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Leader (1850-1860), 20th March 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 274

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      tempted a- jpke-about the figure he must < mt .. At this moment he tamed his-head and' perceived Orsini ; he saluted him gaily , and asked how he was getting , oa . He was interrupted by Orsini , who was undergoing ' the same operation with the same stmg froulaa if he were under ttie&anda of a valet dressing-for a party , with the words , * Be calm , be calm , my Mead . ' Pierri ' s tongue ran on , however . The assistant -proceeded to strip him of his shoes , for , in pursuance of the sentence , they were to proceed to the scaffold . barefooted . The man appeared to hesitate , but Pierri encouraged him to proceed , and assisted him as much as he could , still talking . The operation being : over , and the toilette complete , he turned towards the turnkey , and asked to be allowed to embrace him . This request was complied with . The moment of moving now came , and the Abbd Hugon cried out ,. Courage ' . ' 'Oh ! lam not afraid—I am- not-afraid , ' lie said ; ' we are going to Calvary . ; ' and in a-sort of Feverish excitement he repeated to himself , ' Calvary * Calvary !'"

      According to the accounts in the French papers , Pierri exhibited throughout a "feverish , spasmodic demeanour which , takings the form * of courage , in fact indicated considerable apprehension * On being roused from sleep he asked , with an air of forced ' assurance , for some breakfast , and a cup of coffee with some rum . These were supplied him , and he afterwards asked , with great importunity , and eyen anger , for * more rum , or at least for some wine . ZEMs was reforeed , Orsmi also took a glass of rum , and drank to the health and happiness of the governor . Pierri kept perpetually talking and gesticulating wildly . " Well , old fellow ! " he said to Orsiai , •' this is the day ; but I shall sing my patriotic song . " When his stockings were taken off , he said , -with a smile , " Fortunately I washed my feet yesterday ; " and , on the 1 > lack veil being thrown over his head , he observed , " They are dressing me up like an old coquette . " The Times correspondent continues : —

      " Orsini-was , on the other hand , as calm and tranquil as his fellow-convict was excited . He spoke little ; but , when the governor of the prison and some of the officers approached him , he bade them , in a low tone of voice , farewell . The turnkey of his cell announced to him , in a tone of regret , that his last moment was come . Orsini thanked him for his sympathy . His hair was also cut away from his neck , but he underwent the operation without flinching . At the moment when the hood was put upon his head , his face , which up to that moment was calm and impassible , became flushed for a moment , and his eye lighted up .

      " The prison clock struck seven ; before the last sound died away , the door leading to the scaffold opened as of itself . The Abbe" Hugon entreated Pierri to profit by the few moments still left , to collect his thoughts and assume a calmer attitude . He promised to be calm , but said he should chant a patriotic hymn ; and it is said that he actually began to sing the well-known ' Mourir pour la Patrie . ' Leaning on the Abbe" Hugon , he mounted' fifteen steps of the scaffold , still repeating the verses of the song . " Orsini was supported by the chaplain of the Conciergerief and his calmness never abandoned him for a moment . When he appeared on the platform , it could be seen , from the movement of his body and of his head , though covered with the veil , that he was looking out for the ! crowd , and probably intended ' addressing them . But they were too far off . The greffier then directed the usher to read the sentence of the Court condemning the prisoners-to the death of parricides . The usher , who was an old man , over sixty , was evidently much moved at having to perform this duty , and lie trembled as much from emotion as from cold as he read the document ,

      which no-one-listened to . " After : this formality was terminated , Orsini and Eierri embraced their spiritual attendants , and pressed their lips on the crucifix offered to therm They then gave themselves up to the' headsman . Pierri was attached to the plank in an < instant . Ho was executed first . Themoment liia veil waairaiaed , and before his head was laid on the block , it is affirmed that he cried ? Vive Vltali&t Viva la Rtyubliqw V [ As the knife was descending Orsini , according to the account in the Daily News , wai ) suddenly laid hold of by two assistants , and from motives ' of humanity , turned round , so that he might not see- the death' of his Mend . It is said that Pierri continued singing to the last , and that his voice only died ' away under the knife ]

