest possible number of
your journal. I know well that in England, no matter what
political party one may belong to, respect is always shown
to the vanquished, and always accorded to misfortunes that
are nobly endured.—Accept, sir, the assurance of, &c.,
VISCOUNT DE LUPE.

P.S.—I think it but right to apprise you beforehand, sir,
that I shall address a copy of this letter to several other
journals, and that I purpose giving it the greatest poasitle
publicity in France and generally throughout the Continent.

THE LOUVRE.—The Museums of the Louvre were
raised by Napoleon I. to a high degree of splendour.
Louis XVIII. further enriched them with 111 paintings, at
a cost of 668,265 f. It was also during his reign that the
Venus of Milo was added to the Museum of Antiquities.
Charles X. purchased 24 paintings for 62,790 f., and com-
pleted the Museum of Antiquities, which boars his name.
Louis Philippe purchased for the Louvre only 33 paintings,
at a cost of 74,136 f. Since the accession of Napoleon 111.
the New Louvre has seen several new galleries formed.
Thirty master-pieces of the highest order of merit have been
bought, at an expense of nearly 1,000,000 f., among them
being "The Conception," by Murillo, for which 615,300 f.
were paid to the heirs of Marshal Soult ; also, two pieces by
Velasquez, two Hobbemas, and one a beautiful Denner.
Several invaluable pieces of sculpture have also been ob-
tained; and, last of all, the Campana collection, which cost
4,000,000 f. The Apollo Gallery is now terminated, deco-
rated, and furnished, The Emperor is organising the great
museum which is to bear his own name, and that
eoff
e
French school of painting, on the right and left
Napo_
Pavilion Denon, the first floor of the New Louvrjeen. odours
of
leou 111. has contributed more largely to thee p a
the Louvre than any other Sovereign sine
Galignani. °Francis 1.
EARLY BIRTHPAYS..—Thenrc
was a certain
birthday,
sense time when,
inseparable from one's own bfi
Ntv ell-earned distinction.
sense of merit, a consciousness
soa
graceful achievement of
When I regarded my birthday
aperseverance, independence,
my own, a monument of my
and good sense, redounding greatly to my honour. This
was at about the period when
0011yymmvpiiaa Squires becamew as most
in-
volved in the anniversary.
beautiful (of course), and I loved her to that degree, that I
used to be obliged to got out of my little bed in the night,
expressly to exclaim to Solitude, " 0, Olympia
Squires I
Visions of Olympia, clothed entirely in sage-green, from
which I infer a defectively-educated taste on the part of her
respected parents, who were necessarily unacquainted with
the South Kensington Museum, still arise before me. Truth
is sacred, and the visions are crowned by a shining. white
beaver bonnet, impossibly suggestive of a little feminine
poatboy,—Charles Dickens in "
.AU the Year Round."