The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-10
fFrn,n the Pail Mall G Zcttc.l
The Sicilian Malta.

mere can De 10 IucSliOH W HattNCi VI tu'
existence of the Malta IN Sicily very little
doubt of the Formidable proportions 1t Is AS
Stunning. Parliamentary Investigation has
more than confirmed multitude OF con-
vcrging reports from all parts OF the dis
tracted island. The protects Of the various
Sicllian provinces are unanimous in the te-ti.
mouy they bear TO the steady growth and
quick development ofan evil of the most terri
bile kind. And that is what chiefly puzzles Us.
Nothing can he more outsrOken than those
official reports, so far Is the writers have been
able TO inform themselves. The projects are
agreed that among the people they are set
over there is a body Of lawlesS and unscru-
uulous men bound to each other by stronger
lies than oaths or pledges. who can perpo-
trate the most atrocious crimes with Impu-
niiv: who have the strongest possible inte-
rest that their lcaglie shall not be broken up,
thcir chief object in Joining being 10 enrich
themselves by criminal means; who have
their accoDp!ices in every rai.k OF society !;
and who have established such terror over
those who still hold aloit from them that
they NAV almcst dismiss the fear OF detec-
,ior. Witnesses will not come forward,
iurirs will not convict, magistrates VIII not
condemn: and as q matter OF fact, though
we have all heard much Of the Mana,
very little his been learned from judicial
sources. The projects, with every apparent
desire to be frank, rest their reports on the
basis of ya9u egeucralitl2s instead Oh SIMPLY
recruiting the facts elected by tue pubic
examination Of witnesses; ana, naturally,
the first oiact Of the authorities would have
been to inform themselves OF the condition
of the island by sitting the circumstances
of particular offences. How comes II, then,
we are driven TO ask, that if the Malta is so
formidable the protects are so bold! This
is not case where revelation Is made by
single magistrate superior To the SENSE OF
personal danger. Here we have all the pre-.
feels of the island confronting with one con-
sent personal risk, which, il real, il anything
but tritling. They openly denounce the
assaS>ins who surround them; they APP
parently do their best to tear the masks from
men who may possibly sit at their tables,
and who very certainly, if the officials speak
the truth, swarm about their doors and in
their ante chambers. Courage of this sort is
of q rare kind. Many man Who would face
death hravely enough III battle would shrink
from coud"mning himself to live in instant
dread OF AS iSsnation. The magistrate who
governs in 4 capital like Palermo may be
moved by political ambition. Besides, be
has us home in city. where the frlends OF
order may be supposed 10 be more numerous
and confident than elsewhere ; and he can
surround himself with guards more or less
Trustworthy. The position Of The laws
suborduat.s in little provincial towns,
such as TIapani or Cotanietta, is
very different. Their names are hardly
known beyond their districts. They are sur.
rounded by brigandS and peasants affiliated
br;, Thav COR
by the sense OF duty : and should they at any
time have the misfortune to lose their official
posts they would be left yet more exposed to
the vengeance OF the lawle>S men whom they
have irrilated. So that il all these projects
have deliberately committed themselves to
open war with the society OF assassinS around
item we can only say that Sicily may be
proud Of her magistrates and have 70 reason
to despoud of her future in spite of all the
enormitics of the Mata.
But il really seems doubtful whether that
cheerful hypothesis can be sustained. Cases
OF heroic selfderOlicn are rot TOO common
anywhere: nor should we expect 80 marvel
lo,ls Il colicidence of them in Sicily, where
the most honest and courageous Of public
men may find many plausible arguments for
Iakin. care If himself. Ii may be just worth
Will. TO consider another Hypothesis
namely, that the protects have exaggerated
the enorlnties they describe; that while
there is undoubtedly a society tina. perp9-
trates crime wholesale, yet that it is not so
mysteriously formidable that an active ma
yistlate need tlemble before it. Not that
we ourselves Think that explanation acccpta-
bic. The Mafa exists by universal sd.
mission; the impuuity with which crimes
% h.1 in Sicily i pntnTi0uS. Self
interest and y hat passes for honor ameng
ruffiias would insure exceptional immunity
TO any one who should deserve we'll Of the
brotherhood OF terroriSts by making en- ex-
ample OF conspicuous enemy. And if
that be so, if the projects do not overstate
the symptoms, another question arises ::
whether sYch disclosures as they are able
TO make are altogether unwe!come 10
the objects of them. Of course it is not
to be supposed for = memeas that