Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-01-26

when he was assassInated. The assassin steU-
ping forward, lifting his cape, and plunging
a Catlan knife to his heart, exclaiming.
down with the Goddess" an expression
which he afterwards ex Explained to refer TO the
doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The
Bishop fell to the pavement and instantly eX-
PRED. A Sister OF Charity who had observed
the movement of the assassin, and attempted
to throw herself between him and the Arch
bishop, was wounded in the hand. Verges
was formerly priest of tie Diocese of MeauX
and had been suspended for preaching against
the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. He
was IN the insurrection of June, and on that
occasion received the murdered Prelate in his
arms.
The Archbishop, who was dressed in his
Ponuical robes, with the Nitro on his head
and his brazier in his hand, fell to the ground
murmuring almost audiIOly, ale Malhereux."
He expired on the spot, and his inanimate re.
mains were first conveyed to the yestIy of the
church, and were subsequently transported to
the Archbishopa Palace. The assassin was
at once arrested. lie is a man III the prime of
life, aged thirty-two, with expressive and in
telligent features, and possessed Of much self.
command. He at once gave his name and
stated his profession. The crime created a
deep sensation at the Tuileries The Emperor
and Empress were about to proceed to thea
tire when the fatal Intelligence was commune
Gated to them. In all classes OF society the
same sensationswas apparent.
A secret cOnelaye was held at Rome on
December 18th, in which the state of the Ro-
mish Church in Mexico and South America
was considered. The Pope complains bitterly
Of the doings of the new government OF Mex
leo, and declares all the measures which it has
taken against the authority of the Apostolic
Chair to be null and void. He also renoun.
ces those priests who obey the laws of the
countries in which they live, rather than the
instructions forwarded TO them from Rome.
The Swiss Government has declared its
willingness to put stop 10 all proceedings
against the Insurgents if France and England
will promise their efforts to procure the com
plete independence of Neufchatel, and W tn
draw their adhesion to the Protocol of 1852
in favor of the King of Prussia, if they do not
obtain from that monarch the abandonment of
his pretensions to the Canton.
So far as is known, the Neufchatel question
has advanced no further towards a solution
The last dispatch from Berne, dated Jan. Sd,
states that an ultimatum from France and
England was expected to be received there
The last Prussian note on the subject, ad-
dressed BY NJ. Manteuffel, on the 2Sth ult,. to
the representatives of Prussia at Paris, Lon.
don, Vienna, and St. Petersburg, has been
published in the Berlin papers. 1t sets forth
that up to that moment the King contented
himself with demanding the preliminary un.
conditional liberation Of the Neufchatel pris-
oners, but that if the prompt accomplishment
of this condition, the only one on which the
King insists previous to entering into negoti
atoms, be refused, the order for the moblliza-
ton of the army will be given, after which an
entire change in the aspect of thc affair will
take place. AS proof of the extreme mod
Grafton, and to afford the great pow ers an OPP
portunity Of exerting their diplomatic infu-
ence i'll stronger, more concentrated, and
more effcacious manner on Switzerland, His
Majesty is willing, despite the many incon-
venienCes attendant upon delay, to defer the
mobilization, in this instance equivalent to the
march, to the 10Th of January. 1t is intimat-
ed, however, MAT this term will be shortened
if the Swiss authorities, under the influence
Of that spirit Of defence which characterizes
sew eral of their recent measures should hand
over the Neufchatel prisoners to the Federal
Assizes. The trial, as we have before stated,
is fixed for the 10Th, SO that there need be no
fear of the question entering into its warlike
phase until the 10Th inst. Little time, how
ever, remains for negotiation, and many peo-
pie doubt whether Switzerland will liberata
the prisoners Internationally.