Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-06-18
TBK CANADIAN RIOrsHACCoUNT BY GA
VAzZI OF THE ATTACK UPON HIM.

|
her Gavazzi, describing the attack made
npon him at Quebec, has been received by
The editor Of the LEto d'Italia. /
LETTER from FATHER GAvAzzf TO fnE EDi.
TOR OF THE NEW YORK L'Eco D'irALIA.
QuEnEc, Canada, June s. 1853.
G +. SEccHr De CAsAlt--DEAR FRIESD
i only write few particulars Of the shock
ing case which happened the day before
Yesterday; you will perceive il more amply |
described in the papers send you. will
begin by saying that the appearance Of the
assailanis was most despicable, for they
came dirty, torn and in their shit sleeves,
the better 10 show their origin. Il was their
aim to secure me alive, in order TO murder
me wi,hou, the church; but not having sue
ceeded they atismp,ed to kill me within the
church,. Many were led to believe ii, when
they had by repeated blows fellcd Paoli to
the ground; for believing him to be me
they said, ",his is the very man, Another
scheme Of theirs was to blow oul the lights,
ny turning the gas keys, for by so doing,
from their concerted plan, they would have
more easily succeeded in getting possession
OF me, seizing at the same time, every one
present. mostly ladies' and children. But
man proposes and God disposes. 1t was not
possible 10 turn the gas key, nor so easily to
capture me.
Having rid myself of my first assalant BY
throwing him over the pulpit, took off my
cloak, and brandishing The chair which had
served me as an orator, | defended my post,
as true Italian crusader. think that many
of this gang will! remember for some time
this passage of the Italian missionary's lee.
ture. Having pulpit about 10 feet wide,
with the stairs exposed, facing the church,
and compelled TO defend il against more than
60 savages, was rather difficult task. An
artillery sergeant, who now enjoys the SYM
pa'hy of all parties, to the great shame Of
the policemen, (who were standing by as idle
speclators) leaped from these stairs, and
succeeded in defending with me my citadel.
After the first attack, Paol, who was at the
church door, was enabled TO reach the stairs
and, having snatched a stick from one of the
assaiant's hands, used il in every direction,
and We were enabled TO retain the Liberty OF
our platform for more than twenty five min
uies.
. But again gang Of the outward assaiants,
10 the number of more than seven hundred
rushed into the church. This is owing tc
another objectionable mistake of the police
the stairs and parapel were assailed with re-
newed violence. The artillery sergean, feel.
lug his equilibrium fail, clung to Paoli, who,
amid the great throng Of assailants, could no
longer manevre his stick meanwhile two
of the savages had seized Paoli to overthrow
him from the stairs; he cried out 10 me
"Gavazzi, help me-" abandoned the front
of the pulpit and with desperate blow OF
the bench which | held in my hand, fell
upon the head of one of tho two assassins,
which caused him to bound from the stairs
| was returning 10 the front, while some
other assassins having gained tho ground
had abandoned to save my friend, lifted me
from my feet and precipitated me headlong
out of the pulpit, fIom height OF more Than
fifteen feet.
This was 10 have been the hour Of my
death, and could have been. The falling
with such violence might have suficed ic
crush my skull; but God was there 10 pro,ec
his poor, but confident servant. | fell on {
floor of enemies heads and shoulders, an,
il was afterwards said that as I was o
iron disposition, | weighed also as iron itself
but sustained no wound from my fall. The
crowd then dispensing, found myself stretch
ed out on the ground, with legion of saya
ges over me, oyerjoyed at being able 10 sla,
me. I then received kick en- my chin
which has produced slight wound and q
confusion on the jaw as the great crowd
prevented the use of sticks, they endeavoree
10 supply it with their feet ] perceived ,ha
nothing bnt gigantic effort could save me
and employed it accordingly. ! rose il
spite OF them, and BY blows opened passag'
TO the staircase which leads TO the sublerra
neous place where the Sunday Schools are
and having met assassins on the stairs.
overcame them the last, who from his size
impeded my passage as it were barricade
and threatened me with his large stick, cal
ling ME by the vilest names; very COOL
rolled down The stairs, and jumping over him
reached the entry Of he Sunday School.
Fortunately the school WAS dark havin
examined il in the morning became &C
quainied with its structure. took the lei
path, among an innumerabls quantity Of ben
ches, while the savages, who were still pur
suing me, were obliged to delay before the
could leach the door. 1t was then hear
the cry Of PaOli, "GOd help me,' which le
me to believe that he was assaulted aud bea
ten again by the assassins. Being left bal
dead, he would have been killed by the nee
pie had not an unforeseen hand conveyed hin
TO the sublerraneous school, where he foun
himself, as it were, miracnously saved fros
certain death. After five or siS minutes {
fatal suspense, some one Of the police came
The lights were again lii, but this did ne
prevent the assaiiants from breaking all III
windows OF the school, by throwing larg
stones, one of which hit Paoli Oh the brea
while DR.. Douglass was examining h
wounds. But fortunately the military arr
yed and the assassins were disner.ed Pao