      " Orsini was then taken' in hand . His veil was xaieedj * and hie countenance still betrayed no emottom Before ) he was fastened to the plank , he turned Iw-the direction of the distant crowd , and , it is said , cried- ? Vive la France P 1 « was hut five minutes past ^ R 9 y , « l * JYJkea ^^^ basket . A cold shudder ran among those whose ot'f 3 nt ! dn Wa * 8 toed upon'what was passing on the scaffold , and for an instant there- was deep silence . Its passed off , howovor , very soon * The cold was bitter , and the enow begun to fall ; and in a few hours tho place -was deserted . " The number of deaths from' tho attempt for which these wretched men suffered now amounts , I am ussured , to-four teen /' De Budio has been reprieved . Tho turnkeys waked'him-early in tho morning , to Inform him of tho fact . He sat up , staring at them wildly ; and , imagining- they had oomo to eummon him to death ,

      he . recoiled from their touch . But-they reassured himj-saying . " Don't-be afraid ; we are not going * to injure you— -far from it .- We-bring , you good news ; you are to have a commutation of punishment , and we are g » ing to take off your strait- * waistcoat . ' AU the convicts had been- made to wear this garment , out of a fear that they might otherwise make some attempt on their own lives or on-those of the gaolers . Rudio was overjoyed at the intelligence , and hummed an air as he was-relieved of his encumbrance . The writer from whom we have already quoted states further : —

      " Pierri is said to have written-a great deal in the interval which elapsed between his condemnation ' and his death . What these incoherent writings were about I cannot say . Orsini is said to have written a respectful letter to the Procureur-Ge ' ' ral , acknowledging the equitable and honourable conduct of the Court that tried him , and of the jury that found him guilty , as well as the perfect liberty accorded to his counsel . We are told that he said he should regret the quashing of the judgrment of ' the Assize Court by : the Court of Cassation , as in that case he would have to be tried again , and he was certain the result would be the same . If he had entered an appeal , it was with a view to have a few days more at his disposal to settle his affairs , rather than from a hope of escaping . He wrote to his family two or three days after his condemnation , and while the appeal was still pending ; but he wrote with the conviction of a man whose account with this world was closed . He asked that his remains should be interred in a decent coffin , and the prayer is said to be complied with . He left a will ; but in it there is nothing of a . political character . " The Emperor is stated to have desired to pardon Orsini and Pierri , and to have mooted the question more than once in the Council ; but the Ministers would not agree to the proposition , and he yielded . We do not , however , place much faith in this story , or in that which asserts that Orsini petitioned the Emperor for mercy a day or two before the executtion .

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      ORSINI AND HIS CHILDREN . A letter from Orsini to his two daughters , Ernestina and Ida , written ou September 28 tli , 1854 , previous to his starting on the expedition which led to his imprisonment in the citadel of Mantua , has been published . It is beautifully conceived and most touchingly expressed , and shows how fine a nature his was , despite the horrible crime into which he was goaded by tyranny and by the despair which had taken possession of his heart . Men the most opposed to Orsini have acknowledged the tender feeling which lives in every line , and have pitied the misery of a man who seemed to have been designed to adorn and ennoble society . It is not too much to expect that this epistle will go far towards softening down those bloody stains which his own act has thrown on Orsini ' s character . How sad that the world's , tyrants should have the power , not merely of imprisoning and slaying , but of converting an originally fine human being into a reckless assassin ! Orsini commences by saying : —

      " My dear daughters , —These few lines , together with two little hearts , which contain two locks of my hair , will be consigned to you when I am alive no longer ; you will also receive a portrait greatly resembling me , and I have left the necessary instructions with my brother Leonidas , so that you may have it , and keep it in memory of your poor father . ¦ " I left you in your tender ago ; you were very little , and tho last time that ever I saw you was in the prison at Nice . I was driven from Piedmont because I had conspired against the foreigners who occupied my country . The vicissitudes of Italy do not permit mo to watch over your education myself , and I have not had tho sweet pleasure to caress you in your most beautiful period of youth . . .

      " Before concluding' I must give you some advice , which yon will retain , my dear children , as a paternal memorial , and which may be a valuable guide to you throughout your lives ; at least , I hope and wish' so . First , believe in God 1 I have a firm conviction of His existence . Second , possess unalterable principles of honour ! Mark ! I do not moan malleable and material principles ; no , but those which are universally recognized as such by all people and nations , which do not alter with the changes of time , of country , of governments ; I moan thoso principles which are eternal truths , absolute , immutable , not depending on anyone ' s caprice . Pay attention to this . Everybody considers himself honourable ; but thiw is not always seen in his acts , but lnsTSa"d 7 niP ^ fin ^ cunning words to injure others . This ia what tho greater part of men do , who regard tho principles of honour as a piece of india-rubber . When tho trao principles of honour have takon root in you , as I have explained , and that thoy arc considered by you as the basis of public and private morality , you must necessarily bo lovers of your country , honest , affectionate towards your parents , pure in your youth , pure and faithful towarda your husbands to whom you may be mnrried ; in fine , loving towards your children , and adorned with tho finest qualities which con bo dcslrod la women destined by God nnd

