Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-02-28
NO. X.
Neapolitan Cruelties.

| Neap0litan Cruelties.
| In the days of our boyhood, (no matter how
long ago. when we used to read about the one
eyed giant, whose nightly recreation was to
thrust aspit into one of Sinbad's comrades and
roast him for supper, we thought the story very
entertaining, but decidedly fabulous. The idea
that anything in the shape of q man-even
though a one-eyed giant-could be guilty of
such monstrous cruelty, was too absurd to be
credited. But in comparison with Neapolitan
Kings, this cannibal was model of kindness
Less than year ago, it was our province to call
public attention to the expected arrival of
score or two of hapless exiles, some of whom
had spent an ordinary lifetime in the horrible
prisons of Naples. These exiles, as our readers
will perhaps remember, had committed no crime,
even against the laws of their despot-ridden
land. Baron Poerio, the chief man among these
unfortunates, had been the adviser of King Fer
dinand-or as he was more generally known by
Punch's nick-name-of King Bombs. He was
imprisoned solely because he entertained liberal
sentiments and according to Mr.. Gladstone, he
spent ten miserable years in prison, the de-
scriptiOn of whose horrors exceeds ANYTHING
thst has ever been said or imagined of Pande-
mOnium.
A few months ago, King Ferdinand died, and
was buried, and Francis the Second ascended
the throne of Naples and the two Sicilies. We
looked for some salutary changes in the govern
ment, for two or three reasons. In the first
place, there had been some successful revolu-
tions not far from the dominions of the new
King, and there were two or three Italian princes
playing the role of the fugitive, and it was not
entirely beyond the bounds of possibility for
Naples to follow the example of Tuscany. Strin-
gent as the rule of the banished Dukes had
been, they had never been guilty of tithe of
the ferocions cruelty practiced in Bomba's do
minions; and whatever excuse the oppressed of
Tuscany and Parma might have for rebellion,
that plea would be ten times more appropriate
in Naples. Besides this, the openly expressed
opinions of all civilized governments were a.
gainst the remorseless tyranny of Naples and
Trans-Alpine Austria, and on that account the
side of France and Sardinia was everywhere the
popular side in the late quarrel. But above all,
the King was young man he had not been
case-hardened by long life of cruelty, and there
was some room to hope that he was capable of
human sympathies.
Alas! the whep of the tiger does not belle his
birth. The dead brute whose whole life was q
history of wickedness, greater than that of Nero,
and who died. loaded with the curses of thous-
and Victims has left son who inherits his
nature as well as his throne. This young blood.
sucker has all the ferocity of the wolf, with all
the cunning of the fox. His kingdom is king
dom of spies, and every man within his domin-
ions who is not himself a ns0uchard, knows him
self to be the cynOsure of hundred watchful
eyes. Recently, We hear of the disappearance
OF men, who are known to have avoided the
smallest allusion to political subjects, and who
have been seized and incarcerated without trial
only for the purpose of striking terror into the
hearts of all who knew and miss them. Others
have heen exilad tO differanI ma rts Of tho kino
dOm for no imaginable fault, and have been re-
duced to beggary and almost starvation-for the
mere qualification of more than fendish ca
price. There is no fable on record, in which re-
lentless barbarity is depicted that is nearly equal
to the true history of this young monster.
We are painfully impressed with the sense of
our helplessness when we read the accounts of
these atrocities. Not only as individuals, but as
nation, we are unable to do anything for the
relief of the down-trodden of other lands. The
expression of our sympathy cannot reach them,
aud the dread of our power does not deter their
tyrants from the commission of the most fragrant
outrages. If anything could shame the dema-
gogues who foster and make capital of our inter-
nal dissensions, we would suppose the story of
NeapolitaE cruelties would have that effect. If
we were united peop.e-if the thought of dis
union was every where rejected with horror as
it should be--the time is not far distant when
we might make our voice heard in behalf Of the
oppressed everywhere. Nay, these outrages
would not be perpetrated in the presence of the
representatives of America if peace rsigned with
in our borders What should hinder US from
saying to this pitifnl young brute: "We will
no longer tolerate this iniquity. If you dare to
commit these offences against humanity, we will
blot your Kingdom out Of the map of the world2"
Bali. Anaerican.