The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-06-27
OrENlNG OF THE ROMAN INQUISI.
TION.

~
5 The following is very interesting, and we
g doubt not correct account of the opening OF the
f. Inqnsition IN the city of Rome. on the lst Of
@Apri last from a correspondent of the N. I. =
8'rrbnne. e.. 1t may be ,recollected that the :
& defenders of Rome have repeatedly denied the |
Hexis,ence of The lnquision in any part of the
Hworld, for some years past:-
B son Sunday last the palace of the lnqusii,ion
IS was thrown open to the public after some days
s devoted to an inventory, Of its contents, andI
Hinveslgalons which resulted in the discovery
Hof some of tine relics Of the diabolical practi.
ices with which this tribunal has been associa- +
f Eted.. Curiosity had been whet,ed by the ac
8 counts which appeared from time 10 time. of
Eprsoners homes and tortures, and more recently
#by the proclamation announcing that the !
Hbuilding would be opened, which spoke of
& H"horrid prisons, skeletons and instruments of
@torure."
= The people poured into it in crowds. Every
Hbody was there-ragged, cadaverous old men,
& who looked as if they might have Just come
#from the prisons-fresh young girls with their
81 missals, who had perhaps half an hour before
+ been listening reverently to mass from The
Hlips of some priest who might have had hisE
Hshare in the deeds they were shudderlng over
+ strangers with their eyes stretched, and ready
H for the most fearful sights. They were below
F. and above, in the vaults and in the garrets,
@ running through long suits of rooms-Passagesl
p which led 10 nothing-peeping into coai-closetsI
+ and The mouth of some old drain, and turnIngl
away wilha a disappointed look and the excla.
: nation, "Non e'e nien,e," (here's nothing
here.") III
s. went with the crowd, and at first could
= not avoid a feeling of disappointment, and
H,bouobt that the government had wisely chosen
b The lst of April to expose the horrors or the
@Inquislion; bu, convinced thatthere must be
Il Esonie,bing to see, kept up search. found
s3my way at last into quiet garden with bun'
dbIing fountain in the centre, which seemed the
H very spot for the sacred mediation; but around
the garden was a low building with grated win.
@dows The rongh walls of the rooms within
II were covered with inscriptions marked with al
Ebit of charcoal-some bitter and complaining.
hin one read. "Let rs pray to God that the
;b good ~eope may have pity" In another,
m.Taxc away oppression, o God" ''Too long
Ehave heen confined here at the caprice oil
,Mcalumniators without admission 70 the sacra.
Ements." "How much hare suffered here ~
MHere beneath deaths head and crosbones
Hwas written, "Oh Mori" Here, "Scrpo
MGetani-eight years have been imprisoned
Hhere." There was one short but expressive
IA sentence in the English language: Is this the
HChristian fah?" In one prison heavy trap.
Hdoor was lifted from a dark opening. exposing a
eMdeep black vault; below in corner lay a mass
#of hedclo,hes and iattered garments, among
(which recognized worn, dirty stat-waist
acoat, apparently intended for female. In
Easeveral of the rooms were pipes through which,
oHmales. -. :. -
"a In another part OF the building dense
,Hcrowd was assembled around the entrance to a
8vaiilt, which seemed to pass beneath the whole
Mpalacc. made my way through the mass and
blown the rough steps, and recognized, by the.
@liaht of the torches upon the walls, heaps OF
@human bones scattered over the floor. Others
SHwere pro;rudng from The wall of earth at the
Inside, yet untouched; and although it was diit
2 cult to distinguish in this confused mass sex,
Hage, or even the different parts OF the body, one
Hat least seemed TO be that of female and the
-@sevenleen thigh bones which might be counted
+ Ehcre and there, told the story OF nine poor
lE5vicims.
"a The excavations are yet unfinished, and It Is
anol easy 10 conjecture how much the number
-Emay be increased. But even these lew re''cs
.Haff6rd room for the darkest suspicious. no"
Hmany yeats have passed since these vaults re-
swceved their last victim Did he waste away
@sowly under torture and starvation, or did the
> Hhoh fathers. more mercfi than usual, give
Ebim the blessing of sudden death? But these
H,re con;cc,,res without limit. 1t is difficult to
1Eaccolnt for the presence Of these relics upon
cHany supposiloa favorable to the holy Ohlce'
nHrhey are found imbedded in the earth hlllng
.E,he brick arches which form the foundation OF
,Hrhc building, and therefore must have been put
There since IFS constructions fact inconsistent
.Hwith the supposition that they belonged to an
Hancient cene,ary on this spot, if any existed;
Hand it is hut too clear from the appearance Of
E,he bones that their possessors were botn long
oHsiuce The erection of the building. Perhaps
Ethc unfortunate nun, who was found IN her cell,
Ewhen recent events threw open the doors o, OF
The palace might tell US something that would
,Haid in explaining these discoveries. II IS GILL
Ecult to believe that the present century can
aMhave witnessed any Of the enormities tor which
Elhis dreadful tribunal has become proverba.-
eHBut whether the practices thus revealed date
cElrom the last century or the last year, they
wa(T,rd another example of the horrors OF relI'
E gious persecution, and confirm my desire tor
81 E,hc downfall of creed which still cngs to the
ID principles which authorized and occas'oned the
establishment of this detcstahle institution. II
Bis said that, in the convent Of the Ara Coli,
IS Spanish monk was found who had been lmpr's
Eoncd there for twenty five years. When taken
Erom his cell, the poor man was almost oi'hoeo
s. by the glare OF day which now visited his eyes
= the first time for quarter of d century. 1t is
nj hardly necessary to speak of his surprise on
ri Hrorninn that he was set free on the authority o
r-Ha Roman Republic. "Can such things be-
Ewi,bout o,ir spccial wonder?" 1t were natural