The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-29 00:00:00

SICILY.

The following proclamation, without "a name,
was extensively circulated in the first
news of a probable rupture between England and
Naples :

"PROCLAMATION.
" Sicilians !--The hour of liberty and indepen-
dence of Sicily has already arrived. The strength
of our efforts of 1836 would not have been frus-

trated to recover our national independence, had
not the effects of the ravages of the cholera almost
destroyed our population. Much Sicilian blood
tinged at that unhappy period the servile hands of
the Neapolitans. The generous shades of those
patriotic martyrs cry from their tombs for vengeance.
Their blood will be the prolific seed of our liberty
and political emancipation. 'We swear it. Not
long ago, the brave Belgians were oppressed under
the yoke of Holland. Such was the fiat of the
infamous Congress of Vienna, which deprived
of our privileges and our nationality. But Vile
Belgians, imitating the enthusiastic heroism of a
great nation, threw off the chains of depenence.
They rose in mass and conquered ; for the united
will of the people is victory personified. England
allied with France compelled the absolute Mo-
narchs of Eur Ope to recognize the independence of
Belgium, and a constitutional King was, placed at
the head of the Government. France, Spain,
Portugal, and Greece, have, by ttie determined
will of their people, changed their institutions and

their Princes 'within the short interval of ten

years. The despots of Europe hays looked on and
have been silent.

" We, who were the first to give to the world,
by one unanimous movement, the unheard-of ez-

ample of the complete destruction of our oppres-
sors—we still know how to deserve and regain in-
dependence.
_ _

" Sicilians, to arms I England is still indignant
at the recollection of the violated faith—of the fla-
grant treachery—committed in abolition of the con-
stitution proclaimed by Lord 'William Bentinck in
our island as a pledge of gratitude from the power-
ful British nation. We were faithful to England
throughout the duration of a long-continued war.
We fought for her, and in concert with her. Our
lives and our property were for many years wil-
lingly placed at her disposal. We have not a mere
reliance, but a right to reckon on the gratitude of
Great Britain. The time for recompense has its
destined term. That period is now at hand. Our
hopes and our just expectations will be realized.
" Our independence having just been declared,
we will nominate a constitutional King, and we
will choose him even out of the Bourbon family,
for we make war not against individuals, but against
principles.

" Prince Charles of Capua is born amongst us.
He is a Sicilian, oppressed and unfortunate, and
like us he is the victim of caprice and absolutism.
Exiled from Naples because he would not bow the
neck to the rancid maxims of a blind despotism and
absurd etiquette, he was obliged to seek an asylum
in England. He has now resided four years ;,n
London, where the liberality of his sentimentr,, as
well as the propriety of his conduct, have ',von for
him the love, the esteem, and the sympat'av of the
British people. We know the great 'interest he
takes in our political situation, and tl-,e partial af-
fection with which he is animated torsards us. He
shall be our constitutional King. The Princess
Penelope of Capua, his consort, is connected by re-
lationship with the first families of England, who
will doubtless procure important aid from their ge-
nerous and opulent fellow-citizens. Palermo, on
becoming the seat of a brilliant Court, will con-
stantly attract multitudes of foreigners, who will
stimulate and augment the circulation of money
amongst us. Our new Government, founded on
the adamantine basis of a popular Constitution, will
afford the best possible guarantee for the preserva-
tion of public order, liberty, equality of rights,
independence.
" And you, 0 industrious strangers, who, at-
tracted by the natural richness of our fertile soil,
are come with your capitals to establish yourselves
amongst us, and Alio have endeavoured to lay
open the commerce of every part of the globe to
our numerous products, you need no longer fear
any violation of public faith. As long as you may
think fit to remain with us, your security and your
property shall be as sacred as our own. Hence-
forth we will form with you only one family—one
sole interest shall animate us all. We have one
object in common--the welfare and independence
of Sicily.

