Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-03
lie Mortara Abduction Case-ssatement of the
Bows Mother-Memorial to the President.

wears and some months when. after repeated
solicitations, she was permitted To- see him OH
the llth of October;
This morning. myself and husband went 10
the Catcchumcn>. and they told Us that the
rector and my dear child had just arrived; We
mounted the fright Of steps. and very loon after
that we had our darling Elgnr in our arnI>.-
" for me. kissed him over and over again,
weeping and >ohbin.: whilst he answered my
kisses and embraces with his whole soul great
ly excited and shedding tears, the little fellow
struggled between his fear OF those who have
him in their power and his immcll>c love Tor
u>, but this ut last triunphcd. lie CRED ont
quite loud that he wanted L" 90 home with ii'
parents To his brother, AN! sisters. told Inn
10 remember that lac Wa, born Il Jew Is We
were, anil that il was his duty :.lway> I" re-
main one. lie answered. Yes. dear maInlna.
| shall always take care t. say the >ncinan
every 'av." added. tina; we had CONT 10
Rome to sec him again. and that We should not
leave the cit: without him. AT which he appear
ed glad and happy. Nj tins took place i'll the
prcScncr Of The rector and 81 his brother and
sisters.
The committee appointed by the meeting of
the Hebrews in Philadelphia. have prepared
the suhjninc,i memorial OIL the suffice, Of the
abduction
To tie Pnsad,nt gf TIE inihi ~.>t,t,s.;
We. the mclnoriali>,., who have subscribed
oar names. desire 10 call Your attention TO Il
case which appeal, strongly TO the kind feelings
OF human nature. You, IL the Chief Magi>-
,ratc Of thi, great and growing Republic, the
founders vi which drew their sword 10 defend
their sacred and inalicnai,lc rights against oP-
preston. relying on thv god Of battles I" >u>-
tain their just cau,e-ynu. thc chosen Prc>i-
dent ol millions al irrcn.cIi. cannot be an III
different spectator. when the dearest rights ui
man are violated. though the wrong bc inflicted
OH the weak and helpless. Precisely tins cir
cumstancc ought 10 induce Tie Executive Of
this lnion TO intcrpo>c the mighty shield Of his
kind offices. and thus uidcayOr 10 render aid
where all other cXcrtior> might hc III vain.
The cause OF our appeal To You is thi>: that
on the night Of the twenty fourth of june last
Il Jewish child named Edgar Mortara WAS >cih-
ci at Bologna, III the Roman States. under the
plea that il had been baptized. whilst sick. by
4 Roman Catholic nurse maid, and carried ci.
to the city of Rome, To he educated in Il ron
vent A. a Roman Catholic: since rules of the
DIV kIllIls ItIlGIEl III Aiiti ''A'iiA AfN
above baptism Il valid act; whcrcupon ii is a.
legged that the Catholic Elsar could not be-
suffered Ia be- reared III tlr Hebrew faith.
which Nnnld lac al offence against Christian
ltv. The appeals of The parents against the
decree. Of the lnqui>itor 81 Bologna have been
in vain; and to This day. il; ari,car>. that the
head of the Catholic church has retained the
boy. who is represented AZ bu; six years old.
and consequently not able I" judge IN the mat
ter himself. Ia ir educated AT hi> cNpcp>c in
the religion 10 which he was made. first M M
conscious. and nest. an Involuntary convert.
We will not paint Ia You; tie injustice ii
such Il proceeding. nor the innn>tr">ity Of The
assumption of an authority of the Kind. which
would put il in the power Of hired nurses or
domc>tir>, az amy others protesting the tatho-
liz religion, To make UNCONSCIOUS converts 10
their church, under cover of which they might
thereafter be- seized and inrcibly educated in Il
religion which they would not voluntarily
choose, and in which they place no reliance
II i, hot therefore the mere ioyciblc abduction
OF the hoy Mortari. but the safety of all resi-
dents in countries where such doctrines prevail.
and in which the rivil authorities would lend
their ail To- enforce the cruel c,lict> "fthc dom
iriant church against those called hcrctirS,
which We would bring 10 yorr notice. In Nor
tara the abstract rights Of men Lave been vio-
lated and the mental distress "f his parents.
their anguish and their tears appeal 10
all liberal and free people to redress the
insult which has been offered 10 hui
manity in the little boy for whom We
now ask Your kind offices. We are all well
aware that the United States never II" nor
should a>>ulnc the right To interfere in the in
- - - -,i.r t.nl. a.. ,l-,l v.An.
that il may be said that u person living i'll the
Roman States must submit to their laws, how
ever arbitrary and cruel they may lac. Still
we trust. and firmly believe. that the Roman
government would listen respectfully to any
suggestion coming from the President "i the
United States. especially if you would repre-
sent To his holiness. the Pope. that the unIvcr-
sal sentiment. not alone OF lSraclites, but of
ProtcStant> also, Of the | nitcd States, condemns
an act which i 81 unreasonable, unjust and
cruel, and that to persist in ii might, more
than ANYTHING else, rctard the progress oi Cath
olicity in the Union. where every bosom >wrlls
at the though, of liberty. and where the tyralt
nv ul a church. whatcycrma be its name. Is N"
less odious than the most arbitrary deeds of
the most ictc>tcd crowned heals.
We would. therefore. respectfully request "i
Won 10 INSTRUCT lHc llll> =" pN hhN''
States ut the Court of Rome, to ASK. rs an act
OF grace towards the government and people OF
all pcrS,asion> Of this country, To restore the
boy Edgar Mortara. 10 his parents, to he cdura-
ted aS they may deem proper, without cocrcin=
their will or Offering any undue Inducements t"
change their original intention oi rearing him
H. IN l>raclitc.
Secondly, to obtain in the -aine manner re-
vocation of the canon Of the Roman Catholic
Church, which empowers lis adhcrcnts To All
minister baptism under certain circumstances.
or at least to declare such an Involuntary con-
version null and Void, when the parents OF
children or adults themselves hereafter re-
fu>r to recognize the baptism rs valid
when it was administered ut Il time they were
unconscious; under the fall persuasion that
the head Of the Catholic Church cannot desire
in this are of progress to .tor'' persons I" ic-
come converts to his belief. 10y which it can
neither gain strength nor benefit those whom
il thus holds within it, grasp.
We are conscious that this intcrl,o>itl"ri "n
your par, will elicit the universal approval 81
all liberal Americans. and should Your efforts
in this Iced Of mercy he ~ciicctual. blessings III
Vulnerable will be >howcrch on y"l t" render
happy the remnant Of your days.
The Philadelphia Evening Journal. refer
ring to the second request in tie above memo
rial, >a!>:
There certainly. We >houli think. could he
no impropricty in respectfully urging the
PRAYER: vet we may remark here. that Rome
can hardly grant il without violating her IN
tc.ritv bv Il RECESSION Of laws which lie ut the
basis of her faith and power u Il church. ami
which have been enforced for centuries. -
far 4. we understand the case. no such step ~
that na,ur,l ran he taken. even by the Pope
himself without calling an Hcr!mcnical council.
To- discus, the policy Of r~ryohing the original
canon, Of the Council of Trent. which We sub
join: