The National Register.
London, England, 1815-05-07 00:00:00

MAY c.

Mr. Hon NER anbmitted to the house his motion on the subject of
our conduct towards Naples. He went into ut tail of the inn-
elation, between Naples and Austria, and the contitematice given to
them by Lord Castlereagh and Lord W. Itentinek dnring the war of
381:5, the period at whirls the flotigiess came to its arrangements
ropecting Naples And Italy, and the circumstance which ,narked.
the commencement of a new war against ,Murat, who at present held
the reigns of G,overnment in Naples The late war against Alurnt
was concluded by •a• Treaty between Austria ants Naples ors the
11th January, 1814, which 'fre.ity wit.: approved of by Great
tai n, and after which Murat niade movements that %sere most wen.
tial to tile views of the Allies. After this an armistice was eon-
cloiled between Lord W. }Sentinel( and the Duke of Camptchiaro.
The term'. o 1 the siopension of hostilities proved the pinlerstanding
that existed, for thereby arrangements were made respecting trade,
eomnined with military .opei ations, &c. lie deemed the faith of
this country to have been pledged to Naples. and. he fcared.thal the
,wild had too much proof of !bele haring been at least an hono-
rary engagetnent between EriOatid and Naples, and that such
izeinent had been violated. He concluded %vial movine
air Attilito to the Pririce Regent, praying his Royal iligbiiess to
Iry before the I louse copies of all enitinumications between the Ali-
Oster' of this country and Naples respecting the rel-tions between
the No nations.

The rearion being pit, Lord CASTLER EAGH paid, 11;:s was not a
ipeotion of a technical natuse, but one of good faith, and like could
not show that the claims of Murat were not valid, lie must of neces-
sity admit that Miiiistets were culpable fur any delay in ratifying
the treaty at Congress. The Noble Lord reairsoine of his own dis-
patehe4 to prove that the armistice was merely entered into for the
Purpose of putting an end to hostilities. In the negociations there'
been no objection to acknowledge. Murat in peace Upon two
co:aliti:ins,i.amely, that he should exert himself iu war, and provide.
no indemnity int- Sicily. Against ally indemnity, howeaer, for
Sici:,the Prince Ferdinand had always protested. The great spies.
lion was, dui Murat co-operate with the Allies in the spirit of his
eagagements ? That lie .had not fulfilled his engagements, was the
dechoe.l opinion of Lord W. Bentiock, given at the time. There
was no want of coufidenee on the part of the Austrian Government
to Murat, unless that it littera-red agaiust the scheme which lurked
at the- bottom of his heart—that of extending his dominions to the
Po. The Austrian Government guarded against this ambitions and
unjust design in one of the articles of the treaty. Ile (Lord Castle-
!ed.!!! supposing that Lord William Bentinck naturally feel&
1,.) the Royal Family of Sicily, had at first sonic doubt of
the coi rcetuess of hi., views as to the bad faith of Murat ; as soon, how-
ever, as he was satisfied of it, he telt that Mural's conduct had dis
sulved the e:iLngrenents concluded with and lielost no time in
enuommicatiog the matter to the Napalitail Ministers at Vienna.
Ile statud to the Mike of Campoehiaro, that he considered the ques-
tion of Naples perfectly open for the determination of the Congress.
If Murat had fairly perimm,tl his engagemrots as a man of spit it
and honour, he would have exerted all his influence in securing to
hint the possession of the kingdom of Naples; hat what has been the
conduct of Murat ? Before the question of Naples is entered into by
the Congress, he commences active hostilities ss ithont any notifiCa-
timi whatever. But of the bad faith of this person. he would coif-
vince the Howe. He should spew that Murat was engaged in direct.
to-ciciations with Bonaparte, at the moment when he aflected to co-
oi,erate wide the Allies. The game he played for was an acquisition
Of territory as far as the Po, which proposition Bonaparte at first
treated with contempt for its extravagance. It would appear that
Fehroary, 1814, the Qiieen of Naples was commurieating with
her brother, the French Ruler, and making. promises in the name,
and no doubt with the know ledee of hi r husband. Bonaparte,
hiiswer, says, he shonld not deign In answer her husband's request for
the Ita:ian territory to the Po, which he describes as the request of
a had or a madman. What was the result ? Murat tried to oht.iin
trunk the Allies what Napoleon had refuse d him. The Noble Lord
then read several letters to the Howe, which TallYra" had, .f.'"li
at his request, in the bureau at Paris. The first 5%;14 dated Luce*,
!'ebrikitly 14, from his Sister, the Princess Borghese, to Bonaparte,.
m which she stated, that Murat had expressed his surprise at
tles Viceroy's passing time Adige, and at the Emperor's itiprosiug
he could nut be his enemy The second letter sea. front Ilotieeparte
to the Queen of Naples, dated Nogent, Fe b. 17, beginning.ttins-- 6
4' our husband is as brave a man as lives, in the field of battle, but
s:very where out of.it lie is as weak as a woman or a monk (Isuigh•
utz ) lie wants moral courage." It then goes oil iii expreAS tilt Ma-
ttitiletion of the wri:er with the commumication he had received
trotther husband through her. and his hope that Murat wonld lake 1!
11:5 first opportunity of proving hie perttitamci., repairiug his

