New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-08
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
Great Meeting Of Citizens OF Newly Ork and
yicinity-Sympathy for the Madini Family,
Of Tuscany, imprisoned for their Relig-
ious sentisnents-spccches by Rev. Drs.
Baird, Bethune, Kennedy, Cox, Hague,
and others.
An exceedingly numerous, enthusiastic and
respectable meeting Of the friends of religious free
dom held at Metropolitan Hall last evening for the
purpose Of expressing the feelings of the Christian
public in regard to the inhumnn treatment Of the Ma
dial and Others, now imprisoned in the Grand Duchy
Of Tuscany for possessing and reading the Holy Scrip
tures At y o'clock p. NJ the meeting was organized
by his Honor the Mayor taking the chair. Among
those present upon the platform noticed Rev Drs.
De Witt Adams Cox. Kennedy, Allen, and Messrs.
Harper Boormsn Colgate Cooper and many Others, too
numerous particusrize The proceedings commenced
with the reading Of the call for the meeting by Rev.
DR.. Patton.
On motion large number Of gentlemen were noul..
mated and appointed to act es VccPrcsdents.
A number OF Secretaries were then appointed.
After the organization being thus completed, Rev.
Dr. Dewitt offered up ferven prayer TO the throne OF
Grace invoking the Divine blessing upon the dclbera-
tons Of the evening.
Rev. DR.. Baird was then introduced to the meeting
and read the following statement Of facts &c, during
the course of which lie was frequently interrupted by
manifestations Of feeling the part OF the large au-
dencc
In the years 1919 and 1912 many thousands Of copies
OF the sscred Scripture in the Italian Language, were
published In Florence, and some ten or twelve thousand
were put into circulation among the people, who re-
ceiYed them with great avidy. Tnis was done during
the reign of those liberal views and measures which tn.
revolution in the early part of the frat named year gave
- fUf. Is.Vf Tho nt a
year al this done with the consent Of the Govern
Ineni and in accordance with the avs OF Tuscany.
During this brief period OF religion liberty many per
sons were led by the reading OF the Scriptures, 10
Perceive as they believed the error Of the Church Of
Rome, in which they bad been born and educsied
With the exception Of the occasional visirs OF SWISS
French end English Observation-Disclosures OF the Gos
pei ard laymenthe influences which operated to
son this movement wholly Italian Little meetings
for reading and epoundng the Word Of God were held
in private houses For several months, also faithful
yoanz men, from among the Wsldenses in the valleys OF
Piedmont preached the Gospel in the Italian language
az the Protestant Swss chapel In Florence, which for
more than twenty years had been sustained under the
auspices OF the Prusssn Embassy andin connection with
IL Il was thus that the truth made silent but cectua
progress in the capital of the Grand Duchy OF Tuscany
and itsimInediase vicinity.
But length the reaction set in in Tuscsny as well rs
in all other psrts OF Italy excepting the kingdom OF Ssr
DINA The Grand Duke having returned from hls ten
porarv abdicaton OF the throne oil his fshe il not
long til one privilege after another and one liberty after
another was abolished, together with the contribution
induced adopt measure after measure to arrest
the spirit OF inquiry ard its consequences among the
people The Italian preaching IN the Swiss chapel was
tnterlicted. In the spring OF 1851, Count Piero Gmc
cardin and five others arrested and thrown into
prison. for the sole onse Of possessing and reading the
New Testament Atthe moment when the gems darnes
broke in upon their simple and truly primitive meeting
for spiritual edfeson they were engaged IN reading
the fifteenth chapter of the gospel BIZ John which
mences with these words OF our Saviour - am the
true Vine and my father is the hushandman" The i'm
prsonment Of these men was OF but short Duration or
their sentence was cofnmu Cd Through the niucnce
IL said OF the late Mr. Shel the then British Ambassador
al the Court Of Florence) 70 Punishment Tor the period
Of SIX months in some cases and year In others.
