Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-30
THE ITALIAN REFUGEES IN CORK


We have already announced the arrival in
Queenstown of the American ship David Stew
art, having on board POerio and his compan-
ions, whom the NeapOlitan Government had
set free from the dungeons Of that State 1t
will be remembered that, though pardOned,
they were sentenced to banishment and that
after having been deported from their native
country to Spain, 1T was determined that they
should be sent to America. Accordingly the
David Stewart WAS chartered to take them
from CadIZ to New York, where. upon landing
each WAS to receive a sum of SI20, and be re-
leased from all further control They had
been brought from Naples to Cadiz in a Nea-
poiItan transport from which after about three
weeks, they we're put on board the David
Stewart From the Cork Examiner we COPY
the following particulars
All the party having been put on board at
CadiE, the David Stewart WAS tOwed out to sea
for a distance of nearly 200 miles by Nsa-
politan war steamer. The steamer then cast
of and left the ship with a fair wind from the
east. Scarcely, however. was the ship well
away from the protection Of the steamers
guns. than the exiles in body came to the
captain, delivered to him a protest against
being carried To New York, and called UPON
him to make the first port he could reach in
England. Tue captain, One-third Of whose
freight had been retained n guarantee for
the performance of his contract. demonstrated
with their demand to have him break his en-
gagement, and ultimately refused. They ap-
peared To acquiesco in his decision, or at least
pressed their demand no further that evening:
but the next morning 1t was again renewed.
and In a more decided and threatening man.
ner. A young italian, named Raffaelli Set
tembrini, had shipped with the captain in
Cadiz, and signed articles Us a sesman Up to
that morning he had done his work with the
rest of the crew. But when the sssemblage
waited upon the captain, he made his appear
the nnIform Of A ms of Of tbo
Galway line of steamers-a handsome blue
frOek, with gilt buttons, gold car-band, &c.
This position he really had held but it
turned out he was the son of Luigi Settem-
brini, who, hearing Of his fathers conditional
pardon, and of his destination. left for SPAIN
and TesOrted to the THSe we have men,
toned to join him. The captain of the ship
believes that he was dispStched by the
Italian Society of London to aid the prisoners
in the course they subsequently, took. The
exiles stated that they had a navigator in
their party. and that even If they had to take
the ship out of the hands of the captain and
crew, they would be able to sail her without
their assistance. They represented 10 the cap
tain that they had been two months at sea-
many Of them being old, and all with cOnsti-
tutiOns more or less enfeebled by an imprison-
ment of ten year,, that long voyage would
be torture TO them, and death perhaps to some
They cOntended also that, being under the
American flag, they were free. and that they
had no right 90 be taken anywhere but where
they chose. These arguments, backed up by
the prepOnderance of physical force, the exiles
being IS, and the crew was but IL. and the
manifest determination of the former to resort
10 extremities to carry out their intention,
compelled the captain to yield. and turn the
vessels head northward. They were temper
ate and polite in manner, but about their de-
termination there could DO no mistake. They
set "A guard, of threes or fOurs in turn, to keep
ha nd hat ha ahir,ss
head was kept in tho direction Of the haven
they looked for. The weather was battling,
and the passage was tedious. The captain in
tended making for Cork. but missed the har-
bOr in fog. and got as far rs BallycOttOn, but
having fallen in with a Cork pilot, beat back
again 50 that Mt length, after a voyage of four
teen days the ship anchored in the man-Of- war
roads. AZ fast as possible. the whole band got
themselves conveyed ashore at Queenstown,
and testified in the most lively manner their
Joy at being at last assured of freedom The
enthusiasm Of some rose To- such u pitch that
they actually kissed the soil upon which they
first planted foot "a freemen. Some of them
state that their 81 ght has grown dim from the
length Uf time they have been in prison, and
some seem to have grown prematurely grey (;
but as far as we were able To- judge. there was
not in their appearance any thing to indicate
their having endured peculiar hardshIps. Du-
Iing the voyage, POeriO, whose health has been
greatly enfeebled, used to get out Of bed and
sit on the deck for a couple Of hours daily. On
his arrival at Queenstown. he caused himself
10 be removed to private lodging. In nappear
anee. he is short, thick-set, and rather good
looking His age is hfty-fve. but his looks
would Indicate that he is somewhat older lie
no. speaks but n few words of English, though
il is said be at one time knew the language
we'll The want of exercise in speaking or
reading it, during the period of his long impris-
onment. has almost entirely Obliterated it from
his memory The young sailor to whom We
have already alluded is of very prepOssessng
appearance. We have not learned the ulti
mate intention of this band of exiles but it is
very probable the great majority of them will
60 back to Italy, seeking refuge in the Sardi-
nian kingdom. Under any circumstances, PO-
eric will we believe, go to Sardinia