Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-03-29

from their frs, appearance not o wolf was
in sight...Thc excited father pressed his
child to his bosom, ond. -thonked the
kind providence which led him TO save
his dear boy.
The boy, after playing tilihe was wca.
ry had laid down and allen asleep, and
in that situation the wlf found him and
covered him with lea'cs until he could
bring his comrades ,oslarc in the feast;
but himself furnished the repast.
The Madiai Family Religious Per-
SeGltiOn.
The British Government, stimulated
by full exposure Of the Infamous affair
by Parliament, has in,erfcrcd for the pro-
lection Of the MApIAI family, who have
long lain in pdson TO crafty the hatred
Of Jespo,; who is so far regardless Of
the cool opinions Of the civilized world
and the rights Of conscience as to punish
his subjects because they entertain re.
ligious belief different from his own.
The Parliamentary debate took place
on the 18th jan, and on the 18Th the
following dispatch was written and made
public,
LORD JOAN RUSSELL TO SIR HENRY
BuLwER,
FonrIcx OFFICE, Jan. IS, 1853.
Sir: According 10 the last accounts re.
ceived from you, the Grand Duke Of
Tuscany still hcsitates Oh the subject Of
the Madai.
But this is matter on which h.sita.
ton implies capital punishment 1t is
the same thing in effect to condemn a
man to die by the fire like Savonarola,
or put him to death by the slow torture
Of an unhealthy prison.
1t seems TO be imagined, indeed, by
some Governments on the continent,
that it they avoid the spectacle of an cx.
ocu.ion on the scatlold. they will escape
the lium 10 themselves and the sympa.
thy for their victims which attend upon
the punishment of death for oifenses OF
political or religious character.
But this is an error. 1t is now we'll un'
derstood that the wasting of the body,
the sinking Of the spirits, the weakening
Of the mind, are but additions 10 the
capital punishment which long and close
confinement too often involves. If, there.
fore, as has been lately reported, one OF
the Madiai were to die in prison, the
Grand Duke must expect that through
out Europe he will be considered as hav'
ing put a human being TO death for be.
ing protestant. |, will be said, no doubt
that the Francisco Madiai was not that
Of being a Protestant, but that Of endeav
orng to seduce others from the Roman
Catholic faith; that the Tuscan Govern
, ment had tie most merciful intentions
5 and meant 20 have shortened the period
of imprisonment allotted by law to hi:
oaense; that such olfenses cannot be per
, mitted TO pass unpunshed.
t All this, however, will avail very lit
' tie. Throughout the civilized world this
t example Of religious persecution will ex
cite adherence.
| Nor will it be the least Of the re
. proaches addressed to the Government
of the Grand Duke tha. the name Of Leo
t pold Of Tuscany has been thus desecra
ted and the example Of a benevolent SOW
ereign thus departed from. The peace
4 full, mild, an ingenious character Of tn
@ Tuscan people makes this severity tn
t less necessary and The more odious.
As this is matter affecting Tuscal
/, subject, it may be said that Her Majcs
tvs Government have no right to inter
ferrc.
, Ifthis means that interference by fore
G Of arms would not be ustifab,e, l con
8 fess, at once, that nothing but the mos
( extreme case would justify such intsrlc
renee.
a But ifit be meant that Her Majesty ha
not the right to point out to friendl
sovereign the arguments which 'hav
6 prevailed in the most civilized nation
= against the use Of the civil sword TO pun
. ish religious opinions, | entirely den
the truth of such an allegation.
:, You are therefore, instructed to spea]
in the most serious tone to the Ministe
9 Of Foreign Affairs. and to lay before hin
all the considerations stated in this dis
, patch.
:. You will do it in the most iriendl
tone, and take care to assure the Govern
!, ment to which you are accredited tha
none are more sincere in their wishes 70
q the independence and happiness Of Tus
v cany than the Queen Of Great Britain.
r. ! am, &c., J. Russell.