Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-08-27
Atrocities in ItalV.

|
| Atrocities in Italy.
The pamphlet of Gladstone, membe
of the British Parliament, exposing thu
atrocities, committed by the Neapolitar
government in punishment of alleged po
litical offences, presents picture at whicf
humanity shudders. Notices. than twenty
thousand persons, it appears, are immuret
in prison, where they suffer the last ex
tremities of physical and mental anguish
A large proportion of these victims to des
potic rage have been condemned in viola
ton of every form of law many are en-
tirely innocent while the worst have
been guilty only of striving to obtain the
enjoyment of liberty, that blessing which
is here free as the air we breathe, and
which, on that account, alas. We scarcely
value as we should. The prisoners, ac
cording to Mr.. Gladstone, are chained two
and two, and these chains are never undone
day or night. The filth of the cells, in
which the sufferers are confined, is iutole-
rable. Disease,as consequence, RACES with
terrible fatality but death, instead Of
being dreaded, is welcomed by the misera-
bic victims; for anything, even the grave
and the worm, is better, they declare with
dying breath, than the horrors of their
prison vaults. Many of the prisoners
have been wealthy and accustomed to
every luxury Of life, so that the pangs of
their present condition are thus infinitely
exaggerated. In fact, the worst cruelties
of the worst ages would seem to have been
initiated by this r yal beast of Naples.
In Rome, where christian charity should
prevail, if anywhere, cruelties almost as
inhuman prevail. A late article in La
P'esse, translated for the New York Tri-
bune, exposes, with terrible severity, the
horrors of political imprisonment in the
religious capital of the world. The once
meek Plus IX, whose first act, when he
assumed the tiara, was to 'proclaim liberty
to the captive" and "open the prison
doors !or them that were bound" has,
since his return from Gea,a, placed him
self in The hands OF ministers. who surpass,
in Lis name,'he crueiies Of his predecessor.
and crowd the jails with helpless victims
Of political rage. In silence the accused
is arrested, and in silence he is condemned. !
No complaint meets him in open court !;
no witnesses are confronted with him no
choice even Of defender is accorded, for
The consul, if obnoxious 10 the court, is
set aside, aad one pleasing 10 the judges
Those who are familiar with
he judicial murders perpetrated in Eng
and, when less arbitrary method of pro-
:eeding was in vogue. can imagine what
title chance Of justice, person accused Of
political offences, has in Italy now. The
'ery charge is, as it were, a condemnation.
And wrelches are continually found, who
AXE advantage Of this condition Of affairs,
" sacrificing, to personal revenge. inno'
ent and honest men, by perjuries the
most base. Informers even pander 10
heir own, or others guilty lus,s, by threat
ming 10 accuse husbands. fathers, or
ro,hers. and thus triumphing over
sife's. a daughters. or sisters virtue.
The prisons in Rome are not less horri
le, it appears, than the crowded jails in
Naples. Those who have no money TO
urchase luxuries from sordid jaiors are {
,rust into common apartment, the Sc
retta piana, where they are compelled TO {
erd promiscously together, with no bed
ut rotten straw, in the midst Of unclean-
css impossible 10 describe. II prisoner, ,
at an unjust condemnation. or al
10 yoaihesomene.. oi The hole into which