The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-01-26
NJ. "a.

attention of all Europe. As the facts have been
elected at intervals extending over considera-
bic period and VARIOUS conflicting statements
have appeared, a connected narrative of the
circumstances may be of service te those who
have not closely followed the case We copy
from the N. Y Century:
A Jewish family named Mortara, residing in
the curious old city of Bologna had in their
employ few years ago, Roman Catholic
servant woman. A son of MortaEa, Edgar,
boy of six wears, became dangerous i'll. The
servant woman in attendance at his bedside,
thinking the child in a dying state, secretly
baptized him, in accordance with the authority
bv which the administration of the rite is per-
mitted to lay persons in cases of urgency, when
the license of priest cannot be obtained. A
similar permission was given in the church of
England by the prayer book of Edward VI, but
was removed at the revision in the reign of
Elizabeth, and the rubrie now requires, in sick
ness as in health, the service of a 'lawlul
minister" A similar rule prevails we believe
with all protestant sects.
Contrary to expectation, the child recovered.
The woman kept her secret until some two
years later, when she mentioned it to her CON
fessor She had in the meantime left the SER
vice of the Mortara family, but apparently
without any cause of dissatisfaction existing
between the employer and the employed. 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 proceedings we're Instituted. Nor
tara and his wife were aroused on night last
summer, by knock at their door, about twelve
O'Clock The nocturnal visitors in reply to the
challenge, "whos there?" replied, 'the police"
The door was opened, and little man in
plain Clothes" followed by several guards,
entered He asked Morara's name, and de-
manded to see his children, exhibiting at the
same time warrant of the inqusition. 1t
was of no use to urge the inhumanity of dis
turbine their slumbers, they must be reused,
dressed, and produced. As the children en-
tered their names were called over, the last
| proved to be the one wanted. The officer
beckoned to the child, and as he advanced
within reach caught him in his arms, and the
soldiers preventing the father from interfering,
carried him off. A few guards were LETT at
the house to prevent any alarm being given to
the neghbors.
The officer was one of several spies and
secret agents employed by the inquisition. 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 matter of
favor, follow their child to Rome. Young
Mortara made the journey in charge of SER
I ieant, 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 all Jewish children.
He entfeated that he might return to bis home.
The parents following after, were insulted by
the people of the villages through which the
route lay, who cried out against them, preju-
diced bv false statements studiously incucated
that they had tried TO murder their child At
Alatri, they, with difficulty escaped personal
violence. j.
The child, on arriving at Rome, was placed
{ in one of the ecclesiastical schools. An account
r soon appeared in a government Journal of the
: happy frame of mind of the young convert. He
had seen his parents and entreated them to ab-
lure their errors He had shown an extatic
I appreciation of the joys of the christian life,
] beyond bis years The pope had sent for hina'
f and been mnch pleased With his behavior. The
, remarks of the young christian were most edi-
A flying. His contentment, sweetness OF DISPOSE
t ton, and general frame of mind were angelic
: The abundanty proved facts of the case are
! that the boy, during the few interviews which
: his parents succeeded in obtaining with him,
) cried and begged, as we might naturally expect
! him to do, to be taken back He declared that
nothing should tempt or force him from the
: faith of his fathers. The sorrowfuE parents
, appealed 10 the pope, but without success. The
> child remains in the custody OF the lnquisltion,
c He is taken out to walk with the other children
and has been paraded through the Ghetto, or
} Jews quarter 1t is perhaps thought that his
? neat and well cared for appearance might I'M
press the dirty faced little Iraetes with the
| practical advantages of conversion.
The news of this transaction speedily spread
Z over Europe. The Jews have shown proper
t earnestness for the redress of their injured
G brother. They have held meetings and memo
D raIized governments. NJ. de Rothschild has
e sent NJ. Mortara ten thousand francs to be ex-
4 pended in the prosecution of his claim. The
S ultramontane journals, the blind partisans Of
. Rome treated tie matter with great cooness,
t The Journal de Bruxelles, ranking negt ia in
G fuence to the Univers of Paris, in this small
, but active party, said that such events had fre-
= quently occurred in Catholic countries, anG
o were taking place at the moment in other places
? in Italy besides Bologna, The Univers has
g treated the case in its favorte medieval style
: with such absurd virulenee that we find by a
y statement in the papers, it has subjected itsel
!, to libel suit by the jewish consistency q
If Paris, for gravely reviving the venerable buga
e goa story that the Israeltes eat little children
> The more moderate and more widely repre-,
e sentative press of the continent have, however
n denounced the act as unjust and imPoite. The
l. governments of France, Sardinia, Russia anC
i Prussia have formerly expressed their disap
h proval. The authorities at Washington have
n been pettioned by large and important bodies
:. of our citizens to unite in this demonstration
! but Mr. Cass has signifed his anwillingness t'
n comply.
Kit Carson is a sort of mythical personagf
/ to the general public by whom he is regarded
=, as a kind of Leather Stocking, and no doub
e many people suppose him to be altogether
d fcticious creation. But Kit Carson, the mighty
II hunter of the rocky mountains, the NNestof
V Nimrod and Gordon Cumming Of the @est, /
a simply very unobtrusiye and auiet gentleman
a of middle are. residing in New Mexico, wher