The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-05-08
Correspondence Of the INDEPENDENT.
MILAN, ITALY, March 90, 1879.

there is generally but little going on
outside of the routine of daily life.
And yet occasionally there are events
transpiring that create ripple on the
usually calm surface of popular feeling.
Such an incident occurred on Sunday
last.
On the 9th of February, 1853, an
insurrection against the Austrian rule
in Lombardy was precipitated in this
city, under an organization headed by
a noted republican, Mazini, and others.
The numbers in the conspiracy were
formidable, but from some mischance
in details, only about one hundred ap-
peared under arms and made the at
tack on the Austrian Notifications at
the preconcerted signal. They were
overpowered after a short and desper-
ate struggle, taken to prison, tried by
court martial, twelve of the leaders
condemned and shot, and their bodies
buried in the criminals cemetery.
The final expulsion of the Austrians
and the consolidation of the kingdom
under Victor Emanuel, so emancipated
public sentiment that efforts were
made for the privilege of removing the
bones of these men from their igno-
minious place Of burial to consecrated
grounds. An order was lately granted
to that effect. Sunday last was chosen
as the time for its accomplishment.
At 10 o'clock A. M. procession Of
many thousands of people composed of
citizens, delegations and societies from
neighboring cities, with twelve brass
bands and fifty-six flags and military
escort, gathered the bones into hearse
adorned with wreaths of flowers and
evergreens, and marched slowly and
solemnly through the crowded streets
to the monumental cemetery, on the
opposite side of the city. At the spa
cious court in front of this cemetery
they halted, and the assembled multi
tude, composed Of perhaps 10000 peo-
pie, sent up cheer after cheer amid the
widest and most ungovernable excite
ment, which continued some fifteen
minutes without cessation The ora
tors followed with their eulogies of the
dead, frequently interrupted by enthu-
siastic applause. An old whits-haired
participant in the insurrection at
tempted an address, but his emotions
got the better of him and he broke
down and retired amid flood Of tears.
The bones were duly buried in the
same enclosure with the great and hon
ored of the land, where an expensive
monument is to be erected to their
memory, on which their names and pa
triotic efforts will be recorded. And
thus, before the generation has passed
away which branded them as foul as
sassins, events have vindicated the JUS
tice of the cause in which they fell, and
crowned them as martyrs of liberty.
The revolution of lS4S, by which
the Austrian army was for q time ex-
PEELED from Milan, after battle of
five days duration, was last night csle-
brated by q grand illumination in the
square where the closing struggle took
plaoa. A triumphal column, sur
mounted BY . colossal statue erected
ON the spot in honor Of the event, was
literally enveloped from base to top by
gas jets arranged to represent flowers,
wrsaths, flags and other appropriate de-
vicea The scene was grand and beau
tiful, sliciting repeated bursts Of ap-
plause from the great throng of spscta-
tess that crowded the streets, balco-
nisA houss-tops and every available
plae&