Memoirs Of The Freemasons Of Naples.

MEMOIRS OF THE FREEMASONS OF NAPLES .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JUNE 20 , 1 S 01 .

( Continued from p . 462 . ) In 1821 and 1 S 22 , Italy was completely under the Austrian dominion ; for , from the Alps to the southern extremity of Sicily , the will of Prince Metternich , inforced everywhere by the presence of Austrian troops , Avas a law supreme . The sovereigns of Sardinia and

Naples employed the little remnant of precarious poAver Avhich they retained in punishing the authors of the late revolts , and in taking precautions by suppressing all secret societies , and seeing that the youths were educated in the Catholic religion at Naples . Thirty persons Ai ere condemned to death ; and thirteen to tAi r enty ~ five years

imprisonment , for their participation in the revolution of 1 S 20 . Generals Bossard and Pepe ivere condemned to death without trial , simply by a proclamation of the police ; and large rewards Ai-ere offered for the leaders of the Carbonari army . These condemnations or proscrip tions

reminded men of the most ferocious times of the past . Several juntas Avere formed , composed of the vehement partisans of the absolution , called juntas of scrutiny , because intended to scrutinize the lives of all the officials of state , and of the hi ghest and most influential citizens . The judges and their verdicts struck all with terror .

Not a day passed without the bell of justice being heard , and the public being invited to solemn prayers ; a signal and melancholy act of solemn devotion , used by the Neapolitans to denote that a sufferer Avas about to be led to execution . Those accused of bearing arms or who were members of any secret society , Avere tried

by courts-martial . In the midst of these scenes , the Prince of Canosa , Minister of Police , arrived in the city : he had resolved , before any edicts or reports could acquaint the people with , his presence , to announce him - self , and therefore ordered the revival of an atrocious exhibition long forgotten by the old , and unknoAvn to

the young , called the Frustra ( the Scourge ) . At midday , in the populous Yia di Toledo , a large detachment of German soldiers were seen drawn up in militaryarray ; next to them stood the assisstant to the executioner , AVIIO , at intervals , blew a trumpet ; and a little behind him more Germans and several officers of the

police , AA ho surrounded a man naked from the waist upwards , his feet bare , his Avrists tightly bound , and Avith all the badges of the Carbonari hung around his neck ; he wore a tri-coloured cap , on Avhich was inscribed in large letters " Carbonaro . " This unhappy man AA as mounted upon an assand folloAved by the executioner

, , who , at every blast of the trumpet , scourged his shoulders with a whip made of ropes . and nails , until his flesh Avas covered with blood and his agony slioAvn by the pallor of his countenance , . while his head sank upon his breast . The mob folloAved this . procession in silent horror . Fiespectable citizens fled , or prudently

concealed their pity and disgust . If any asked the ' meaning of this punishment , they were told the person flogged was a Carbonaro , a gentleman from the provinces , Avho , after being scourged , Avas to suffer the penalty of the galleys for fifteen years ; and this not by the sentence of a judge or magistrate , but by the order of Prince Canosa , Minister of Police .

On the following day , two more scourgmgs were vsitnessed as terrible as the first ; this even shocked the Austrian soldiers , and all , except those Avho AA'ere compelled , refused to attend . These were the last that took

place at Naples ; but the Intendeula , Guariui , caused a tailor to be scourged , AVIIO was reported to be a Carbonaro , and one AVIIO had formerly been a Freemason ; he was an old man , the father of a large family , and who , in this instance , had only been guilty of having failed in paying respect towards the Tntendenie , by

remaining sitting at his Avorlc when that magistrate ivas passing in state , with an escort of bravoes and clients . The poor old man was soon afterwards released ; but the shame and disgrace was too much for his feeble frame , and he died a feiv days afterwards , praying that he might be the onl y victim , and that God ivould protect his

family . At first the sufferers , although noted Carbonari , were all of IOAV origin , aud obscure persons ; but suddenly the circle of the persecuted ivas enlarged , for when Canosa perceived the state of the city , and that the citizens Avere afraid to complainlie wrote to the king that he

, could punish without risk , and received an ansAver to "punish . " He then arrested generals , deputies , councillors of state , magistrates , and men that had long been distinguished for their virtues and their acts : it is said that four thousand persons Avere noted down on the list for destruction . The military junta- Avas the most

blood-thirsty tribunal , Aidiere strict questioning as to the general conduct of the prisoner Avas substituted for direct inquiry into the question at issue . The President , General Sangro , interrogated them thus : — " HaA-e you at any time- been a Freemason , Carbonari , or belonged to any other secret society ? Have you at any

time deserted ? Have you committed any other crime against the King and State ? " These questions AA'ere the more unblushing in him , as he himself had been a Carbonaro in 1820 , and had deserted , with his son , from the standard to ivhich he had sworn . The indignation of the prisoner sometimes overcame his prudence , and made him answer in a way that cast shame on the

interrogator . The juntas , therefore , changed their mode of trial , and carried it on in secret , Avhere they could put the most taunting and vexatious questions to the prisoners . Spies and informers multiplied throughout the country ; and these were generally Jesuits , for they ,

acting under the Pope , were the determined enemies of the Carbonari , and sought every opportunity of destroying them . By a neAv law the catechism , which , until that time had been used in the churches , Avas included in the books interdicted by the Pope , and Avas committed to the flames ; and all who retained copies Avere menaced with heavy penalties . This was followed by a decree ,

addressed by the Minister of the Interior to the Cardinal Archbishop of Naples , in Avhich the King , being informed of the backwardness of schoolmasters to compel their pupils and children to frequent the congregations di Spirilo , established in the different communes of the kingdom , and likeAvise of their neglecting to send them

to church on reli gious festivals , ordered all schoolmasters , public or private , to second the views of the bishops , in so far as regards the frequenting of these congregations ; and , to ensure their obedience , required a certificate to be produced every week , testifying that the decree had been complied with . As a penalt y in case of

disobedience , the schoolmasters in public institutions were to be deprived of their pay , and private instructors Avere to have their schools shut up . Parents who should neglect to send their children to the congregations il Spirilo , were to be declared unAvorthy of holding any public employment , and the children , or young persons , who could not exhibit proofs of their having attended these congregations , were declared unable to aspire to