Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-03-30
Italy.

letter from an American travelling In ltaly
furnishes the following melancholy picture of the
beautiful city of Milan. The letter is dated, Mi
Ian, Feb. 49,, 1858:
This once splendid capital is reduced to the
condition of a barrack. 1t is in fact great mill
tary prison. The madness of Mazzni, who in
spired the needless movement of the 9th, has
brought down upon it the utmost rgor of its Aus
TRAN masters. No other city can have presented
such der orable spectacle since the barbaflsm OF
the Middle Ages.
You may form some idea of the state of things,
when tell you that business is everywhere sus-
pended-that the streets are nearly deserted by
the population that not more than two persons
are allowed 10 meet--hat all houses are closed at
six O'Clock in the evening, when everybody is re-
CURED to be indoors, under penalty OF military
arrcst-that the largest and finest private palaces
of the Elace rich in treasures of arts, have been
seized and converted into barracks for the soldlery
that no one not even the market woman and
milk-men. are allowed 10 come in or to leave with
out special police licenses, and strict examination
besdes-and that the poor joumeymen mechanics
and laborers are without employment, and suffer-
for want of food
We arrived here from Venice three days ago,
and AFTER having been most infinitely examined
and thoroughly searched-our baggage having
been all turned inside out-were placed under
strict police surveillance at the Hotel. We have
recovered our passports, however, and procured
license to leave tomorrow. We are the only
strangers at the largest Hotel in the city-which
travellers generally avoid as they would den Of
lions.
The government has imposed heavy extra
tax upon the city, in order to pay the expenses of
these new restrictions, as ifthey were not ofthem-
selves punishment enough of the innocent many
for the folly of the few; and there is a credible
rumor to-day that the Emperor has issued de-
cree confscating the estates of the rich noblemen
who now find n refuge in other countries.
Mazzini is understood 10 be secreted somewhere
in the mountains in the vicinity Of Genoa.
Austria has LARGELY increased its military forces
in Lombardy, and keeps strict watch on the Dor
ders Of Switzerland and Sardina--which are re-
garded as the nesting places of the reyolutlonlss
Everything is quiet now. and we do not anticl-
pate further disturbances in Italy at present.
The whole body of Swiss residents here and IN
the neighhorhood have also been banshed by the
same imperial master, in retaliation for some al
legged offence On the part Of one Of the Cantons OF
Switzerland.
The number of souls thus summarily driven
from house and home in the midst of winter is es-
timated at 1000! But dare not write more here.
FRENcH. MARRIAGE BRoKERs.-A late Paris
letter says .,i
have wondered how matrimonial agents-those
people that advertise desirable husbands and
wives, comfortable settlements in Life, dowries and
amiablc tempers-lnanage TO make both ends
meet. commissary of police has just arrested
an extensive dealer in this way, and the secret
has leaked out. He advertised himself as corn
doctor to all the crowned heads, and sold patent
medicines. He was also.an agent for marriages,
and had fine lot of young ladies, with dowries
varying from 20,000f. to half a million. He had
upon his books the names of daughters Of members
of the Academy and Senate, of marshal Of
France, and sundry Gernln princes. Gentlemen
that applied for wives paid an entrance fee, and
in the course of the negotiation sundry other
claims, in all considerable sum. When it be-
came necessary to bring the aifairto conclusion.
quantity of faded lovettes, with parcel Of ell
Derby females acting as their mothers, were intro
duced, and the applicant was only too glad to make
good his escape. He generally abstained from
making the swinde public for fear Of being laugh
ed at. The Investigations that have been com
menced will probably lead to the breaking up of
all the matrimonial offices in Paris.