American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1859-01-15
NO. 3.
The Mlortara Apauotlon,

" N'"S wv " NohsIueidUlc peflOu, an(
various conflicting statements have ap
peareJ, a connected narrative of the cir
cumstances may be of service to thos,
who have not closely followed the case
We copy, says the Vickburg Whiy, from
the New York Century
A Jewish family named Mortara, re
siding in the curious old city of Bologna
had in their employ few years ago,
Roman Catholic servant woman. A SCI
OF Mortara, EDGAR, a boy of six wears
became dangerously i'll. The servan
woman in Attendance at his bed side
thinking the child in dying state. Sc
cretly baptized him. in accordance with
the authority by which the administra.
ton OF the rite is permitted to lay persons
IN cases OF urgency, when the license ofa
priest cannot be obtained. A similar per.
mission was given in the church cf Eng.
land BY the prayer book of Edward VI,
but was removed at the revision in the
reign Of Elizabeth, and the rubric now
requires, in sickness as in health. the Ser
vices of lawful minister" A similar
rule prevails, we believe, with all protest.
ant sects.
Contrary to expectation the child re-
covered. The woman kept her act secret
until some two years later, when she
mentioned it 10 her confessor. She had
in the meantime left the service of the
Mortara family, but apparently without
any cause OF dissatisfaction existing be-
tween the employer and the empIoyed
By her confessor's directions, the servant
made formal statement of the affair to
the Archbishop of Bologna, the Cardinal
Viale Prela. BY his directions proceed
lngs were instituted. Mortara and his
wife were aroused on light last summer,
by knock at their door, about twelve
o'clock. The nocturnal visitors in reply
to the challenge, "who's there o. replied
"thc police" The door was opened
and little man in plain clothes" fol.
lowed by several guards, entered. He
asked Mortara's name. and demanded to
see his children, exhibiting at the same
time a warrant Of the Inqui>ilion. 1t
was OF no use to urge the inhumanitv of
disturbing their slumbrrs, they must be
reused, dressed. and produced. As the
children entered, their names were called
over, the last proved to be the one want
ed. The officer beckoned to the child
and us he advanced within reach caughr
him In his arms. and the soldiers pre-
venting the father from interfering, car.
ried him off. A few guards were left at
the house to prevent any alarm being
given to the neighbors.
The officer was one of several spies
and secret agents employed by the Inqui
siion. The boy was soon after sent to
Rome. The father demonstrated, but in
vain. His child. he was told. was a
Christian, and must be educated in the
holy doctrines Of the faith. The parents
were Informed that they might. as a mat
ter of favor, follow their child to Rome
Young Mortara made the Journey in
charge of serjeant, who forced him to
wear rosary with a cross. The child
cried and protested. He would wear
nothing, he exclaimed. but the name of
God, worn by ali Jewish children. He
rnreated that he might return to h>
home. The parents following after. were
lnSulted by the people of the village
through which the route lay. who cried
out against them, prejudieed by false
statements studiopsly inculcated, thar
they had tried to murder their child
At Alatri, they, with difficulty escaped
personal violence
The child. on arriving at Rome. was
placed in one of the ecclesiastical schools
An account soon appeared in a govern
ment journal of the happy frame OF mind
Of the young convert. He had seen his
parents and enfreated them to abjure
their errors. He had shown an ex'aiic
appreciation of the joys of the Christian
life, beyond his years. The Pope had
sent for him and been much pleased with
his behavior. The remarks Of the Young
Christian were most edlfying HIS con
teniment, sweetness of disposition. AMI
general frame of mind were angelic
The abundanty proved facts of the case
are that the boy, during the few inter
views which his parents sGccerded in OBJ
tanning with him. cried and begged, a>
we might naturally expect him to do. 10
be taken back He declared that moth
ing should tempt or force him from the
faith Of his fathers. The sorrowful pa
rents appealed TO the Pope, but wi houl
success. The child remains in the Gus
tolv Of the priests He is taken out to
,~alk with the other children. and has
~ paraled through the Ghetto. or
'ha' nr,er, 1t is perhaps thought
ance mIgneaRd well-cared. for apneaI-
l.raeIites WIN ,hs dry faced little
OF conversion. afisni adyarta,es
The news Of this transAcse%rSss
spread over Europe. The gevss,,,s.
shown a proper earnes'Ie>S Tor tt,s----
dress of their i--''u "'o''er' They
"'ae "S'Sits "'Ses''its NJ de RAhScbil has semi
S''si,S;rtara =, .si,Srtara ten thousand francs to he ex
pended in the prosecution of his claim
The uliramouiare Journals. the blind nsr
iizans Of Rowe treated the m,,te, wi,b
great eoolns--< Phe journal y. C,.,,-.,y.'
ranking aext in influence 10 ,bs Ir.s,sS.
~ AbF ( fAetcft
of Pcs IN ii'as small but active p,rtr
saN, ---, Al ,such events had frequently &C
saSSd in CNholic countries. and wer.
sking place At the mon,-st in OH, 4
iNees n I'Aly 6yiies B6io.n. TN
ja'rcrs has treated the case in it, f,vor.
e medieval style. with such absurd y;r
lenee that We End bY sigiement in the
apers. 1t has subjected itself to libel 4
uIi BY The Jewish consi>lory n Paris. I
,'A-ssssS SiR-EexiEinS lhe venerable bu-sl y
ren. "a - : /, IL. y
representative press o. 'es -, ..un-
~, ,nss s0s sTT ;nol,c The 1's.;s "a
l Ssl and-s@Pns saIP'iis.. Russia and Psss P"'
" '~"''i 'ii,rmerly exprsssed theT .' .,,p,
pros"'h, Pros. hecn % pstiIiousd by large and I'M
0or,sul bodies Of oVr ei,iseOs % Nv. NM. -
IN Jemons,ratioh. bat M. cass mas Ns-
80