Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-24
The italian Carbonnri.

The italian CarbOnari.
In the various accounts of the affairs of It.
ally which come to us illusions are from time
to time made to the CarJonari Readers
who are acquainted with the peculiar features
Of Italian politics understand the appellation,
to whom it is applied, and whence it was de-
rived; but a few words upon the subject will
not be unnteresting, especially to those who
look to the journals not only for the text of
the worlds progress, but also for ample note
and comment thereon
When Murat began his reign over the king
dom Of Naples, in the year 1908, his entire de-
votion to Napoleon made him reckless in re-
gard to means. Such was the fear and dis
like which he engendered that many of his
subjects fled to the mountains of the Abruzzi.
Bereft of all their property and debarred from
their usual means of support they were COM
PEELED, in order to obtain a livelihood, either
to join those bandtti infesting the Abruzzi-
whom Irving has rendered classical in story
or else to seek employment among the char
coal-burners who carried ON Il large business
in the mountains. The patriots, as they were
called by those who appreciated their motives,
for the most part, preferred the humble and
legitimate occupation of making charcoal to
the debasing business of highway robbery, and
accordingly took to the former business.
At that time there resided at Cosenza
young man named Capo-Bianco, who was an
extensive manufacturer of charcoal, and de-
rived no small income from the trade. Being
warm patriot, and sympathizing with his
countrymen, he gave employment to as many
OF them as his circumstances would permit.
In this state of affairs, no light appearing
to dawn upon the country, Capo-Bianco be-
thought himself OF organizing Il society, the
e i'll. = u. nj
customary avocation, should labor, as oppor-
tunity might offer, for the independence Of It.
ally In pursuance of this scheme, he CON
vened, in 1910, as many of the patriot coal
burners as possible at the Grotto della VenGi-
Ia, cave on the shore of the Mediterranean,
which was used as a depot for coal and the
sale (c6ndite) Of consignmcnts for the benefit
OF the burners. The assembly being as Shy
lock said of Antonio, Sufficient" society
was founded. The members were styled, at
large, Car6OHa11, Charcoal burners j indi-
vldually, by each other, 6UOB cUgjHO, good
cousin;) the places of meeting reHdtte; and
the tools of this cratt-the axe, the saw, and
the Spade-were adopted as cmblemS of the
association. \ fearful oath, an obligation of
implicit obedience, and the iother require
mcntS usual in secret societies, completed the
organization.
The objects of the society were honorable.
They were simply to promote the indepen-
dence and welfare Of Italy, or rather of that
part of the peninsula which they inhabited.
Doubtless the patriots desired constitutional
or republican form Of government. At the
close of the first meeting Capo-Bianco said
''My good cousins, our society is born to-
night in the same place where the tyrant
Alaric, king OF Visigoths, breathed his last.
May our work, under these auspices, be of
benefit to mankind, and of especial advantage
to our country"
Such was the origin of the Carbonari They
spread rapidly throughout Italy. All classes,
without exception, gave representatives to this
society. Its influence extended from the cot
of the peasant to the council of the king.
Capo-Bianco, as the originator and the head
of SO important an organization, man to be
dreaded on account of his courage and ability,
was looked upon with special aversion. His
destruction was determined upon by Murat.
To effect the object the king made use Of the
intervention of general Mahnes. The latter
invited Capo-Bianco to dine with him, Not
suspecting any fraud, the young patriot ac-
cepted the invitation, and found himself the
subject of unwonted treachery. In violation
of every law, human and divine, Mahnes d.
rected his guest to be executed before the
ildNOl VI liS HdCIGu SdlI VI HOS JlIdllIy Iidu
passed from his lips. Thus persisted Capo-
Banco.
But the society to which he had given birth
was not annihilated by the death of its found-
er. The Carbonari continued to flourish.
They extended even into France. In 1920
they had become so formidable body that
they compelled Ferdinand, who had regained
his throne end was one of the initiated, TO
grant constitution to his subjects. This he
disregarded as soon as he found it safe and
convenient to break faith with his people, He
even went so far as to fire bombshells upon
them, whence he derived the Sobriquet of Bonn
ba-a name which was perpetuated by an
Italian patriot, who stamped the odous word
on the effigy of the king represented on the
coin of the realm.
The Carbonari have numbered many distin-
guished names among their ranks. We may
mention Charles Albert, Gontalonieri, Fores-
ii, Silvio Pellico, Maroncelli, and Balzani
Upon the abdicaton of Victor Emmanuel the
First, Charles Albert, chief of the Carbonari
was chosen regent, and afterwards king of
Piedmont. 1t is almost needless to say that
upon his elevation he proved faithless to his
antecedents.
In 1920 the Austrians, assisted by the false
hearted Charles substantially crushed out the
revolutionary society of which the latter had
been head, and to which he owed his throne.
The severest penalties were inflicted upon the
members of the society whenever they could
be detected. The story of the imprisonment
of Silvio Pellico is familiar to many American
readers, and some of them will remember
Maroncelli, who in New York bore upon his
body the sad evidences of Austrian cruelty.
Foresti, well known in this city as a teacher
of Italian, is another familiar instance.
The Carbonari were guilty of many excess
es which can not be approved of on any prin-
ciple, and which rendered them odous even
| to many true Italians. We believe they do
not now exist as an organized, active body.
STILL some of the old members Of the society
are living, and in one sense there may be said
| to be Carbonari still.