Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-02
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In middle Italy lies rich and fertile
province, ever eanopied BY g sumner
sky and blessed with soil as rich as It
Is uncultIvated. Il Is called Basilieata.
Most OF the inhabitants, bowling beneath
the yoke that rests upon their land. earn
a seanty livelihood as wandering musi-
clans or beggars. Hence come those
aOeks Of children which are at all times
setting out for different parts of Europe,
and which, in the end, find their way
even TO America. The towns Of Mar
sico Vetere, Corleto, Laurenzana, Cal
vello, Pieinisco and Viggano are espee-
Ially noted tor the number Of these emf
grants The old governments Of Naples
encouraged this emigration in order to
get rad OF a numerous, and, consequently,
dangerous population and as the poor
mOuntaineers of Savoy and Piedmont,
driven by the cold, seek food and shelter
IN the large cities, so the Calabrians seek
living BY begging in distant countries.
Poor Italy that once supported the
legions of Caesar and found pleasure in
the eloquenee of Cicero, now too Door
to nOurish even the meanest of YOUR
subjects
The custom Of begging from town to
town by means Of children, has given
bnth to a traffic which is praetieed
openly and with the consent Of the
authorities Of every district. Each year,
at certain times, several hundred chill
dren, of all ages and both sexes, set out
from the villages II groups from two to
ten under the charge Of persons calling
themselves their parents or patrons, but
who are, in reality, the veritable masters
of these little slaves For the children
are bound to them BY contracts which
both parties seem to consider lawful.
These contracts generally stipulate that
the children shall be hired out for a
certain fixed time, in consideration Of
the payment Of an annual sum of money,
or Of sum paid in advance. This sum
ranges from ten to one hundred dollars,
and the patron sometimes executes a
writing, IN which he binds himself to
send back to the parents all, or a certain
portion of the earnings above a specified
amOnnt- The price received by the
parents depends upon the beauty or pro-
iciency Of the child. A handsome girl
with a fine voice, could not, probably,
be obtained even for the highest sum
mentioned, for she would find a better
employment in her own country. Every
Italian child can, at very early age,
and with little instruction, be taught to
play the violin or harp with sufficient
proficiency to enable him to Join the
street orchestra, so that size and looks
are considered Of more importance than
any sign Of musical talent. The parents
are thus freed from the care and expense
Of providing for their little ones, and
have few francs to assist them in eking
out theis own wretehed lives. This
hiring is, in reality, a sale, for when
once the children are In possession of
the patron, they are completely in his
power. All their earnings must be
given over to him, and under has diree-
tions they must go wherever he chooses
to lead them. Only twenty out Of every
hundred who leave their native villages
ever return Of the rest thirty will settle
in some foreign country, and fifty viii
die under the privations aud hardships
to which they are subjected. The men
who purchase the children generally
belong to the provinces from which they
come, and are known to the parents.
They easily obtain passports, either
on false representations or by bribing
the under officials. As soon as the
children leave their native villages they
begin to beg for their masters, wander
ing over ali Italy, and following the
coast of the Mediterranean until they
reach Nice or Marseilles. Very few
reach France by sea, for at MarseiIles
the landing of beggars is strictly guarded
against, and, unless they have correct
passports, they pass over the Alps by
Brigantium, and on reaching the from
tiers are resO,d to men from Paris and
the other large cities. When their pat
rons have disposed Of their merchandise
they return to Basilieata to collect other
children, who make the voyage with the
same papers which had served for their
predecessors. Thus, for many years,
has a system Of human slavery been car
ried on, some d the fruits of which have
but lately reached our shores.