VII. 1820. CHAP. reliance was on the army, many of the higher officers of which were already enrolled in their ranks, and which it was hoped would be generally influenced by the example and rewards obtained by the insurrectionary host in the island of Leon. These hopes were not disappointed; on the 2d July, Morelli and Menichini-the one a simple lieutenant in the army, the other a priest in the town of Nola, but who both held important situations in the society of the Carbonari-assembled the soldiers of the former's troop, raised the cry of "God, the King, and the Constitution;" fraternised with the National Guard, who joined in the same sentiments; and with their united force marched upon Avellino, the chief town of the province, in the hope of inducing its inhabitants to join their cause. This was not long in being effected. Concilii, who commanded the militia of that town, joined the popular cause; Morelli and he proclaimed the Constitution ii. 346, 347; amidst unanimous shouts, and Concilii was, by acclamaiii. 489,490. tion, declared the head of the patriotic force and the Riego of Naples.1 July 2. July 3. 1 Colletta, Ann. Hist. 107. Defection of General Pepe of Naples The news of the insurrection at Nola, followed as it was immediately by the defection of the garrison of Avellino, threw the court of Naples into the utmost consternation, and General Campana, who had the command at Salerno, received orders to march without delay on the latter town, while all the disposable force at Naples was ordered to advance in support. But vain are all attempts to extinguish revolt by soldiers who themselves are tainted with the spirit of insurrection. General Carascosa, who commanded the troops which came up from Naples, was no sooner in presence of the insurgents who were marching on Salerno, than he found his men so shaken that he was constrained to retire, to prevent them from openly joining their ranks. The revolutionists advanced accordingly to Salerno, which they occupied in force; and the intelligence of their approach excited such a ferment in Naples that it soon became evident that the VII. 1820, maintenance of the government had become impossible. CHAP. A large body of the principal officers in the garrison waited on GENERAL PEPE, and entreated him to put himself at the head of the insurrection, assuring him of the support of the entire army. He yielded without difficulty to their entreaties; and taking the command of a regiment of horse in Naples which had declared for the constitutional cause, he set out amidst loud cheers for the headquarters of the insurgents, whom he joined at ii. 348, 349; Salerno, where he was immediately saluted by acclama- iii. 490, 492. tion General-in-chief.1 1 Colletta, Ann. Hist. 108. swears to tution. Every day now brought intelligence of fresh defections; the whole regiments in the garrison of Naples The king declared for the constitution, and every post announced yields, and the junction of some new garrison to the cause of the in- the constisurgents. Numerous crowds constantly surrounded the palace, and with loud cries and threats demanded the instant proclamation of the constitution. The students, the professors, the municipality, the whole intelligent classes, loudly supported the demand; and the king, without guards or support of any kind, moral or physical, found himself constrained to yield to their demands. Anxious to gain time, he consented, after some negotiation, to resign his authority into the hands of his son, the Duke of Calabria, whom he declared his Vicargeneral, with the unlimited authority of "Alter ego." The prince immediately issued a proclamation declaring his acceptance of the Spanish Constitution, under certain conditions; but the silence of the king still excited the alarm of the popular party, and at length his majesty himself issued a proclamation, in which he July 7. ratified the promise made by his son, and engaged to accept the Spanish Constitution, under the reservation. of such alterations as the national representation legally convoked might find it necessary to adopt.* The * "La costituzione del regno delle Due Sicilie sarà la stessa adottata per il regno delle Spagne nell' anno 1812, e sanzionata da S. M. Cattolica nel marzo di VOL. II. G VII. CHAP. prince, at the same time, issued a decree declaring his unconditional acceptance of the Spanish Constitution as 1820. promulgated by His Most Catholic Majesty on the 7th March; and the king two days after solemnly took the oath in presence of all the civil and military authorities of the kingdom.* The whole authority in the kingdom immediately passed into the hands of the revolutionists. General Pepe was declared Commander-in-chief instead of the Austrian General Nugent, who was dismissed. General Felangiers was appointed Governor of Naples ; the ministry was entirely changed, and a new one, composed of ardent liberals, appointed; a junta of fifteen persons nominated to control the Government, and the whole appointments solemnly confirmed by the king. Great popular rejoicings and a general illumination testified the universal joy at these rapid changes; but it ii. 368, 371; augured ill for the stability of the new order of things, iii.494,495; or its adaptation to the people by whom it was adopted, 1820, 240, that they had to send to Spain for a copy of the Constitution to which they had all sworn fealty.1 1 Colletta, Ann. Hist. Ann. Reg. While military treason was thus overturning monarchy