The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-21 00:00:00

CAPTAIN ROMEO'S PETITION.

Mr. ITU :VI E then rose to present a Petition from
an individual, who styled himself Captain Ro-
meo, a foreigner, who had been in our service in
Sicily from 1806 to 1815 ; and-during that time had
rendered very important services to the British
forces. He (Mr. Hume) had seen certificates i❑
his favour from a number of officers of rank, who
had held commands in Sicily, and what he had
now to complain of was, that in 1815, when this
officer quitted Sicily, and went to Naples, with
a passport from the British General, and a pro-
, mise of protection, he was immediately thrown
into prison ; and on applying to Sir W. A'Court
for protection, that protection was withheld, and
Captain Romeo was sent,by the Neapolitan Go-
vernment to Egypt. He (Mr. IL) had reason to
believe, with the connivance of Sir AV. A'Court ;
adverting to whose conduct, he believed, that
the most gratifying act which could be conferred
on the Neapolitans by our Government, would
be the removal of Sir W. A'Court. To return
to the Petitioner, however, he, in 18181 arrived
in this country, and applied to our Government
for redress, but in vain ; at length, through the
exertions of the Duke of York, much to the ho-
,nour of his Royal Highness, a pension of 50/. a
year was bestowed upon him ; but what was this
as a remuneration for a man who had lost 14,000
dollars in our service; he applied for a compen-
sation from Government, but in vain ; he then
applied for a passport to return to hisnwn coon-,
try, and the passport was promised. He accord-
ingly sold his pension for a trifle, and then ap-
plied for his passport, which was however refus-
ed, and he now came to the House, to ask relief.
He ought also to state that a passport was offered
to him to go to France : but he feared to accept
it, as, had be gone to France, he would probably
have been detained, and have been worse off
than in this country. Under all these circum-
stances, he now applied to the House to be en-
abled _ to return to his regenerpted country,
Naples.

Lord CASTLEREAGH, as the Petition did not
pray for money, but only general relief, hoped
the forms of the House would allow of its being
received. . He would, however, state the general
ans7.3er which he had to the'Petition ; but which
did not lay strictly in his department, as his
claims were of- a military nature. In 1817, he
preferred a claim in Lord Bathurst's Office for
2,500. for services rendered to the Ilritish Go-
vernment in 1809., This excited surpriserand
he was asked how it happened that this claim
had been allowed to lay dormant so long, •and
that it was not at the time submitted to the Com-
mander of the.. Army, and liquidated at the time.
No satisfactory answer was made, and the claim
was dismissed by Lord Bathurst. If he was,
obliged, he should go into the case, which he did
not think was very creditable to Captain Romeo.
It was extraordinary that the demand should be
made at the end of nine years. .One charge.was
of 1400/. to the General7in-Chief's mistress.—
That was surely an extraordinary demand, made
at the end of nine years. It was not denied that
some services had been performed by Romeo, and
he got a pension of 50/. a-year, which was after-
wards commuted for 3001. Lord Bathurst made
a reference to the Foreign Office, and 'informa-
tion was sought from Sir‘W. A'Court. The'an-
swer, was unfavourable to Captain Romeb, and
stated that the conduct of the Neapolitan Go-
vernment had no reference to Captain Romeo's
connection with the British Government. It was
also stated,. he had - sold the effects he said he
had lost. -Inquiries were made, and all the an-
swers were unfavourable to Captain Romeo. •Ile
then applied for a nassport, which was- readily
granted. -by the British Government.. Had lie
been •an Englishman, he. (Lord C.) would have
hesitated to grant a passport. A passage was of=
feted to him to Malta; frce'of expence;and thence
he was to be conveyed to Italy. An English
passport would have been a general sanction of
his conduct.

In answer to -a question from Lord W. BEN-
TINCX, Lord CA3TLERE.I.GII said, that he under-
stood that Capt. Romeo had escaped from prison.
Lord W. BENTINCE said, the services of Capt.
Romeo had been considerable, and drawn down
on him the vengeance of the Neapolitan Govern-
ment.—The King of Naples had not only taken
from the Sicilians what they had obtained from
the British Government, but also all their ancient
rights. In fact the Constitution had been put an
end to.