      nataretto embellish the life- off nmin and ' tO'render ti * existence less miserable /' After exhorting- his daughters to-cultivate theirminds , and not be dajraled by the external : ' appearance of things ,-Orsini continues-:- — "If you marry , be careful how you make your selection ; let him be honest , honourable , a lover of his country ; let his heart be large , and' let him be capable of . true friendship , and be careful to return it on j-our part with conduct equally noble and an affection equally pnre . Be faithful to the husband whom you select for your life-companion ; let the very thought of infidelity strike you with horror ; destroy yourselves rather than fall' Into that fault . An error like that nothing can ever remedy ; the pardon which might be conceded does not remedy the evil ; in you remains an eternal stain , in the husband an eternal rancour—an eternal remembrance of your guift , of your dishonesty . Remember that such an action on the wife ' s part poisons the husband ' s existence , if he has a heart or a feeling of honour ; that ifc extinguishes domestic peace for ever ; that it destroys domestic tranquillity ; that it causes the love and sweetness which should exist between husband and wife to cease , cools and abates the love of the parent for his child ; that , in fact , it . casts dishonour upon the husband , upon you , upou all the family " MAy you have a serene and a long life ! Take a thousand and a thousand kisses from your father , who carries with him the pain of not being able to see and embrace you , impeded by the infamy of men . Keceive the paternal benediction of your Felice Obsixi . " Farewell , farewell , farewell from my heart ' . "

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      STATE OF TRADE . Dulness continues to be the rule in : the great seats of trade and commerce . At Birmingham , indeed , business , during the week , ending last Saturday , was even worse than it has been for a long time past . Almost every department of trade shares in the depression , and the unemployed operatives have been reduced to great distress . They have held several open air meetings , at which they have behaved , for the most partj with great moderation . At the close of one of these meetings , however , a cry was raised , "Go to the bakers' shops !" and a large crowd moved down some of the streets . The shopkeepers were a good deal alarmed ; but the men who attempted the disturbance did not belong to the respectable working orders , and the affair passed off without any mischief . The operatives have had interviews with , the Mayor ami magistrates , as a consequence of which , workhouse relief has been increased , and subscriptions have been opened . A little more is being done in thehosiery trades of Nottingham and Leicester , and there are slight symptoms of improvement in the demand for iron at Wolverbnmpton ; but the prevailing condition isthat of languor . For rails , however , the inquiries are extensive , Russia alone being in the market for 150 , 000 tons . The carpet trade of Kidderminster is in a moresatisfactory state than it has been in for a long time past ; but in tho other manufacturing towns there is no > material change to notice . Within the last few weeks , three failures have occurred , in the corn trade at Waterford . Tliese have caused considerable commotion and great commercial depression . The liabilities are said to bo very large , and to have fallen on tho traders of the city . " Tho general state of trade and commerce in South Australia , " says tho Mining Journal ^ "is reported sound ,, the financial position most satisfactory , and public credit never on a firmer basis . As evidence of this , one of tho Adelaide banks had offered the Government two per cent , premium on lfi , 000 / . worth of bonds for transmit sion to England , -which tho Government had declined . The staple exports of the colony for 1857 were greatly ia excess of any provious year . The agricultural , mineral , and pastoral products were most jibundant . " The dividend declared at tho recent meeting of the Knilway Passengers' Assurance Company was at tho rate of four per cent , per annum , and tho report and accounts were unanimously adopted . It was stated' officially that the days of grace- are especially recognized on the poli >« cies . Tho incomo for the year has been 16 , 081 / ., against 12 , 000 / . in 186 C , or an increase at tho rate of forty-one per cent . ¦ A new undertaking-, of some intorost to the largo class of persons who require hotel accommodation at reasonable terms , has been announced ia tho City columns or tho Timoa , where we rcwd : —" The prospectus has been . iBBUod of an International Hotel Company , to he orcctea on a sito in tho Strand and Wellington-street , part or which is at present occupied by tho Lyceum Thontw . The project is introduced under respectuble auspices , ana all persona having at any time occasion to seek hotel « ocommodation . _ ln .. Londo » x ^ inu ? tJkyjsUJlLJi l S £° 21 ! \ . although tho results of tho experiment of tliO Gtem Western Hotel at Paddingtoti might well oncourngo'a . similar ontorpriao in the moat central part of tho metropolis , there lma hithorto Beemod littlo disposition <>» ' ° part of tho publlo thus to invest their capita ) . ' H '" " proposed to bo rained , 180 , 000 / . In shares of 20 / . otto « i and 150 , 000 / . on mortgage , making a total of 830 , 0 'U' . Tho ground floor Is to bo appropriated for Bhops , winw tho hotel will contain two hundred and thirty » lo ° l *; rooms , oxoluelvo of private sitting-rooms and suites Ofc apartments . "

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      2 £ « fc T HE IEADEB . [ No . 417 ; MAT 2 Cg > 2 q , 1858 .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 20, 1858, page 274, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2235/page/10/