Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-01-29
tFrom the North American and U. 3 Gazette.]
PERSECUTION IN TUSCANY.

PERSECUTION IN TUSCANY.
Messrs. Editors The persecution and
imprisonment of Francisco Madiai and his
wife Rosa, for the alleged crime Of possessing
and reading the Scriptures, have caused
profound sensation in this country aud Eng
land. The meeting at the Metropolitan Hail.
in New York, few days since, was very
largely attended by the most influential cli-
zens, and can hardly TAIL of having an ehec''
His Honor, Mayor Wes,erveli, presided ana
series Of resolutions was passed, which may
be appropriately denomnated ihe America"
creed on the great subject OF Religious + r'ee'
dom. In England a large body oi ree.s
members of Parliament, and clergy, 10 'he
npmber of trent,three thousand, have signed
a memorial TO the Queen, enttealIng her 10
make the feelings Of the British nation known
10 the Tuscan government, and endeavor 10
procure a reversal Of the jrdgmen, Of these
prosecuted Christians, or permit them TO re-
tire to some land where they may worship
God according 10 their conscientious prefer
encrs
This case is we'll adapted 10 excite the
sympathy Of good men everywhere. Madiai
and his wife were thrown into prison one
year ago In June last they were brought
TO trial. The indictment against them liter.
ally translated, was "impiety, shown in max
ing proselytes 10 the so-callrd Evangelical.
or pure gospel confession" The trial lasted
from the 4,h to the slh Of June, and ended
in their being condemned BY vote of three
al ina thnpo n ,,rp in their favor
On trial, they deported themselves so meekly
as 10 command the deepest sympathy Of all
present Madiai was asked If he was born
in The bosom Of the Holy the Roman Cath.
olc Church! eyes" he replied, 'but now
| am a Christian, according 10 the gospel"
"Who has made you such, and does there
exist an act of abjnralion amongst those TO
whom you are united" "My convictions
have existed for many years, but have &C.
quired strength from the study of the VOID
of God. II has been matter between God
and my own soul, but which was outwardly
manifested when took the communion in
the Swiss church, His wife also testified
that The change in her views and feelings
had been the result Of years OF prayerIul III
ouiry, and that she made pnbc profession
OF her new faith at time when the law gave
religious liberty 10 its citizens. This decla.
ration is literally true. In the year 1913 and
'49 many thousand copies OF the scriptures
were published, and some ten or twelve
thousand were pu, into circulation with the
consent OF the government and in accordance
ha l,v,e pf Tpsnaru SiIhepOpantlI ~
this privilege was abolished by the govern
ment.
The Mahiais were defended with great
ability BY Sig. Mageiorani, talented Flor
enline advocate, but the defence was in vain.
They were condemned-Aladia 10 fifty sir,
and his wife to for!y:fve, months imprison-
ment a, hard labor. Both have already
passed more than six months Of the terms Of
their sentence, not in the same peniien'iary,
but in prisons fifty miles apart-lhe husband
at Vo,terra, and his wife a, yucca.
This is strange business for the nineteenth
century. Rosa wrote to her husband a mos,
touching letter from her prison, but your
limits will not permit me 10 copy more than
paragraph.
81 pray God 10 grant 10 our persecniors
Peters tears, and 10 preserve them from
Judas's punishment, that they may, in the
future, enjoy Christ's salvation. II they
were 10 come and ask aims Of me, | would
still give them, as have done before
Dearest, rest in the Lord for every thing
good and evil-every thing passes away
Eternity, that is the chief tling. Be cheer
ful, and try 10 gain yonr health. God bless
thee, and keep thee under The shadow Of Hi:
WINGS
Confning such a woman with bolts and bars
Who can fail TO express tender sympathy fol
the poor oppressed, and righteous indignation
for the guilty oppressors R. A.