questo anno; salve le modificazioni che la rappresentanza nazionale, costitu- The oath taken by the Prince Vicar-general was as follows: The oath of the king, taken on the 13th in presence of all the authorities of the kingdom, was still more solemn : ""Io Ferdinando Borbone, per la grazia di Dio e per la costituzione della monarchia napoletana, re, col nome di Ferdinando I. del regno delle Due Sicilie, giuro in nome di Dio e sopra i Santi Evangeli che difenderò e conserverò' (seguivano le basi della costituzione: poi diceva). Se operassi contra il mio giuramento, e contra qualunque articolo di esso, non dovrò essere ubbidito; ed ogni operazione con cui vi contravvenissi, sarà nulla e di nessun valore. Così facendo, Iddio mi ajuti e mi protegga; altrimenti, me ne dimandi conto.' Il profferito giuramento era scritto. Finito di leggerlo, il re alzò il capo al cielo, fissò gli occhi alla croce e spontaneo disse: Onnipotente Iddio che collo sguardo infinito leggi nell' anima e nell' avvenire, se io mentisco o se dovrò mancare al giuramento, tu in questo istante dirigi sul mio capo i fulmini della tua vendetta.'"-COLLETTA, ii. 370, 371. CHAP. VII. 1820. 109. which pre Sicily. in Naples, and blasting the growth of freedom, by establishing a constitution utterly at variance with the habits, capacities, or interests of the great majority of the people, and not understood by ten in a million of the Causes inhabitants, the progress of insurrection was still more pared revorapid in Sicily, where, as already mentioned, a constitu- lution in tional monarchy had been established by the English July 14. during their occupation in the latter years of the war, and the people, generally speaking, were more practically acquainted with the working of a free constitution. The English institutions had been abolished when they withdrew from the kingdom-unlike the Code Napoleon, which, founded on the matured wisdom of the Roman law, everywhere survived the fall of his dynasty. The government, however, had established municipal councils, elected by the more respectable classes, declared any additional imposts illegal without the consent of the States-General of the realm, and issued some salutary decrees for the limitation of the excessive evils of entails. But these practical reforms did not in the least answer the wishes of the Sicilian revolutionists, who, even more than the Neapolitans, sighed for the establishment of representative institutions, and ardently desired instantly to separate from Naples, and get the command of the country by adopting the Spanish Constitution. The first news of the revolution at Naples excited a great sensation; and this was fanned into a perfect tumult when the official intelligence arrived on the 14th July 14. of the acceptance of the constitution by the king. They had no thought, however, of remaining subject to his government. In the Sicilian mind, as in the Irish, personal freedom and revolution are inseparably connected 1 Colletta, with insular independence; and the first impulse of ii. 376, 377; patriotism ever has been to detach themselves from the iii. 496, 498; dominant power which has ruled, and, as they think, oppressed them.1 The following day, July 15, happened to be the great Ann. Hist. Ann. Reg. 1820, 241. VII. 1820. 110. in Palermo. July 15. CHAP. national festival of the Sicilians-that of St Rosaliewhen, even in ordinary times, all business is suspended, and the whole inhabitants devote themselves to festivity Revolution and joy. It was held on this occasion with more than wonted splendour and animation at Palermo, the capital of the island. Early in the morning, the committees of the Carbonari were in activity, the bands of the revolutionists in motion; cries of "Viva la Costituzione Spagnuola !— Viva l'Indepenza!" were universal; and the inhabitants even of an opposite way of thinking were compelled to adopt cockades of the national colour (yellow) with the Sicilian eagle; and a trifling incident having excited their resentment against General Church, an Englishman, who still retained the command of the place, he was attacked, and his house pillaged. General Naselli, who commanded the Neapolitan troops in the island, in vain endeavoured, by yielding to the movement, to moderate its excesses. The populace, having once tasted of the pleasures of pillage, and become excited by the passions of revolution, became wholly ungovernable, and proceeded to the most deplorable excesses. They advanced in tumultuous bodies to the three forts of La Sancta, Castellamare, and Palermo Realo, which commanded the city; and as the troops, having received no orders how to act, made scarcely ii. 378, 379; any resistance, the populace made themselves masters of iii. 499; the forts and the whole arsenals they contained, from which they armed themselves, and immediately commenced an indiscriminate pillage.1 1 Colletta, Ann. Hist. Ann. Reg. 1820, 241 111. massacre Alarmed at the consequences of the movement they Frightful had in the first instance encouraged, Naselli and the nobles in Palermo, now endeavoured to restrain the excesses of the populace. July 16. They appointed a junta of fifteen persons armed with full powers to restore order; and then having rallied the troops, succeeded, on the following day, in regaining possession of the forts which had been lost on the preceding. But the revolutionists, now infuriated by wine, and rendered desperate by the loss of the forts, proceeded to the |