The New York herald., 1873-08-25
How They Are Treated and How They Are Fed
by the Charitable Padroni.
Statistical Information About the
Piccoli ItaIiani.
Parliamentary Law and Official Reports
on tho Subject Of Mans In
humanity to Man."
Origin, Extent and Support Of the Trade
Operations Of the Padroni-
They Are Regardedin in italy.

Iney are hegardod IN Italy.
The Investigations now being held by the
officers OF the law in regard to the KID
mapping and cruel treatment OF Italian children
in the metropolis serve to bring up promi-
nently before public attention the magnitude of
crying evil 1t is simply form of white slavery,
against which an active crusade should be in
itiated at once. America and Italy are both
directly concerned in the premises; for, as Italian
legislators report II Italy in the first instance feeds
this vile trade in little innocent children America
has her share OF responsibility In toierating It, or
IN ut least being an Indifferent spectator Of its
exercise in her principal cities. The full history,
the origin, gradual increase and present extent
OF this terrible persecution, to which thousands
and thousands OF boys and girls Of Italian nation
ality are subjected throughout the world ana
now more especially in these United States is not
adequately known in our midst The matter is
certAialy OF sufficient Importance to warrant
laying before the readers Of the HERALD of the
chief facts in connection with this monstrous infant
bondage gathered from official data ard well
AUTHENTICATED documents In preparing law ex-
preSsIy to meet the subject Italy has had the bene
ut OF the opinions and reports given by diplomats,
cOnsuls, special committees and journalists, and,
by avaing herself OF them to draw up the law
which passed the Chamber OF Deputies at Monte
Cit0rio last March, it is to be hoped that she has
at last dealt crushing blow to the evil in its
fountain source, the Peninsula itself. The rapid
increase ana the revelations recently made in the
0diOus trade, as carried on in American cities,
have very justly caused no little surprise and dis
gust All good Italians, especially, have been
shocked to witness the SO far unchecked cruelty
inflicted on the little ones of their own race and
II m n IN
dragged into the mire on the soil Of that New
World which ono Of her sons discovered. 1t could
only therefore, be expected that many Of them
should have felt warmly on the subject and should
have done all In their power, as private citizens,
to have 1t properly dealt with, both here
and across the water, as has been the
case Among others Captain Celso Cesare Moreno,
weN-known Italian gentleman now residing in
the metropolis, was the first to take jealous and
active steps towards defending the unfortunate
| children snatched from his native land. He has
written letters, made speeches in their behalf and
served as interpreter for them in the courts of law
whenever any OF them have had the good luck to
fall into the protecting clutches of justice. For
| several years past he has been discussing the
matter in communications addressed to the news
papers in Turin and Rome, hauling his countrymen
the Goals for hardness, and entreatng the ma
tiona authorities to take suitable action in the
| case. Only few months ago Captain Moreno
arraigned through the press the Consul General Of
Italy at'this port as having failed and failing, to
take those steps which that oficial, he asserted,
could take, within the scope of his consular powers
to put stop to the infamous traffic. 1t Is only fair
| to add that the Consul made to this Indictment
reply, in which he stated that he had done all he
could for such purpose, and, moreover, expressed
his conviction that the efforts Of one single ofcial
|
COMPLICATED AFFAIR.
| Two years ago Captain Moreno wrote to the Minis
ter of Public instruction at Rome, urging the re-
mOvai OF the Consul Although the Minister did
not accede to his request he thought ft to send
back an olcial reply, which deserves to be trans
| lated as showing the slow, methOdcal manner OF
viewing business obtaining in Italian Ministerial
Ofices, whenever any strong appeal is sprung
upon them, such for instance as the recall OF an
ambassador or consul. The letter runs as fOllOws:-
| Minister'S Cabinet 67al
| MINISTRY OF PUss PUstic sdSs dSsrsgcT,oS g ,se
Esteemed Mr. MosENo:--I have received your favor Of
the 18th ultimo You are well aware how much the
S aa $
h w an In m s
advanced civilization shall penetrate the minds
on. refer to that cvilzatcn which does pSp1 not
snos a es Ges Sa
also necessary to provide for the present and with
ssyou can upon the subject VIZ statistics If they exist
ssihYri.Is; ; ;s. gfs.y sgiss$
GSVo.d '''s' 0eeVe 6GsARE Us M.ys kSE nD'
| STATISTICS.
1t is only through great difficulties that anything
in the shape Of statistical Information In regard
to the tranic is Obtainable because 1t is surrep-
| in American ports steathy in squads and under
as much disguise as possible. The present writer
when recently crossing the ocean, had occasion to
nhSnRV fha lht IN vuyht
padro were put in order to conceal the real status
| Of half dozen little Italian boys whom they had
urchins were amply clothed In nth, scabs ca and and
rags; they were suen and silent, and, seated
sGsV the IN nnns to wcs ysS,
swarmed on them, to the disgust of hardy, by
standing peasants. The padroni expressed great
| uneasiness lest the general appearance and get
up OF these boys should prevent their being landed
on arrival, and, alter due consultation among
ransacK their boxes in order to secure for them
more respectable garments. In this they sue
were duly landed and ticSeted of to Crosby c street.
But all the while the fear and trembling OF the
padront were remarkable: % There are' about
hapsts %s and % Sosss During the @ess saass
twelve arrived at New York by the steamers from
| Europe, and they are still continuing to come
the recent legal aeom agans am the pao na has
pddr0ne put out, lew days ago, to Canada. in COM
pany with twcnty-one children OF both sexes
| Often now adays the boys, smartng under such an
| abject control, take to their heels and escape in
the country, whereupon the padront have the au-
dacty to advertise for their recovery and to appeal
| to the laws for aid. IL Is, however, well
ascertalned and commendabe fact that
| the law Officers refuse to AFFORD the assistance
| demanded. Not long since three boys ran away
from their master and took refuge in Morrstown,
| N. J.. The padrone went lor them immediately
but the local authorities steadfastly denied the
| tradition, and the gentleman who had given an
asylum to the runaways threatened the woald-Oe
tyrant, telling him that as torrents OF blood had
been shed Tor the freedom OF the blacks a toera-
| ton OF white slavery could not be allowed.
| IN THE METROPOLIS.
| The headquarters OF the traffickers are In the
dirtiest streets OF the metrOp0lis-or Crosby, Null
berry, Baxter and Elizabeth streets-and the chief
| leaders, or cdpi-pddrOnf, are Giuseppe Argent,
| Felice Padulla, Luigi Lapettino Sansone Nocenzo
VIncenzO Lauletta. These men are members or
| large companies banded together for profits and
! tyranny, and having ramincstions rom Italy into
L all the chief cifiaa the two CQltlleQta. They