The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-07-29
After many consultations, the conspirators

Wluoul iuitHOi uoiuy, 90 tho FiSiohSS5 "pi'f
ties, and patriotism of this family were the
chief obstacles TO their design.
For this purpose they were invited to
public entertainment at the Fiesco palace:
thus man of rank, education, and consider
able moral rectitude, who few months be-
fore would have started at injuring fellow
creature in the slightest degree, was stimu-
lated by thirst for power 10 stain his threshold
with the blood of the venerable fathers Of
his country, and under the guise of hospital
ity to commit assassination. A sudden i'll
ness of Andrew prevented the execution of
this part of their plan.
Fiesco thought it necessary to discover the
conspiracy to Paul Pansa, the friend and tu
tor of his youth, respectable for his age, his
learning, and integrity, hoping that he would
Join and assist their counsels.
Pansa replied that from the alteration in
his looks, manners, and mode of speaking,
and from his associatiug with persons of in
ferior rank and doubtful reputation, he had
long suspected that dangerous enterprise
was in agitation; that he had foreborne, from
delicacy, friendship, and respect, to enter on
the subject, but although he will not betray,
he could not participate in the undertaking..
The good old man conjured him by the
honors of his house, by his friendship, by his
belief in that holy religion whose maxims it
had been the business of his life to inculcate
and impress on his mind, by those locks
which were gray in the service of his family,
and lastly by his love for Eleanora, not to
throw away fhe real and certain happiness
he possessed for chimerical and hazardous
expectations, which if they succeeded, could
not elevate him to situation more splendid,
honorable, and happy than that in which he
was already placed, but if they failed would
be productive Of death, infamy, and confisca-
ton to all concerned.
That, to many of his associates, bankrupts
in fame as we'll as fortune, and looking only
to what they could get in general plunder,
massacre, and confusion, such cosderations
we're useless; but that men like himself and
few others. who had something to lose,
would do we'll coolly TO weigh the conse-
quences and hazard of SO momentous and
irretrievable step. Neither argument nor
enueaty could prevail on Fiesco, and the
worthy veteran departed from his palace in
tears.
The evening of the next day was fixed
for executing their purpose, and cannon
fired in the harbor by Verrina was to be the
signal that he was ready to cooperate.
An entertainment having been announced,
many guests repaired to the palace, which
they found crowded with strangers and arm
ed soldiers. The persons invited being con-
Quoted to spacious saloon in remote part
of the building, found the leader and princi-
pal conspirators assembled, when Fiesco
thus addressed them:
"The hour at length approaches when you
have it in your power to relieve Genoa from
the yoke of tyrannic and naughty nobility:
in less than an hour our portion will be hon
orable death, or the recovery and establish
ment of our freedom on glorious and eter-
nal basis. This is the feast to which have
invited you.
"The younger Doria has for several years
been endeavoring to secure to himself and
family absolute power. In order more COM
pletely to deceive, and that your chains may
be indissolubly riveted, he would establish
despotism under the form Of republic
Considering me as one determined to oppose
his designs he has resolved to assassinate
me, but have hitherto been preserved by
Providence from his stiletto, for the purpose
of restoring you to liberty.
"You are grievously oppressed by arro-
giant task.masters, whose pride and hardness
of heart will increase, should the Doria ia
mily succeed in their wishes.
I" If we succeed in the undertaking to
which you are called, will Immediately re-
store the popular government. So well
planned are our precautions, and so effective
the means we have taken, that success and
easy victory may be pronounced as certain.
6. The city guards and artfcers are who'll
ly devoted to my will: their number is near
ly three thousand These, with two thou
sand of my own vassals, and the same num-
Der from the Duke of Placentia, wait only
for my orders.
"Our designs are profound secret, the
enemy is off his guard, the danger, the diff
ficulty, the expense and anxiety have been
mine; to share in the glory, to rescue your
selves from slavery, and enjoy the blessings
| offer, is your portion.
"But as wish no man TO engage who
cannot cheerfully cooperate with hand and
heart, should any person present be averse
to the business in question, let them retire
to a tower which adjoins to my palace, where
they shall remain in safety till the short
struggle is concluded, when pledge my
honor that they shall return unmolested to
their families"
The guests who had been invited, as they
imagined to an entertainment, were notion
less and silent; but when they had recover
ed from the surprise naturally excited by SO
unexpected proposal, they declared, with
the exception of only two citizens, that they
would support the count with their lives and