Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-08-10
A ROMAN MOB.
The Recent Insult to the Funeral Pro-
cessiOn of Plus IN.
Philadelphia Telegraph Rome Lette,

Philadelphia Telegraph Rome Letter.
The funeral procession of Plus TX,
crossing the Piazza of st. Peter on the
midnight Of the 18th of July was the mot
I'm posing, splendid spectacle 1 ever witt
nessed-aDd how many gorgeous and
grand scenes have looked at in my life,
espec ally in these fourteen years of my
residence in Rome! The solumn rites of
tn evening within the church, the great
shadows tnat hung like gigantic ghosts
over the vast aisleS and transeps; the
world of marble poniifs looking down
from their monuments upon the majestic
funeral ceremonies; the chanting, the huge
torches, the strange rumble of the funeral
car over the marble floor of the splen>
did chureh--all these had given me most
powerful impression. l felt, indeed, as if
borne up on mighty wings. The scene on
st. Peters Piazzs was totally differen =,
but equally impressive. The effects of the
tn rec lights were marvellous. The basilica
and dome shone with the rosy hue of th e
fading Bengal light; the fall moon poured
down perfect flood of silver; the bril-
lisnt fountains leaped up into the moon
light, and cast out a benediction spray
upon tha blessed corps as it passed; the
golden blaze of the torches wound along,
and threw up into the heavens halo of
glory. The silence of the vast crowd was
most impressive. Men near me, whom
had heard scoffing few moments be-
and many knelt My friend, who was
with me, Hsrniseh. the sculptor,
hunted up our carriage, and told
the driver to go by the Lungara over
the chain bridge. in advance of the pro-
cession, so as to reach St. Lorenzo quickly.
When we drove over the iron bridge we
saw the funeral procession moving through
Piazza Pla, between the Borge and bridge
of st, angelo. The reflection of the
torches in The river was yrry beautiful. We
drove rapidly through Vie Banchi Nuovi,
Goyerno Veechio. Cessrini, PIszza Gfzu.
Piazzs Venezia, Via Nazionale, passed The
station. and were sooE out to st. Lorenzo.
All tbesa streets. with many small piazzss,
were brilliant Illuminated; in some bal
comics were bouquets of flowers, prepared
to throw down upon the coffin, Tor 1t was
the course of the procession. The streets
were as light as day, they were SO crowded
with people it was difficult in many places
for Garages to pass; and the wide, open
windows of houses and palaces were filed
with eager faces.
We reached Porta St. Lorenzo just in
time. A few minutes after we drove out,
orders came to the guards to allow no one
through but the procession. 1t was about
half past l O clock when we took our posi-
ton in the carriage on the piazzs OF the
basilica, SO as to see the passage of the pro-
cession from the city gate to the church.
An, how very beautiful the cemetery en-
trance looked, with its fine, colossal statues,
tbe tall expresses and the old church of
the Empress Gala Plscidisl The cool
moonlight shone down plscidly on the fine
column, the marble frieze. the brilliant
frescoes, and the night wind agitated the
flames of the lamps that hung under the
church portico. Several Cardinals carriages
were drawn up in the piazza. At2 o'clock
the church bells began to toll, and we saw
the light of the approaching torches in the
sky; we heard also the Internal cries.
boots ard yells of pursuing crowd of
rp fl 4ns. who had begun to Insult the fun.
eraI procession at the bridge of st. Angelo,
with cries of Throw the carrion Pope
into the riverp' Down with religion p