Inhabitants of Abruzzo

[Translation.]

The Italians of Abruzzo to the people of the United States of America:

From the summits of our mountains, the bulwarks of liberty, from the banks of our rivers and the shores of our seas, a people who wish to be united, free, and independent have long bent their eyes upon events in the great republic whence they expect a new light to radiate upon the world, with a new era of democratic civilization.

Your history is the same as ours. From Camillus and Cincinnatus to Franklin and Washington, from Lincoln and Seward to Garibaldi and Mazzini, the tradition of the great struggle between good and evil, liberty and slavery, civilization and barbarism, national autonomy and the rule of foreign despots, has ever been the same.

The roar of your battles was borne across the ocean and awaked an echo in our Appenines. Your victories were the triumph of humanity. But very soon the electric spark, drawn from the clouds by Franklin, told us that a parricidal hand had taken the life of Abraham Lincoln, when the destinies of his country and partly of the world were trusted to his care, and, at the same time, announced the savage attack upon Mr. Seward and his family.

A voice of detestation and of horror arose throughout the world; the symbols of liberty were draped in mourning everywhere; anguish filled our hearts; but we rejoice that the cause of humanity cannot perish. The blood of new martyrs fertilizes the earth, and makes it the mother of freedmen.

Abraham Lincoln gave his life to save the integrity of the Union and the grandeur of his country, to rescue the colored man from slavery, to give to all men liberty and equality.

When peace shall be restored the white and black races will join hands above his grave, and the spirit of liberty, rising from his sepulchre, will renovate the surface of the earth, and make the return of any tyranny impossible.

VALENTINO NOTINI, FABRO CANNELLALE,
A. ODOLONE, LEOSINI ANGELO,
PIETRO MARRELLI, FIORE CARIF,
DONATO DE CARIS, GAETANO DI PRETORO,
PASQUALE MARRELLI, GIUSEPPE MANNETTI,
ANGELO PELLIGRINI, ANGELO DI GINLIO,
MATTIO VALENTINI, ANTONIO CENTI,
FILIPPO TARTAGLIA, ANGELO TARTAGLIA,
CAMILLO LEOSINI, ANGIOLO CIXANI.