The Irish standard., 1891-05-02

scrapjng of the thumbs and forehnge1
. and the tonsure, without the effusl0
of blood, for part. 1t is very hkel
= that the Austrian commander did nc
know that Bassi was priest. Ug
Bassi died Christian, repentlng hi
unpriestly conduct, and retracting a
he had said against the Catholic faith
The Austrian military government re-
fused to sanction the permission giyel
by Monsignor Bedjni To publish in tn
Gazetta of Bologna letter of the pas
tor Of La Darita giving an account O
Ugo Bassi's edlfYing death. A brie
recital of these last facts, resting or
uncontroyertlble evidence is necessar!
to make clear what follows.
Before leaving Rome, Monsiqnol
Bedini received from Minister Cass Z
letter assuring him beforehand of 6
most distinguished reception by the
government of the United States." He
arrived in New York III the summer OF
1858 accompanied by his secretary
Rev. Father Virtue. an English priest
and convert and was the guest OF
Archbishop Hughes at the archiepisco'
pal residence, then in Mulberry street
! After short stay in this city he went
on to Washington to deliver to the
President accrediting him from the
Holy Father, and took the late Rev.
Jeremiah Cummings with him. There
he was greatly ANNOYED by the
imbrogllo arising from lack of proper
understanding Of the nature Of his
complimentary mission--a Mr.. Schlei-
den, charge d'affaires Of Bremen or
Hamburg, was allowed to take proceed
ence of him in the presentation to the
| President.
The legitimate, high character Of bis
mission, Secretary Marcy did not seem
to clearly understand. strange to say,
Minister Cass's letter announcing it,
when called for, Marcy could not fnd.
Finally, after much trouble, involving
even the getting the views of the
French minister. Count de Sartiges,
matters were cleared up in some way
or other. There was every reason to
believe that the CarbOnari lodges OF
Europe had sworn in their secret meet
ings to defeat the mission Of the most
reverend archbishop Of Thebes. and
that the apostate Barnabite Gavazzi
started from London as chief Of the
plot and concerted his plans with the
confederates in America. He accused
the prelate Of having condemned UgO
Bassi, and the LEGO d. Italia spread
that charge and others among the Ital
ians of this city. The New York Ex
press complaisantly echoed the calumny
and gave the list of fifty insurgents ac
tually hayed alive and shot, it averred,
by the order Of Archbishop Bedin1. At
a meeting at which late Professor Fe
lice Foresti presided, he and G.. Gaja1n,
men of respectability, re-echoed all the
calumnies ahoat against the nnncio.
and resolutions, drawn up in English,
denouncing him as the Butcher of
Bologna" were unanimously passed.
Iu the summer of 1858. eighty three
Italians, in part political refugees from
Rome and LOmbardy. and also com
prising among their number criminals
condemned for various offenses. to
transportation, were landed here from
Sandman frigate. 1t was believed
that they were concerned IN the plot to
assassinate the Drelate. To eounteract
and dispel these calumnious charges,
disseminated by all the publicity Dossi-
ble, Monsignor Bedini, under the i'm
preston that it was unbecoming the
dignity of a representative of the Holy
See to address the public through the
daily press. would neither make denial
or explanation in person or authorize
any one else to do so in his behalf.
This attitude appeared at the time to
me and to others to be mistake. He
might reasonably have taken into &C.
count the customs and usages of the
people to whom he had come, their ig-
norance of diplomatic forms, their ia
miliarity with the appearance in the
daily press of addresses to the public
from eminent men. the liability Of the
honest public to be misled by his silence
and believe. in good faith, the tales Of
his enemies. Moreover, his friends and
supporters were deprived of valuable
information for his defence. The need
ed evidence to disabuse the public was
published two years after all the mis-
chief had been dcne, in the book above
referred to, too late for anything but a
purpose of tardy vindlcation and rec
ord.
One day, while the nuncio was in
Washington, an Italian named Sassi
called at the archiepiscopal residence to
see him. and having been informed of
his absence from the city. asked to see
Archbishop Hughes, whom he inform
ed Chat certain Italian consplrators
whether members Of secret society
Or not never heard) had plotted to as
sassinate the nunciO, who must be on
his guard, 60 about always in a car
riage or in such way as not to allow
easy approach to his person. Arch
bishop Hughes pooh poohed the idea of
any real danger from such fellows, but
Sassi assured him that he was very