Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-06-07
The waIdenses and the War.

Nestled amid the glens and valleys Of the Cot
tain Alps, are the Wadenses; those primitive
Christians of whom Milton wrote in l655
"Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old,
When all our fathers worhipped stocks and stones"
This wonderful and interesting people, says
the Journal of Commerce, ''are the subjects OF
the King of Sardinia, and of all the booDs con-
ferred by the liberal Constitution granted by the
late Carlo Alberto, theirs was the most needed
and most appreciated From the revolution OF
1S4S Sardinia received the greatest benefit. But
the crowning event of that troublous year was
the liberation of the Waldenses from petty per-
secution, the annoyance of priestly bigotry, and
the disabilities of centuries.
History, profane and ecclesiastical. has devo-
ted pages OF eulogium to their heroic fortitude
amid persecution such as the world never saw
elsewhere. Poetry has sung her loftiest strains
over the noble deeds of these simple mountain
peasants, or has wrung from men unused TO pity
tears of sympathy and sadness, as they have lis
tened to the dirge walled over those whose only
fault was love for their masters. The old Cos,
sack General Suwarrow, after his victories over
the French, at Novi, visited them, aud in his
rough manner babe them pray, but did not with
hold his kindness. Napoleon |. was struck with
their bravery when they fought for Victor EN-
manuel l. against the French. Napoleon the
Great inquired into their history, and was filled
with admiration at their undaunted endurance
in sore distresses.
He granted them such freedom as they had
not erjoyed for centuries, and added an annual
stipend for each clergyman. A century anterior
to this, William ILL., not only furnished this
poor, and, during his time, persecuted people,
with money from his own private purse, but at
the treaty of Ryswick, as Macauiy informs US,
concocted plans which, humanity speaking, pre-
served them from utter annihilation. Nearly
half century before William I'LL, Cromwell
had effectually nterfered in their behalf, and
made Pope and Duke tremble at his threat to
invade Italy, and establish the rights of the
Church Of the Alps.
In the contest which is now going on no peo
pie have directly so much at stake as the Wal
denses, and through them the prospects of Chris.
tianity in Italy are deeply involved.
In December, 1S47, the King an.
noupced to his people his Intention to give to
Sardinia a Constitution, representative institu
tions and many popular privileges. This was
done, and on the 10th of February, 1S4s, two
weeks before the last French revolution was
dreamed of that Constitution, without any com
pulsion whatever, was proclaimed. With one
sweep of the Royal pen the Waldenses were lib
Grated from the bondage of centuries. In the
next two years many more advantage were
guaranteed to this people, who had waited 80
long for their rights. They Immediately set to
work the printing presses; they established
Churches at Turin, Genoa, Pinetolo, Casale, and
other important points, where few months
previous, persecution would have followed any
such attempt by the Protestants.