Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-04
CONSEQUENCE OF GRANTING FALSE PASSPORT.
PROM THE wrsrcursrEn (rA.) EXAMINER.


We regret inability to copy entire the interesting
letter of Dr. j. b. PHILLIps Such extracts space
win afford are given below. 1t will be seen that Dr.
PnILLps was supposed along the route before
he arrived at Base resemble the celebrated italian
iberast Mazzini. The telegraph having communicated
this suppositon to the police at Base, Dr. Phillips
arrested together with his companion Immediately upon
his arrival that place Dr. Phillips citizen of Ches
ter county, (Pa)
"PARIs, (SArURDAY,) SEPT. 23 1854.
"You viii doubtless be exceedingly surprised at hear
ing my name mentioned in America the victim of the
recent outrage in Switzerland before having heard any
account Of it directly from myself but you have
idea certainly had none Of the extreme avidty with
which every item Of is snatched up here and dis
patched the You may imagine my aston
ishment when told at Legation yesterday that the
principal facts of my had already been sent to the
New York papers by the leterwriters here therefore
begin to think it time that should write to my friends
and give account Of myself and this disagreeable
affair.
son my way from Geneva to Germany took the dill
gence ut Lausanne for Berne riding all night and reach
ing Bere ut 81 o'clock in the morning. In two hours
was again in the diligence my way to Basle Now, it
appears that certain Joseph Mazzn has lately visited
Switzerland, and that he has fit to travel with an
American passport and also to travel under the name of
Phillips Again, Joseph Mazzini is said to have black
hair, black eyes, and black beard-o all of which Of
fences am compelled to plead guilty Lastly, Mazzini
is only about twenty years older than myself not more
than that Now, it appears that the Swiss Government
do not like Mazzni any body that looks like him or
that he looks Ike any within twenty years OF the
age This latter conclusion is an Inference of my
own drawn from the facts.
cit seems that the public horoughfares in Switzerland
watched that they know who passes to and fro
them, and that the morning Of the Both OF August
they had their eye upon or they did not notice me
in they noticed name soon afterward and sent
telegraphc despatch to Basle ordering my arrest.
About 81 o'clock, on the evening of the soth of August
the diligence arrived in Basle 1t had been very dis
agreeable days Journey the weather hot and the roads
exceedingly dusty My frend-Dr. Echelber, with whom
travelled from Vienna-and myself descended from the
diligence, and engaged in disodging the dust
mulated in eyes, hair, and clothes, when
costed by two of the police, demanding passports
We expressed surprise at this but nevertheless
them up. Very soon they gave me my passport back
again. and replaced it in my travelling Presently,
however, they demanded it again told them that they
had already it, but Immediately gave it up again.
noticed about this time that they had not asked any
else for passports although there were several English
with u.s. thought this strange We're We suspicious
looking characters? Noticed them decpherng my pass
port together They arrived at the conclusion that it
given at Paris and assured themselves that it Ame
rcan by asking me whether was American not
They then told to along with them to the po
lice office We asked some questions but the answers
were short and unsatisfactory
At the police Office rude and brutal examination
took place, and Dr. Phillips sent to prison His
treatment in prison is thus described:
"Aly astonishment may be imagined. l was solitary
prisoner in naked dreary CELL had an intense head
ache and burning thirst and the cell close almost
to sufocaton. | felt that could not live in such
place an hour Presently the ailor with mug of
water. tried to talk with him. but he would not
1t o'clock at night when they called
down and took before the Chfde Police who
ned me for nearly hour asking great variety Of ques
tons to my age, occupation, place of BIRTH and all
about my travels in Europe, from beginning to end
answered every thing without hesitation and he did not
though close and minute, not put in ungentle
manly manner. fully expected to hear him say, Well,
Mr. Phillips, you at liberty but instead of that
he closed the examination by saying, Il will see you
again tomorrow. have to believe that you
an Hdlian' l was quite confounded asked where
should stay that night? 'You will stay here' In the
same cell 2 Yes 'And how long must stay there p
That will depend upon yourself He warned that
it would 60 better with if conducted myself tpru
IDENTIFY asked for guard to watch me in the
city instead Of staying in prison. but it was Of avail
They conducted me back to the same dismal CELL
''Now must tell you something of this CELL 1t might
have been about 10 feet by 12 IA feet 1t the
south side Of the prison; the wall three feet
thick and perforated by small window close to the cell
ing, guarded by strong iron bars This the only
window, the only place for light and air to enter had
four naked walls to contemplate, miserable bed with
two dirty blankets upon If, old German Bible at the
head, and that all The bed Of straw, and full
of feas and bedbugs which invariably attacked every
time lay down upon it. bitten all from head
to foot If could only have slept the hours away it
would have been somewhat lighter, but the heat and
coseness of the CELL together with the bed bugs render
ed this impossible. They allowed nothing to read no
writing Materials there table, desk stand, chair
stool in the cell. had food three times day
In the morning it bowl of boiled wheat er barley,
three pieces Of bread to last for the whole day. mug
Of water at bowl Of soup and another of vege
tables the soup uneatabe the vegetables sometimes
be but generally spoiled in cooking AT night it
kind of porridge Of the odds and ends Of things"
After two days and nights in this cell somewhat better
accommodations furnished him. and after week of
suffering and anxiety he permitted depart without
word Of apology
We came to Paris and laid the matter before the Lega-
ton here They listened to narration with the live
lest interest entered heartily into the case did
then, and have doubt will yet do all in their power,
both by counsel and otherwise rghted in the
matter. They thought that it such clear and
unjust6able case of wrong and outrage the part Of
Switzerland, best policy would be return Berne
Immediately and demand indemnity.
In accordance with this advice returned to Berne
found that Minister, Mr. Fay upon the statement Of
made by Mr.. Brusten, had already made it the
He said he had not asked indemnity because he op
posed to the principle Of asking for indemnity in such
He was then awaiting answer to his note. As
had all the way from Paris upon the advice of
diplomatic gentlemen there for the express purpose Of
urging claim for indemnity, somewhat surprised
at hearing Mr. Fay express his dsapprobation of the
principle Of making such claims He however, express
ed his perfect willingness to urge claim Of that kind
wished, though he rather discouraged it.
desired him to inform the President that was in
Berne and had for the purpose Of demanding in
demnity for the wrongs had suffered at their hands,
which he did accordingly. My demand was not honored
could have wished The President plead that it