LORD CASTLEREAGH said, no step had been
taken at the Congress of Vienna to affect the in-
terior of the kingdom of Naples.. his joint ex-
ertions, and those of the Noble Lord, had been
unable to carry an the Constitution, which came
completely to a stand, and the, Parliament threw
itself upon the King. It appeared that many
additional privileges had been given to the Sici-
lians, and no complaint of their infringement had
ever been made from Sicily, collectively or indi-
vidually. had the Noble Lord thought the 501.
pension insufficient, he might have made a erepte-

sentation to Lord Bathurst, by whom it Would
have been treated
.with-the utmost attention.
Sir J. MAcKINTosIi said, that no real contradic-
tion had been given to the statement of the Noble.
Lord (Bentinck.) But the Noble Lord (Castle-
reagh) had forgot the SeCret Treaty betwixt
Austria and Naples, by which the King of Naples
was bound to govern his Kingdom on the model
of the Austrian Government of het Italian States.
It appeared that Austria secretly undermined the
Constitution sanctioned by the English Govern-
ment. Such was the honesty and good faith,of
the Allies. But it was remarkable, that the
Noble Lord should apply for information to the.
Neapolitan Government, that hostile to Captain
Romeo, and not to the British Officers, to whom
his services were known. • The Noble Lord, on
this authority of a translation, or rather a mis-
: translation, had raised a laugh at an unfortunate
individual.

Lord CASTLER EAGH said, he had not consulted
the Neapolitan Government, as to the service of
Captain Romeo ; but as to what had been the
reason of the conduct of that Government to-
wards Captain Romeo. It was a question• that
Government alone could answer. None .of the
transactions in Sicily arose from the Congress of
Vienna.

Lord W. BENTINCK quoted a document on the
subject of the conduct of the King of Naples to-
wards his subjects; and which document bore
-that the conduct of the King arose from the
'stipulations with the Cabinet of Vienna.
..Lord CASTLvau.tiln said, that he had never•
heard of the document- in question, and he be-
lieved it came from. the same school with a late
‘pretended proclaMatiOn of the King of Naples to
his subjects.
Lord A. HAMILTON would afford every facility
to Capt. Romeo to obtain indemnification for his
losses. • ..

Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that all such claims
as that of Capt. Romeo should have be'en inves-
tigated on the spot, and not at the distance of
nine years, and in this country.

Mr. ABERCItOMBIE tilOUglll, the statement of
the Noble Lord (Castlereagh) confirmed what
had been said from his - (Mr. A.'s) side of the
House. The conduct of the King .of Naples
was stated to have arisen from a secret Treaty
betwit Austria and Naples. -

Lord CASTLEREAGH slated that there was no
connection betwixt the Congress of Vienna and
the Treaty betwixt Austria and Naples.
Mr. Ilumr. had seen the letter by which Capt.
Romeo was ordered to be carried to Egypt ; so
that he had never escaped from prison. TT h e fact
as to the prison was, that. Capt. Romeo had been
taken in arms, and had been condemned to be
shot by a military commission. The 14001. had
been given as the ransom of his life. He had
collected a great number of cavalry, and had been
a partizan for a number of years. Capt. Romeo
had three certificates from three General Officers
under whom he had served. The Petition was
then brought up.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that the services had
been done in 1808 or 1809, and had never been
made known till 1817.

After a few more words, the Petition was read,
praying for relief and remuneration for his ser-
vices, laid on the table, and, ordered to be printed.
{FOR THE REN.I.INDER OP TIM. PARLIA.,,LENT, SEE 11IX
FoCILTH PAGE.]

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

, HOUSE OF ,COMMONS 4
Martis, 20° Die Martii,lB2l:

CORN AVERAGES BILL.--!-Second reading deferred Until next
Monday.
• HUSBANDRY 1 The Bill for the reduction of Duties on, to be
-• llonsEs. read a third time to-morrow.
IRISH UNION DlTTlES.—Petition 'from Dublin respecting:
Cuuncx.—Petition for leave to present a Petition
for a Bill.
MUTINY BlLLS.—Passed, and ordered to the Lords. •
EAST INDIA TRADE) In a Committee, and a Bill ordered' to
ACTS. 5 be brought in.
ordered to be brought in by the Secretary
at War, and Secretary of the Treasury. •