The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-06-08
RICHMOND. VA, FRIDAY JUNE s, 1850.


-.-s ne 9tCtl1au Rovolutlous
The following rranslation Of letter from
Palermo. which we find In the Florence cor.
respondsnee OF the Newark Daily Advertiser
10 an interesting account, by an eyewitness
OF the rise and progress Of the Bicilian reye-
luton: sss.
The matin bcil Of the monastery dslIa sase;c
was the aignal for the rising Of April 4th--the
tsoops bsing sncamped ont Of the city walls,
All at once . large body Of the people, led by
hsffvaiorous Seiiow -citixen, Riso-the greater
part Without arms, and divided into br,gades
-marcned throogh the principal streets. pre-
rIsoIia vira Viffoyio EmGsxela Viva case di
SGroia!. This went On for more than an hour.
When the police and troops received the order
for attack. The tnsnrrecdonists, soon sur
ro9nded on every side, poured into the solid,
old efiifice Of the Guseia, where they gave q
valofous resistance to the hre Of the troops
who. to get better position, penetrated BY force
into the neighboring houses, which they re-
morselessly sacked.
They finally rssorted to cannon, when tho
people were Obliged to cede. Many were
saved; some hid themselves, and numbers
were killed. Francesca Riso, fount tain builder.
but brave man, OF intelligence and cultfva.
ton. was the last to yield At the 0ancia-
Though seriously wounded, seeing that he
was about to be taken. he stabbed himself
twice with his dagger. but still lived. Ar
rested and carried 70 the hospital, he made the
judges grow pale with his answers to their
questions. "What is your name ?" Fran
cesco Riso." Your profession p "a con-
spirator." Have you accomplicesl' 81
have none. Alone have thought all NV life
on preparation for this day, in which would
prolong my painful agony to enjoy the spec.
tacle OF your terror. / am, moreover, sure
that l shall be avenged with the blood Of the
oppressors Of my country"
A horrible sack Of five days ensued The
monas tories were robbed and inmates tortul ed.
no respect being paid either to sex or age.
Drunk with the excess of fury, blood and
wine, the soldiers entered private houses de-
stroyed what they could not carry away. and
left many destitute Of inhabitants or goods.
But NO hint could they force out of the indig-
nnnt popuiace as to where the einsurrectiopiSts, ),
who had fled, were hidden all the iugen uity
OF their unfortunate brothers was united to
deceive the cunning officers, who finally aban-
doned the pursuit. In the meantime the civil
aud military authorities. far from putting any
obstacle IN the way OF these excesses, ordered
a state Of siege. The Inhabitants were forbid
den to appear on their balconies or in the
streets. Every face vhich for q moment ap-
preached the windows, every hard slamming
OF shutter. was the signal for the discharge
Of musketry, and all the peaceable citizens
who had their houses near barracks, or other
military posts, were obliged to abandon them
to the fury Of the soldiers.
The insarrection, begun in town, was ex-
tended to the country, and the royal troops in
turn were surrounded bv the insurrectionists
The chief promoters of the revolt. amongs,
whom were the most respectable citizens o1
the place, in order to preserve the city from
Oombardment, and stop the Internal excessee
OF despOtism. escaped to the neighboring cOun.
try. In several Of the suburban towns the
revOlutiOnists were victorious, and the tri.
colored banner aud cross Of Savoy waved tri.
umphtiy. The city vanquished, but not qui.
esed, the troops were obliged TO extend theil
action, and marched to the attack of three o
the surrounding towns. They fired every
house in their passage, numbering barbarousiy
dren. With ali their ferocity, they could &c,
possession of but TWO OF these towns, whilt
the tri-colors still hoated from the heights be
| hind them, and the military cry of ''Losg lir
| TIE King,' was drowned by the vociterous
| clamors Of "Long livs Italy and the Hoxse O
SarOy''
The troops succeeded in making prisoners o
| some of the noble chiefs of the insurrection
descendants of Don Fernando Cortez and Dor
| Giovanni d'Arragona. When warned of theil
peril they refused, although warmly pressed
/ to fly; this was their magnanimons reply -
try immersed in blood" They were takel
and brought 10 the fortress, in the midst Of al
indignant people crowding their passage.
The day OF the 1lth was saddened by tn
news Of the arrest Of Father Octavius Lama
| OF the Princes OF Trabbia. He had taken refug
on board of an American merchant ship. To
| wards evening, the police, by pernaission of tn
American C0wswi, went on bOard anC seizet
him. That the government should have com
i TO that point OF introducing distinctions be
tween mercantile ships and war-sioops, no on
will be surprised. But the American COnsu
ought TO have defended the ground, instead Q
yielding to the police of the most despotic G
| European governments Public execratio
will repay him for his unworthy action, tn
| other side as well as this side OF the Atlantic
The Consular body at Palermo have mani
tested their disapprobation by not admittin
him any longer to their councils. He is Gel
tain MIR. BarstOn, an old and uncultivafe
sailor, who bears on his arm the indelib
traces of the tattooing practised by the loves
| grades Of his profession.
1 The arrests are numerous, but the hosti
| demonstrations of the people can scarcely /
| restrained even by force of arms. In the cOuI
try the troops fare worse; blood flows a
| through our land and streets. The rigorov
measures of the government increase dali
| In the first days we were permitted to gu
Palermo now it is impossible. FortifcatioI
are being raised at the gates of the city, an
| outrages continue.