Smyrna times., 1858-12-02
WHOLE NO., 4O1.
Abduction of the Jewish Child mOrtare

The kidnapping of the child of Mamolo
Mortara Levi, at Bologna, by order of the
Catholic Bishop, has excited profound sensa-
ton among the Jews in Europe and this country.
aud has arrested the attention of the lovers of
civil aud religious liberty everywhere. The
circumstances Of the case are briefly these -
SIghUr Levi, Jew, resides with his family at
Bologna, in of the Roman States. In the
year lS32, his son, about twelve months old.
was taken i'll with fever, and the servant, a
Catholic, was advised by an acquaintance 10
baptize the child, so that it died place would
be secured for it in Paradise. The child, how
ever, as the attending physician cCrtifes, was
not in danger of its life, and there was there.
fore no cause for anxiety. The servant de.
INJURED to the proposition, but was over-per-
suadrd, and had the child secretly baptsed by
a priest. Last year another of the children
was taken i'll, and the same girl was advised by
a female friend to get the child baptized, but
feeling that she had done wrong in the first in.
stance, refused, although she had ample oppor-
tuuy. The child died, and the giIl's friend
| rcprOached her, when she revealed the fact
that she had caused one of the children to be
baptized several years previously, and that she
had always repcnted the act.
This revelation was communicated by the
woman TO the priests, who summoned the SER
want before the luqulSitiUn and made her swear
not TO say anything about it, especially to her
master aud mistress In the middle of the
night the Bishop sent a guard, who seized the
child, tearing him from his parents arms. The
boy cried bitterly, and the father and mother
tainted and general alarm was created among
the terrified neIghbors. The boy was conveyed
Immediately to Rome, where he is to be brought
up in the Catholic faith, unless the Efforts which
are now in progress shall secure his release
The father is allowed to see his child, whom he
IS cndcavoring to recover, but not alone. At
first he was denied this privilege. 1t is said
the Pope has the case under consideration, but
the result Of his judgment is very much feared.
The only excuse offered for the seizure of the
child is his secret b. ptsm into the Christina
faith, while an infant.
1t is certainly a most fragrant case of tyranny,
and one which Will excite the sympathy OF the
whole civilized world in behalf of the injured
parents The Jews Of Europe are adopting ac-
tive measures to secure the Intervention Of the
different governments in behalf of their outri-
ged counlryanan, and have appealed to the
Jews of tbs country to lend their aid in this
hour Of trouble. The appeal will no doubt be
heartily Responded TO. The Jews of Philadel-
phia held meeting on Friday afternoon, and
adopted resolutions expressing their deep SYM
pathy with Sgnor Motara, and appointed a
committee to wait upon the President, and re-
quest his good offices, through our Minister at
Rome in securing the restoration of the boy TO
his parents, and TO secure an lnterdct against
clandestiue baptism in the future. This latter
poiIt seems to have been already attained, mas.
much a late forclgn paper states that the
Pope has resolved to modify the existing
regulations relative to the baptism of Jewish
chIldren.-B Boston Journal.