The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-06 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlE,—During my extraordinary arrestation and the
persecution against me in France, many sinister and
false reports have been spread in the journals concerning
me. All these Machiavalian intrigues I have supported
during my long imprisonment with the calm resolution
which innocence alone can give. This conviction has
enabled me until now to resist my political enemies, who
are all-powerful. Their evident desire is to cover me with
the cloak of infamy ; but I am one of those whom it may
be possible to kill, but never to dishonour with truth.
There are different ways of assassinating a man—by
the pistol, by the poignard, by poison, and by moral
assassination. This last method is as sure as the others,
and it is more infamous, because -it is more cowardly.
My enemies have employed it with regard to me. Such
is the plan pursued towards me for a long while by
calumny, which I never merited, and treated with the
contempt it deserved. This species of assassinat;on is
as sure, but more cruel and more criminal than if the
poignard or poison were employed.
History will note this unjust persecution ; but
for the present I declare before the whole world
that my decision is taken, and nothing ' upon
earth will change it. My ancestors, the Sovereign
Dukes of Gonzaga Mantua, and of Casteglione
have left me the names and titles of Prince de Gonzaga
Mantua Castiglione, Prince de l'Empire Romain, Due
titulaire de Mantua ; and I have borne it with honour
as their descendant, and consequently I will sustain it
as long as I have a drop of blood in my veins. I owe
this to my conscience, to my honour, to the love of
truth, and the sacred rights of my family. Were I cap-
able of such cowardice as to abdicate my name, and the
hereditary rights my ancestors have given mo a per-
petuite, and that now my enemies are disputing so un-
justly, and in so cowardly a manner, because I am a
prisoner (whereas when free no contestation was made),
then certainly I should deserve to be disavowed by my
relations, by my friends, and my country Italy, and by
the whole world, as the unworthy son of the Prince de
Gonzaga Mantua. I burn with the desire to be always
worthy of my ancestors by my actions, as I have the
honour to be by their blood which runs in my veins. I
will never abandon my name, my titles, and my heredi-
tary rights of the family of Gonzage but with my life ;
and I would rather infinitely perish disputing the ground
inch by inch, than take any other means which would
tarnish, if I may so venture to say, the glory of the
house of Gonzaga, which I could never dishonour. I
have at least the consolation of my conscience that, in
having claimed my hereditary rights, I have done so with
a view to the independence of my country.
From the Prison of Mazas, July 1853.
PRINCE ALEXANDRE DE GONZAGA,
Duc de Mantua, Grand Master of the Order of
the Redemption.

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—The com-
mittee of the House of Lords has passed this company's
bill for a line from Crewe to Shrewsbury.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—At the monthly
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M.P.; and Messrs. J. Clutton, Rowland Hill, W. J.
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electedit ue,
Fellows of the society; and the Duke of Athol], Viscount
Canterbury, Lord Elcho, Messrs. F. Futvoye, R. Ad-
dams, W. W. Cargill, F. B. Goodacre, V. Collin, D. Old-
field, H. G. Sturt, M.P., Dr. Sibson, Dr. Crisp, and Mrs.
Brunel were proposed as candidates for the Fellowship.
The report of the council stated that the total number of
visitors to the gardens during the year had been 240,738,
being an increase over the same period in 1852 of 53,050
persons. The elections of Fellows and certificates re-
ceived in the present year have been 94 in number, being
an increase of 20 over the whole twelve months of 1852.
LONDON WASHING Woum—The washing for the
London Clubs is contracted for yearly. The Reform
Club pays about 5001., the United Service, 6001. and
so on. The washerwomen-in-chief are quite stylish
people, and one who has several club contracts drives
round in her pheaton when she wants her "little ac-
count" settled.