This the prelude 20 greater trials 10 the e bsnd
of Scripture nqrers. Other inIprisonments and other
bsnshments took place until t was believed at IN inc
autumn ofls5l, many as twenty Of the most proini
nent persons in this religious movement were eitcr IN
prison snong common felons, or In exile In the zuc
ceeding winter, Francisco Nadla, and his vile Rosa,
both persons IN tie middle period Of lie or rather pass
ing OF it, arrested and thrown into loatsone
prison among the yies. erimrls where they lansosed
many months end their hesh was, II J. ered enty
affected At length in JunsAst they were brought 70 %
The only charge in the language Of the Indictment TT
orally trsnsG,ec that Of Inplety shown n MAKING prose
Jtes 70 the soaled eyansehca or pure
IL other words 10 cEsrz. that they had poesed AMI
read the word OF God and having found the blessed peace
which gives desired make ther neishbors and re.ds
pzrsker their JOY The frial lasted from the lh - the
sh Of June 1882 and ended in their being condemned BY
vote Of three Judges them 20 two 10 their favor
They were defended with great ability b. Sig Msgsosu
talented Foreutpe advocate who deserves the sEeatst
credit r bis ntrepty that irving ronenI and for his
subsequent kind and colsdeaie attention - his unra
rate clients.
Its rroper 10 add thu. the srylen. Of this sbls sdvo-
oata was fully sustained by the oPnoR Of some OF re most
distinguished ursIs IN Tuscany The noble coEi-sos -
deported theInseve. the oecaor &C 70 command ne
deepest -ympGthy Of ell who prssen Pale aud ex-
k,nsted BY their long and miserable IT prsouent an
swered with meeknt and tInness 70 ne os OF
the court. At the commencement CT me GsL >ghoI
NADIA asked he born IN the bosom o. fae hoy
Mother the Roman Catholic Chsrrh. Yes he repned,
but now an Christian, according rothe Gospe 40
ha made YOU Such and does there exist an sc OF
s-pouf thee. 10 whom unitedF " Ny eopEclois
b.yr existed fr many years. bat Lave acquired strength
from the study Of the Word Of God IL has been mater
between God AID nv soul but "hien was J.."ssy
Cburrh- HI. wife also testified that the change N hL
views and fee nss had been the res1lt OF years o.
inquiry End thss she had made spaonc % % h
new ~ AZ tine when the Laws gave Tcsous LIsIy "
Ri sTeTy Sefsnee wa. in ,sr. They were CONDEMNED
sr Mali 10 ffv-six and bis wife 70 foryIys ilcLLs
irr priscuIne1f hard labor and eoth hsye siesa5
mors than mcnths OF the terra Of thsiI So -
tie ans penifeniisTy, bot N est4onsnreenI y ~'
,nsrr-,he husband NoirerTs- and his VIE ~ Lurce
THIS sentence, unjust, 50 utterly eonrreIy y "
cert. OF the Saver, who even commands - -
seripturss excited AZ once sertiEnets9t Of
C.sn. wherever II became Known. NO eFefeI ALzl.
axe hss been applied Il. and 10 the panlslens 49,
h,' infected and prIn'e sal g Rosn c.sholic sy-
men ard sonse Rcnran Catholic tonrnsls 20 10y.
wish we could ssy tie ssuse OF SOME hona1 @a'S
Gals II our own county - - $500.
.f thee serrrs for CtriE;s sAks was z exne-f % -
ing completely away, and that otner p.., ~ Co.
rs.e oceysTns eru,.uy and sWtrszsna srni
Sernfx-ion OF zen u,en-fae Ears 81 koden ena Sa'a
and Capt. Trytssr. from fssland, ~, Fsne- M-.-r,
Fsur,ls and BORN Gerusny; and Count ae 81 oe2rxe
and Col Truuehin 6snevs-uaen W ,s ~
pe'y and BY teeii SOFA ", 80 ~, "a ur,,oQ,i