" Our future constitutional King, taught in mis-
jortune's school, and often an admirinr4 auditor of
the English Parliamentary debates, w'Al religiously
respect whatever treaties of alliance and commerce
we may, on the principle of reciprocal advantage,
contract with foreign nations.
" Sicilians, to arms I Let us drive from our isle
the Neapolitans, who absotbe all our resources, and
who, looking upon us as slaves, or adscripti glebee,
have reduced this beautiful and fertile land, once
, the cradle of civilization and the granary of Italy,
to receive from abroad the first element of life.
"To arms, Sicilians I to arms I, The hour of
our political emancipation is at }rand. The first
signal of our glorious enterpri&e, the powerful
British fleet stationed at Malta, will surround our
extensive coast, and protect our Forts from the die-
einbarLation of the mercenary hordes who are
enrolled under the degraded harmers of the imbecile
and presumptuous:ruler of Naples. Meanwhile
we will convoke our ancielit Parliament; we
will form volunteer corps ;we vill establish in every
part of the island a national guard, and, if our op-
pressors do not fly with precipitation at the first
sight of our national standzad, let them tremble
while they recollect the Sicilian Vespers.
" Viva the independence of Sicily.
" Viva the Constitution I
" Viva King Charles !
" Viva England I
" Sicily, 1840."

ROYAL GEO,'GRAPHICA L

SOCIETY.

At the ordinafy meeting held on Monday evening,
G. B. Greenhough, E sq., F.R.S., President, in the
chair, Captain Washington, the secretary, road the
official report of Mesiers. Deese and Simpson on their
recent Arctic discove.:ies, which was communicated by
the Hudson's Bay 'company. The -substance of the
paper has been, already made public, but the route was
very well illustrated by a chart, exeeeted by Mr. Ar-
rowsmith. On the thanks of the meeting being pre-
sented to the Company, Governor Peily stated that
the desires of Mr. Simpson would be met to their ful-
lest extent, and that the Company had accepted kis
services to complete the samvey of the coast of Boothia.
A letter was next maid from Dr. Richardson,
an Arc!:ic 'traveller, congvatulating the Society on
the solution of a problem, which had been considered
a national object for three hundred and forty-three
years. It was a singular fact that the first expedition
av_eat out from Bristol in 1497, in the reign of Henry
the Seventh, at the risk and enterprise of the merchants
or that city, and that now the object should be com-
'pleted by a mercantile, company. Sir Woodbine Pa
rich stated that he cousidered both the Company and
the adventurers deserved the highest honours which
the Society could Ireste.w, and congratulated Sir John
Barrow, as the first instigator of these enterprises, on
the result. The latter stated that this line of discovery
of the northern coasts; must lead to the object he had
long had at heart, that of a north-west passage, and he
entertained but little doubt that through this channel a
ready medium of toerninunication would feoo4llturnu
d li
cation was next rea
be-
tween the Atlantic :and Pacific Oceans. A
ji from Dr. Robinson, Professor of
Theology at New York, contradicting many of the
statements made by the Compte de Bertu, and pub.
fished in the Society's Transactions, relative to the
Gulf of Achabar, and the linos of waters from the Red
to the Dead Seas. The meeting was W4ll attended.

THE VALUE OF AN EASY COAT.—Mondity
morning, so early as six o'clock, one of those scenes *hick
people who lie in bed never see, was witneried near Westrnin•
ster Abbey. An individual was passing towards the lower part
of Westminster ; his appearance and character, if there he faitl
in Lavatcr, was such that he was very likely to be suspected
any society : a policeman, ac a matter of business, spoke
him—collared him. The individual in question went quiet
for a tew yards, wriggled a little, mei ran away. The police
man had the shell, but rrinus tl:e body. The offence was con
sidered to be so serious that an alarm was given and four pe
licemen pertinaciously pursued ! But it was of no service—
two logs in a march were proved to be better than eight. TI:
policeman not being able to take the man to the station-li?u,se
conveyed his coat thither, and found some very suspicious
looking lead in the pockets. . It is generally believed that ti
gentleman will forget where :,is coat IS.