The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-04-14

A correspondent of the New York Journal OF
Commerce, writing from Italy, gives the following
thrilling description of few of the horrors Of the
Inquisition: ,~
In Turin met the American Consul OF Rome,
who has passed through the entire revolution in the
Eternal City, and who present when the doors
and dungeons Of the Inquistion were opened by
the decree OF the Triumvrs its prisoners released
and the building converted into an asylum for the
poor. 1t was interesting to hear from the lips Of
an intelligent eyewitness the most ample con-
irmation Of the published statements relative to
the condition and appearance of this iniquitous
establishment The Holy Inquistion Of Rome is
situated near the Porta Cavalliger, and under the
very shadow Of the sublime dome Of Saint Peter S
Cathedral and capable in Of emergency of ac-
commodating three thousand prisoners. The Con-
sui was particularly struck with the imposing
dimensions Of the Chamber of Archives filled
with vouminous documents, records and papers.
Here were piled all the proceedings and decisions
Of the holy office from the very birth of the Inquisi-
tion, including the correspondence with its COL
lateral branches in both femispheres. Upon the
third floor, over certain door, inscription
to this effect Speak to the first Inquistor. ,
Over another Nobody enters this chamber ex-
cept on pain OF excommunication.' They might
well have placed over that door the well remem-
bered inscription of Dante over the gates of Tar
tarus, Abandon hope, all ye who enter here That
chamber was the solemn Hall OF Judgment, or
Doom-room where the fates of thousands have
been sealed in death. Over door directly oppo-
site another inscription read, 'SPeak the second
lnqusitor.' Upon opening the door of that depart
ment trap door was exposed, from which the con-
demned, after they left the Hall Of Judgment, step
ped from time into eternity.
"The well or pit beneath, had been built in the
ordinary cylindrical form, and was at least eighty
feet deep, and ngeniously provided with pro-
jechng knives and cutlasses that the bodies of the
victims must have been dreadfully mangled in the
descent AT the bottom of this abyss quantities of
hair and beds of mouldering bones remained Not
the lower chambers Of the building found
human bones. In some places they appear to have
been mortared into the walls. The usual instru-
ments of torture in such establishments were like
wise manifest. The Consul presented me with BON
| which he brought with him as memorial oI hl,
| visit The Pope fled from Rome on the 9th O
| November, 1913, The Roman Repnbiic was pro
claimed on the 11th of February, 1S49 and i'm
mediatey after its installation the Assembly
soernnly declared the aboishment of the Holy In
QUESTION, and by special decree charged the Tri-
umvlrate with the duty of erecting lofty column
to commemorate the overthrow of one of the great
est evils that darkened the face of the earth
But the scenes of this world change. On the 1st
of July, 1919, the Roman Republic, after bref
existence of five months, captulaed to the French
and in May, 1850, Plus TX, after an exile of one
year and six months, returned to his capital pro-
scrbed the Trumvirate, and re-established the In
QUESTION IN all its former power"