-,,w=ig

1 literatitude. The !lira letier was from Fiat.l4 to Napoleon, sated
' piece, Feb. 8, tit ploring Mnrat's want of firmness, and ,tatine that
he was reeroaehed"by the Anstriatte and Pniliah with beinz the bt'a
cret partizan of Napoleon. The fourth letter we, from En,eeee
Beanharenis to riot spat tr, dated the. ii9th of February, expiessing a
' hope that Murat would w,t add to the wrong, lie let 1 cote:tilted
against the F.mperor by firing ou his troops, isaakentaelyaiere a
great victory had !seen gained by the French. The fi:Beleller WAS
from the French Consul at Ancona to Navlenn, stating that ues7es-
, city alone, the exposure of his coast lc the E-eglish, and the discon.
totes of his people, had forced Murat to join the Allies ; that be re.
membered he was a Frenchman, and the brother of the Emperor.
The sixth letter was frwu Bonaparte to Murat, without a date, and
IK.groniNg with the words, " Sire, and my Brother :" he reProachfd
Murat w ith,a violation of duty, arising from the weakness of his ea.
Oire ; tells him that he was a good soldier, but had no character e!*e-
: where ; that he (the writer) relied upon his promises, and hoped he
was not among those who supposed the lion dead, ''et (peon petit
sur hti," and tills him that his head was turned by his title
ii of King. The !pit letter, from the name to the same, reproached
, ; him with the difference between his words and his acts; proposes to
it:dee of his tea' sentiments by his conduct at Ancona; remieds hint
,1 that the kingdom of Naples had been procuretaor him by the blood
" • and treasure of France for her, use; and tells him, that when he
ceased to be a henchman he was no longer any thing to hint ; ad.
visit; him, at the same time, to guard against his letters being iu:er..
cepted." He (Lord C.) would now appeal to the House, whether
any thinT "net be snore unjust than the aspersiens upon the conduct
lof the Ili itish Government in regard to Murat. (Ma.. /war .f) But
he could produce, not only the incontestable proofs cut Headier), h.
i had just read; lie should state, on the authority of General 1\ itgeot,
! • that the French force at Reggio had been eitabled to escape, by an
1 operation which Muria had directed in person for that purpose.
But was it not very probahle that Murat was acquainted with Bo-
naparte's intention ot returbieg to France? ft was remarkable, that
a note, complaining of the French Government, had been sent by
, one of Murat's Ministers on the 28th o'February, the exact pet iod
1 cif Bonaparte's escape, to. the Austrian Government, demanding a
I passege for hO,OOO men through the north of Italy, ugaiost France,
which was perempttnily refused; and that, bow ever, without wail-
ing fur an answer flout Viento, c: front Rome or Florence, where ho
had sent messengers, he 'welted beyond Ancoua in actual hostility
1 with Austria, without any tkelaration of war, violating the Papal
I and Tuscan teftitoties, and erovehing general insurrection. What
t a flimsy pretence Ban was his civility ttethe English, or his rights
1
ender the armistice, violated by him, and of course nut binding opt
others. He was proud of having thus cleared from misrepresenta-
j Lion and calumny his own condect, the condnct of his Govotonent,
and the public Cad) of his emote y. He trusted those who so readily
and with so little feutolation brought charges against Ministers,
would benefit by the lesson of teat Mehl. He deprecated the coo-
duct
of Gentlemen on the ether side, opening their ears to informa-
tive secretly conveyed by the agents of fereign Governments. whe-
ther directly or circuitously, as tending solely to calumniate the
Government of the country, and injure the public service. He only
asked that the Gentlemen on the other side would not always pre-
smile, without proof, that the enemy was right, and their own Gp-
vemnent wrnnt, .Letllem but suspend their judgments until ipe
fortnatien is folly anti fairly lichee them.
Mr. Will milieu denied that a case was fu;ly made out by the
Noble Lord. It appeared that Murat was a man who was guided
solely by his interest. Then why not make it Ills interest to pur-
port the Allies?
Mr. PoesosieY felt himself called upon to repel the base insitsita-
tiossof the Noble Lord, that the Gentlemen on that (the Opposi-
tion) side of the House, obtained by Improper and unworthy ways,
intermation upon political questions, from the secret agents of fo.
reign Powers.—A' long altercation followed brio eel) Lord Castle.
reagh and Mr. Ponsonby on these expressions, which ended in mu.
teal conciliatory, explanation.
The question was tofu put and carried without a division.--Ad.
journed.

••••••••.1....

WEDNESD‘Y, MAY S.
Lord NVGENT brow:lit forw.ird a motion on the tinhject of an in.
(Wiry instituted by the Pwa. Office into the conduct of Capt. Wat-
kins. of the 11ontaime. and Cipt. Poring, of thePelliam packet'', in
*is action insight by them %%itli 811 American priv.ateer, and in which
lie considered ttre.tt individual injustice and pppreoion- bad t;een
t•liewii by the Post Ottice.—Tlie motion «•n+ apro.ed, and negatived
witliant a I he Bilk ou the table beitig gene through is
progrels, the Ilauze adjourned.

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