St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-01-23
DANIEL MANN.
sRev. Russell Fl. ConweL's Brilliant
Lecture.

The eighth entertainment in the Y.
M. c. A. course was lecture on Fri
day evening by Rev Russell H. Con
well of Philadelphia. After being in
troduced by Rev. c. B. Atwood, the
lecturer began by saying that his
twent y-five years experience on the
lecture platform had taught him that
the people did not care to be amused
but instructed. Taking as his sub
ject 'The heroism of a private life, :"
he would tell them of an unknown
hero whose story was SO romantic
as to seem almost incredible. This
hero was no other than Daniel Ma
min, a poor Venetian, who was so
imbued with the spirit of liberty that
he changed the course of nations and
nearly precipitated this country into
a war with Austria about the mid
die of the present century.
Daniel Manin was born July 4,
1907. He had no pedigree, and was
Obliged to earn his education. He
learned with difficulty and was turn
ed out of school because he didn' t
know anything. An American sea-cap-
tain having placed in his hands a
copy of the lives of Washington and
ohn Hancock, he pOred over it's
meaningless pages until he could read
the entire work in English. Having
accomplished this, his mind was no
longer dull and he soon became a
proficient scholar
Taking as his motto that he would
neither lie nor steal, he decided to
become lawyer, a strange decision,
said the speaker, for one who had
chosen such a motto. After living
from hand to mouth for two years
without a client, he declined the first
case offered because it was a dishon-
est one, and was soon after found on
his office oordying of starvation, by
the daughter of his landlord She
took him to her fathers palace, re-
stored him to health, and of course
married him.
Through the treachery of Napoleon
Bonaparte, Venice, after being re-
public for thousand years, was cap
tured by the French and ceded to
their old enemies, the Austrians I'm
der Austrian rule the poor Venetians
lived in a state bordering upon sla-
very, and Manin resolved if possible
to free his fellOw-citizens from the
Austrian yoke. In 1896 he organiz-
ed the first society of liberators.
This club of 13 men, named after
the 13 original states of America,
chose for their motto Patrick Henry's
words "Give me liberty or give me
DEATH" and called themselves 1.-The
Americans" Their spirit of liberty
spread all through Italy, and in 1882
1.-The Americans numbered 43 900.
The Austrians regarded them as rev
olutionists, and called the organiza-
ton "The Carbonari'
The speaker then related in a most
thrilling manner the various unsuc-
cessful attempts of Manin and his
devoted followers to secure freedom
for Italy. In the middle of the pres
ent century, he was chosen to repre-
sent America in a scientific Congress
held in Venice. Being seen by one OF
the members of the first society of 3,
he was called out to address the Con
gress on the subject of railroads. He
said, 'Mr. President, l know moth
ing about railroads in Italy, but
what Italy needs is freedom" His
remarks broke up the Congress and
before the Austrian governor. Being
asked if he would retract his state
ment he replied Give me liberty or
give me DEATH" Death YOU shall
have, said the governor and he i'm
mediately signed his death warrant
He was carried to a dungeon and
left there to die. Then by a strange
com binatiOn of circumstances, a
movement was started to rescue him
from jail. The familiar cry Give me
| liberty or give me death" resounded
all over Venice, Daniel Manin was
rescued, the stars and stripes sup
planted the French tricolors on ST.
Marks, and the spirit of liberty
| dawned upon Venice once more. This
| episode nearly caused a war between
the United States and Austria, the
Austrians firmly believing that M Manill
was aided in his course by the Amer
leans.
Though Italy still had a king of its
own, yet through Manin's s efforts in
later years it had popular represen-
tation at court and free schools
Such in brief is the history of move.
ment for liberty which was inspired
by one of the greatest heroes the
world has ever seen
Mr.. Conwell's lecture was listened
to with rapt attention, and applause
was frequent. He is an orator and
we wish every American could hear
his story. His lecture abounded il
sensible advice, and he left his audi
ence with something to think about
Mr.. Conwell lectured here 20 year:
ago in this course, but we hope we
shall not have to wait another &c