DR. ACHILLI.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 433, 8 June 1850, Page 2

DR. ACHILLI.

My dear Sir Culling, — On my return from Rome I •cc an article by the Roman correspondent of The Times, in the paper of the 13th, wherein it is s»id,— "I understand that the Cardinal Tduravirate have given a final answer in the case of Dr. Achilli, and that Mr. Touna returns to England convinced of the fruitlessness of any further ellorts that he cmi make to procure an exception from the general course of the law in favour of that individual. I offered, on hearing or Mr. Tonna's and Mr. Meyrueii' arrival, to publish any documents favourable to Dr. Achilli which they mitjht tmnk proper 10 communicate, but they have not thought it prudent to avail themselves of that facility ; and theiefore I suupose the information obtained has not been favourable to their client. So far as I can learn, the charges relative to the assassination of the nun at Vitcrbo are abandoned ; and those alone which relate to Dr. Acliilii being a Roman subject, a recreant prie»t, a disseminator of religious books prohibited by law, with a general accusation of 1 ailing an immoral lite, a-e persisted in; and on thesu the tubunal is determined to bring him to trial With ic-gaid lo leading an immor,il life, I trust he will make Out a ease winch, ii not sati-factory io tbe Court, may <onvmce his tnends m England that their sympathy in his bthalr has not been ill-beitowed Thut point will depend on the validity of a document he purs fonh as a certificate ol mannige, which, it 1 am coirectly informed, id not calculated in any respect to satisfy the 1 w m Rome, or in England, if he be a naturalized B.iti-h subject." 1 sh .11 i ot take notice of w hat is said about the profa, biluy ot Dr Aclnlli's liberation, as thar is an afFdir to be nettled with the Fivnch Govi rnment, and r>.Sjiect to tint Government requires that the duty of France s 1 ould not he argued by Dr. Aclnlli's friends in the papers before the matter has been formally laid, with all the avidence, before the President of the Republic. 1 will not speak of :he fairness or justice of j.ubl c accu ers given to the corespondent ot a public journal a list of charges which have never in any form been communicated to the prisoner himself ; and I leave it to others to judge ot the generosm of given publicity to charges under such ciicumstances. On the statement itself, however, I have a few words to say. It it inooirect to cay that "the charges relative to the assassination of the nun at Viterbo are abandoned," because they never were entertained. The whole itoiy is a pure invention, without the si gh est foundation, •r shodow ot foundation: it was never heard of in Viterbo, and was merely rumoured about in Rome as soon as England and Franca inquired about the prisoner. The rumour was not believed at tbe time, even by Aclnlli's enemies but by getting it circulated in the columns or The Times they gained the desired end ot paralyzing for a time the efforts of his friends, and of hindering the active steps which the late French Cabinet were prepared to take in behalf of a man suffering for conscience/ sake alone. A murderer could not be defended. The Abbe" Guidi, Chef dv Bureau dts Affaires Etrange"res at Rome, informed Mr. Pdtre (attached to the British Legation at Florence, and resident at Rome without being accredited) that Dr. Aclnlli was arrested by the Vicaiiat, and is now being tried by tbe Holyoffiee, i-olely on the grounds of religious apostacy. and the immorality of having contracted a marriage, he heing a Roman pritst and an ex«lriar. The Abbe" Guiui furthet added that he h-id indeed been accused of some deliiti fenui, slender crimes (which could never have included tbe suJuciion and a^assmation of a nun), but th>;se accusations had not been sustained M. de Courcelles also informed me, in the presence of General Baraguayd' Hilliers, that soupcons had been, entertained against him, but of them il est absous No, he was never even accused of this crime. IJow unjust, how crue', how like the Inquuition, to nnd matins to circulaie in England every idle rumour against a man who is not allowed to speak a word in self-defence ; while meanwhile they are living him secrctiy — bis libeity, his life, being at stake. The Abbe* Guidt t>tated that the piocesso, or secret trial, was on the point of being concluded, the prisoner n ver having been examined or hcaid in any wa), or even appnzed of the counts against him. All is conducted m secret, by written depositions, fiom conoeulerl witnesses; when Uiis mock procebs is ended, a sentence will be passed, and it will be rariied into execution with the same seciecy. At any moment we raay bear that our th-ar i rother is no longer in the Castle St. Augelo, and vain then will be all endeavour! even to tracj whiihei he has been carried. Yet in all this the Pope is dans sondroit; these are the legitimate and legal tribunals ot Home! A wo<u about the inanuge. Dr. Acini i was married on the 24.1 i ot June to the daughter of a British

officer, according to the ritual of the Church of England, by virtue of laws of the then existing Roman Republic. The service was performed by a converted Roman priest, whoge signature, with those of the contracting parties and of three of thf witnesies present? I have seen attiiched to the formal registry, which, is preserved in a safe and fitting place. * I may add, that Dr. Achilli waa arrested by Roman sbirri ind u ed, but in tho name of the French Prefect of l'<'lice, M. Rouxttn, chef de brigade ; that he whs curlied to the Inq'iiikion by a corporal's party of Cbasseurs de Vincennes, who came from the French Perfecture, where their battalion was doin°; duty. This .after circumstance we leirned from the lips of lome French officers who witnessed the «cene, being quartered with their company in the house where Dr. Achilli lodged, and the corporal who commanded the party can of coune easily be found out. I remain yours truly, Leavis H. J. Tonna, To Sir Culling E. Eardley, Bart,