From that
sentence I have endeavoured to extract first the modicum of facts which
seem to have been admitted without dispute.
During the death-struggle of the Roman Republic, when the Neapolitan
troops had entered the Papal territory on their fruitless crusade, the
country round Velletri was occupied by Garibaldi's soldiery. Near
Velletri there is a little town called Giulianello, of which a certain
Don Dominico Santurri was the head priest. Justly or unjustly, this
priest, and two inhabitants of the town, named De Angelis and Latini,
were accused of plotting against the Republic; arrested by order of one
of Garibaldi's officers; imprisoned for a couple of days, and, after a
military examination (though of what nature is a matter of dispute) found
guilty of treason against the state. The priest was sentenced to death
and shot at once; the other two prisoners were dismissed with a reproof.
Subsequently orders were issued for their re-arrest. One of them,
Latini, had made his escape meanwhile; the other, De Angelis, being less
fortunate, was arrested again and executed.
Now, how far these persons were really guilty or not of the offence for
which they suffered, I of course have no means of knowing. Common sense
tells one that a nation, fighting for dear life against foes abroad and
traitors within, is obliged to deal out very rough and summary justice,
and can hardly be expected to waste much time in deliberation.
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