The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1850-04-25


ground TO be used as battering rams. Two
Of these were taken up by detachmenis oil
men asnumerous as could work to advan.
tage, and brought TO bear upon the walls
with all the power which they could exer,
regardless of the fire which was poured up
! on them from the walls. Presently the walls
began to tremble, and under the we'll direct
cd and preserving application of the ram, a
breach was made, and the imperial troops
rushed into the Inquisiiion Here I'VE met
with an incident which nothing but Jesuit
cal afirontery is equal TO. The inquisitor
general, followed by the father confessors in
their priestly robes, all came out Of their
rooms, aswe were making our waY into the
interior of the Inquisiion, and with long fa-
ces, andtheir arms crossed over their breasts
their fingers, resting on their shoulders, as
though they;had been deaf 10 all the noise
Of The attack and defence, and had JUS, learn
ed what was going on; they addressed
themselves in the language of rebuke to
their own soldiers, saying,-"Why do you
fight our friends, the French?" s.I 10 es'Ii'
Their intention apparently, was to make
us think that this defence was wholly una,i-
thorized by them, hoping If they could pro.
duce in our minds belief that they were
friendly, they should have better opportu.
nifty, in the confusion and plumber OF the In.
QUESTION, to escape. Their artifce was too
shallow, and did not succeed / caused
them to be placed under guard, and all of the
soldiers of the Iuquisition to be secured as
prisoners. We then proceeded to examine
the prison house ofhell We passed through
room after room, found affairs, and crueifix-
es, and wax candles in abundance, but could
discover no evidences of iniquity being prac-
ticed here nothing of those peculiar features
which we expected TO find in an inquisitlon.
Here was beauty and splendor, and The most
perfect order on which my eyes had ever
rested. The architecture, the proportions
were perfect. The ceiling and floors of
wood were secured and highly polished
The marble floors were arranged with a
strict regard TO order. There was every
thing to please the eye and crafty cultiva-
ted taste but where were those horriS in.
struments of torture of which we had been
told, and where those dungeons in which hu-
man beings were said 10 be buried alive
The holy fathers assured us that they had
been belied that we had seen all. And
was prepared to give up the search, con-
vinced that this Inquisition was different
from others of which had heard. va.
But COL De Lille was not so ready as my
self 10 give up the search, and said to me
"Colonel, you are commander to-day, and
as you say, so it must he; bu, if you will
be advised by me, let this marble floor be
examined more. Let some water be
brought accordingly. The slabs gof marble
were large and beautifully polished. When
the water had been poured over the floor,
much TO the dissatisfaction of the inqulsitors
a careful examination was made of every
seam in the floor, 10 see if the water passed
through. Presently, Col. De Lille exclaimed
that he had found it. By the side of one of
these marble slabs the wafer passed through
last, as though there was an opening be.
meath. All hands were now at work for
further discovery. The officers with their
swords, and the soldiers with their bayonets,
seeking TO clear out the seam, and pry up
the slab. Others with the butts of their
muskets striking the slab with all their
might to break it, while the priests remon-
strated against our desecrating their holy and
beautiful house. While thus engaged, a
soldier who was striking with the butt Of his
rlusket, struck spring and the marble slab
flew up. Then the faces of the inquistors
grew pale, and as Belshazzar, when the
hand appeared writing on the wall, SO did
these men of Belial shake and quake ia, ev-
cry bone, joint and sinew. We looked be-
meath the marble slab, now partly up, and
we saw staircase, stepped to the table
and took from the candlestick one of the
candles, four feet in length, which was
burning, that might explore what was be-
fore us as was doing this, I,was arrested
by one of the inquisitors, who laid his hand
gently on my arm, and with very demure
and holy look, said, 'My son, you must not
take that with your profare and bloody
ha,;a: Il is holy" ''Weil, !" said I,fI want
something s,that is holr to see if it will moi
she'd light on iniqu;ty; will bear the res
por sibilily." took the canIi..e and procee-
ded down the staircase. I now discovered
why the waller revealed 10 US this passage
Under the floor was tight ceiling. except
at the trap door, which could not be render
ed close hence the success Of Col. De Lii.
els experiment. AS we reached the foot ol
The stairs, we entered large sqnare room,
which was called the Hall Of Judgment
In the centre of il was large block, and a
chain fastened 10 it. On this they had been
accustomed 10 place The accused chained tc
his seat. On one side Of the room was one
elevated seat, called the Throne Of Judg'
ment This the ipquisitor-general occupied
and on either side were seats less elevated
for The holy fathers when engaged in the
solemn business Of The Holy lnqpisiiion
From this room we proceeded to the right
and obtained access TO small cells, extending
the entire length of the edifce; and here
what sight met eur eyes! How has the
benev violent religion OF Jesus been abused
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