The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-09
THE MORTARA ABDUCTION THE
TRUTH COMING OUT.
From the London D lily News ofrhe 18Th.

From The London lily News of The 18Th
The Corriere Mercantile, of Genoa, contains
some details of this distressing and scandalous
affair which have not been published before,
and which show the cruelty of the proceeding in
a most unmistakable manner. Ii says, the af-
hicted father, having arranged his affairs at
Bologna, started once more for Rome, and his
poor wife, whose distress of mind since the
child's abduction has been incesSant, decided
on accompanying her husband But when they
reached Rome, they were told that their son
had been removed to Alatri, place rather
more than fifty miles off, and thither they re-
solved to go, though the mother was exhausted
with anxiety and fatigue. As soon as they ar
rived at Alatri, las we learn from a correspond
ent who has sent us these details, )they obtained
the services of woman to guide them to the
house of the rector This worthy was absent
at mass with their son. The father left his wife
at the rector's, and went to meet the rector on
his return with the boy. The rector was ac-
companied by a brother of his, and when the
father approached the gate of the church this
churchman slammed the door in his face. The
father then went and Stationed himself in the
street, waiting for their coming out from the
church and, in fact, after some little time, the
rector, his brother, and the young MOrtara, did
come out. Instead, however, Of advancing to
meet him, they turned of by the opposite street,
dragging the child along who from time to time
turRed round to look AT his father, and strug-
gled to get away, that he might come to HIM.
NJ. Mortara returned to the rectOr's house, where
he had left his wife, and there for two hours
longer they waited for the sons return, but to
no purpose.
Looking out of a window, NJ Mortara then
perceived that two gendarmes were watching in
the street. Thinking they might be waiting
Al IL. L
and walked up to them, to see what their in
tentions were. These men did not speak, but
they followed NJ. Mortara and his wife wherever
they went. A few moments later, the Jew and
his wife perceived that they were being stared
at in menacing manner by the inhabitants,
and soon became aware, by the cries they heard,
that the people had been taught 10 believe the
object of their coming there was to murder their
own child. Calumny, as We see, is always
favOrite weapon with the priests. Seeing what
danger they were mourning the unhappy pa
rents took refuge in an hotel. An officer Of the
gendarmerie, called marechal, and an in
spectOr of police, soon entered and demanded
their passport AS soon as it was held to them,
they seized and kept it, desiring NJ. Mortara
and his wife to repair forthwith to the Govern
or's. This official told them he was not igno-
rant of the motive of their coming to Alatri, but
that it was of no use, for without a fresh per
mission from the Pope they would decidedly
not be allowed TO see their son and he there
upon desired them to quit the town within the
space of two hours. So they returned to Rome,
and here they met, it is true, with more humane
treatment for the Secretary of State gave his
word to the mother that the child should be re-
called to Rome, and that she should be allowed
to embrace it. On the llth of October she
was In fact enabled to see her child, and the
poor woman, in letter she wrote to friend of
hers at Bologna, thus describes the interview:
This morning | and my husband went to
the Catechumens and they told us that the
rector and my dear child had just arrived we
mounted the flight of steps, and very soon after
that we had our darling Edgar in our arms.
As for me, kissed him and over again,
weeping and sobbrng whilst he answered my
kisses and embraces with his whole soul; greatly
excited and shedding tears the little fellow
struggled between his fears of those who have
him in their power and his immense love for
us, but this at last triumphed. He cried out
quite loud that he wanted to go home with his
parents to his brothers and sisters. told him
to remember that he was born a Jew, as we
were, and that it was his duty always to remain
one. He answered, Yes, dear mamma shall
always take care to say the Sheman every day.
l added, that we had come to Rome TO see him
again, and that We should not leave the city
without him, at which he appeared glad and
happy All this took place in the presence Of
the rector and of his brother and sisters"
What sort of heart must his be who can with
hold its sympathy from his bereaved mother?
Let those pseudo-religious journals, the part
sans of the Inquisition at Rome, gainsay the
facts above stated if they dare, surprising that
any sense of shame be yet left alive in them.
TRANSFORMATIONS OF CoTTox FROM THE
SOUTHWEST TO THE NoRTHEAsT.-The Mem
phis Bulletin publishes comparative estimates
of the cost of transportation of cotton from
Memphis to New York, by way of ST. Louis,
Naples, Toledo, and Buffalo, on the one hand.
and by way of New ORLEANS and Ocean naviga-
ton on the other. The Bulletin suppOseS a
bale of cotton to weigh 475 pounds, and to be
worth $50. BY the inland route, (which about
500 miles is railroad conveyance, and some
three or four reshipments, the cost is $4.S74.
BY New Orleans and the Ocean, $5.S24.
Difference in favor of the inland route, 10 cents
For the inland route he gives 20 days time, and
interest and insurance 80 cents; for the New
Orleans and Ocean route he gives As days time,
and interest and insurance, $l65.
These facts and figures are another demon
stration of the tendency as well as the economy
of transportation of almost all articles of mer
cnanulSe anu produce Dy lnianus Inc SAVING
of time and insurance are important items in
the amount and when we add to these the
actual risk (which is implied by the price OF
insurance. which in case of loss, although IN
surance may be recovered, is often rulnous TO
business men, we see still an additional in
dueement and argument in favor of entire rail
road transportation. With the vast commerce
between the Northeast and Southwest we
can see nothing but brilliant prospects and GER
tain rewards for those lines of railroad in that