The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-29 00:00:00

THE KING OF NAPLES.

Although only six months have elapsed since the
accession of Francis 11. to the throne of the Two
Sicilies, the character of the King's Government
has already acquired a positive and well-marked
character. All the virtues with which the world
was willing to credit the young monarch have been
repudiated, ill the hopes generously built on the
trying and instructive circumstances of his accession
have been proved vain at the otitset of his career.
Francis is as abject in superstition, as suspicious
and mean in oppression, as Ferdinand. if there is
any difference, perhaps it is in favour of the old
tyrant, whose domestic policy had at least the merit
of frankness, a quality which, as we are about to
show, is not inherited by his weak successor. An
impression has become general that the condition
of persons who were obnoxious to the Government
of. the Two Sicilics on account of their political opi-
nions has been sensibly improved by the accession
of the new King. As our readers are aware, the
number of political prisoners in Naples far ex-
ceeds the accommodation of the Stale prisons. To
supply this defect, the Government has adopted a
vast system of internment, under which a man is
compelled to reside as an exile in some part of the
kingdom where he has no connection or pursuits, and
from which he may not remove. This class of per-
sons is numbered by tens of thousands, and its mem-
bers are to be found everywhere. They are a source
of great inconvenience to the Government, which
cannot easily rid itself of men against whom
nothing can be alleged but that they are
politically suspected. On the 16th of June last
King Francis granted what was styled an amnesty,
under which it was hoped that the attendibili, as
prisoners of this class arc called, would he restored
to their hones, their friends, and their civil avoca-

tions. But the decree of amnesty was followed at
an interval of only two days by a circular addressed
by M. Canella, Director of Police, to the Intendants
of the several districts of the monarchy, in which
they were required to observe the following rules :

" 1. Whenever political attendibili shall apply for travel-
ling passes to Naples and other places, you must persuade
them not to insist upon obtaining these passes in conside-
ration of the dangers to which they expose themselves on
the part of the Government.
" 2. In case they shall persist, and invoke the recent de-
cree of the 16th inst (the amnesty), you must previously
inform me of it without the least delay.
" 3. "Whenever in virtue of the said decree they shall
demand certificates for the purpose of undergoing public
examinations or of obtaining licenses to practise in any
profession or art, or for nny other purpose whatever, or
whenever the weakness of the mnnicipality shall have per-
mitted 'them to be proposed as candidates for communal
offices, you must always act in concert with me, so that
none of those documents or acts of nomination are ever to
be Itranted without my authorisation previously given.
Should any one of .the attendibili think of going abroad,
you must immediately inform him that it will be very diffi-
cult for him to return home, and in ease he shall persist
in his resolution you must instantly send word of it
to this Ministry and to that of Foreign Affairs. For this
purpose, when sending any ordinary documents relative to
demands for paasports to foreign countries, you must state
not merely the quality if the attendibili, but also every co-
relative circumstance.

"4. It remains expressly understood that all the decisions
concerning the arrest, removal, burial, and all other police
measures, remain in full force as affecting those who are
compromised by their words or acts since 1848 and 1349.
These measures remain equally in force arainat those who
compromised themselves in 1848 and 18i9, measures that
were ordained by special regulations, and which will be
dictated in future by a spirit of precaution.
" You continue to be Monsieur l'lntendant, personally
responsible for the least deviation from this regulation.
You will be duly informed of the changes and energetic
measures you will be directed to enforce in accordance with
the will and the orders of your superior."
The amnesty, which expresses the gracions
intentions of the Monarch, was intended for the
European public; but the lot of the political pri-
soners was to be effectively fixed by this circular.
We here see the Government extending one hand
to offer a gift. and raising the other to threaten
those who might be inclined to accept it. There
is not one point in which the amnesty seems to
improve the condition of the attenrlibiliin respect
of which the circular does not most completely
nullify its provisions. The history of a kingdom
governdd on principles so purely personal as is
that of Naples can supply but little instruction;
accordingly, in the absence of wars and revolu-
tions, we snail employ in more promising fields
much of the attention we formerly devoted to the
Two Sicilies ; but we could not withhold from the
public this last trait of Bourbon rule at Naples.—
Daily News.

DEATH: OF THE CITY SWORDBEAREE.— Mr.
C. W. Hick, formerly a leading member of the Court of
Common Csuncil, and for the last quarter of a century
swordbearer to the city, died on Sunday at his residence,
Acre-lane; Brixton, at the ripe old age of 94, of pleurisy.
The Lord Mayor has appointed as his successor, pre tem..
Mr. 'H. W. Sewell, who for some years past has discharged
the active duties of the office.