The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-03-06 00:00:00

►TESMA

DECLARATION Or MB SICILIANS.
{Concluded from YOSSildillte ST &TIMM 14 .1
Nor eau it be argued that, in consecrer.ce of the
'secret article of the treaty of Vienna, our King Fer-
dinaed 111. and IV. of Naplei, with the organtic law
oflidesember 1816, the two kingdoms of Naples and
Sifilv were declared to be unitrd, whilst lie assumed
the title of Ferdinand I. King of the Two Sicilies,
since sorb a declaration (es c•liitrary to the funda-
mental laws of the kingdom, and to the Constitution
of I bl 2, art. and 17, under the head of the succes-
sion to the throne, in which it was enacted, that
the k:mgeloos :icily should he independent of
that
of Naples, and of utimtsoerer kingdom or proriore),
that declaration should be t 1 red as illegally and mi.
piety made, and as not capable of ploducing any
legal- effect, unless a previous abandonment of all the
fundamental laws of the kingdom and of the afore-
Said constitution had taken place, with the free con-
seut of all the Sicilians. Nothing of this nature
Waving occurred, or the presumed consent of the Ski.
Haus; according to the receneed level axioms, all
volt which has been effected in opposition to I.lw ;
APT eau free consent be supposed to be obtained dur-
ing a state of siolcuce and oppression. Further, the
Sicilians.nistiou not only did not consent to such nnion,
but etrongly protested against tine nullity and injustice
of that measure, before all Europe, to all the Allied
Powers. and particularly to Great Britain. From
these reasons, it is clear that the aforesaid convention
is norcontrary to the political treaties.
At is, besides, sufficiently clear, that the King, after
saving declared the two kingdoms of Sicily and Naples
• united, not only did not deprive the Sicilians of their
privileges and Constitution, but expressly desired to
confirm them. The solemn declaration of the King,
inn the ptefacs to kis decree of the 11th of December,
Jsl6, confirms the truth of this assertion, when lie
announced that, "dcsiria,' to mofirm the pritilegra
eoueeded ki w., and by 'the Soterrignz., oer newest
predecessor., to *sr moat dear Sicilian:. et.e. &v., by
that decree, his 31ajesty, after haying e.,tablished re-
plations for the governu.ent of the two kingdoms,
and decided that a snprenie tribunal of justice, inde-
tenleut of that of Naples, should decide the appeals
.1 all Sicilian caw-es, declared, that lie would not re-
quire from the Sicilians a larger subsidy than that
granted to him L.,7 the Parliament in 1..13, and that
ten greeter should be era' god rilliore the consent ,!/ the
Put!lutheut. Thus, if the privileges of the Sicilians
atoi the Coustitution of 1812 be preserved, bow can it
;dared that Sicily is dependent on Naples ? And
if the Constitution is to subsist, how can the union of
Sicily with Naples be realised, when that is expressly
piohibited by the Constitution ?
With what sincerity, then, could it be said in Octo-
ber last, that the Convention was contrary to the wish
nonifeeted by a very great portion of Sicily, through
the rettirlis of their Deputies to the Nat' I Parlia-
ment ? Only the three district; of 31easitsa, Catania,
anti Syracuse, or to speak more correctly, only those
tl.ree Cities, had then sent their Deputies to the Par-
liameut in Naples; but those did not, nor do form,
the votes of a very great part of Sicily, when coil.
limited with the City of Palermo, and two hundred
an.d seventy-eight other comunnees or disteicts, which
sere condsioed with it, and which bad feint their acts
of accession to the cause of the ;Metropolis ; forming
tic votes of one million two }swtted thousand per-
!. ; that is of inure than two-thirds of the Sicilian
ration. llut, however, that may be in point of now-
is it Hut noterious to all that the vote, of those
Care Cities were not legal, because neither free nor
u Even those who did nut blush to utter
e% eny sarcasm against Palermo, and so many vulgar
falsehoods to the injury of Sicily, were nut ignorant that
t .e three cities &Voided to, bad been seduced, deceived,
at d threatened, i induce them to betray the causeof their
Gratify. Every Siciliau knows him certain, emissaries
onerated and still operate to seduce with promises of
hoaours and employments, and to threaten those who
hula public situations with dismission, in order that
peinities slionlel be elected and returned to the Pasha-
surto of Naples.
Nor olnatt'al it he said that faith is not to he held
with rebels ;as tine Palernitans are not such. Ac-
I lot to vublic law, rebels arc those subjects who
ovjustly take up arms against their Sovereign, to
diive him from the throne, or, by force, to impose on
Lion conditions incompatible with the cuustitution of
the state; but nut such arz those, who forced through
necessity, base just cause to unite to secure themselves
Von oppression, and maintain their rights. The Pa-
l• retitans were obliged to defend themselves, attil op-
vs:. the Nrapelitati troops who acted against them,
la tile purpose of extinguishing their just claims in
t'.e stwort of the rights and liberties of Sicily :
11.eir resistance, therefore, ought to he termed a civil
war, but not a rebellion. Vette!, in defining the fur-
suer, sir, that it consists in the contest between
part of the porlation, who having some cause of di,-
iontent for taking up arms on the me side, and the
4overeiTon and these who adhere to him, on the other,
if setfit re les onecontros ai queire raison de
rendre leo rtenner, poor toe re eksordee soil web'
guerre virile, e 1 non pas rebellion. The prince (con-
tinues the sante author), never fails to term rebels,
all subjects who openly resist him; but when these
b Tonle sufficiently strong to cope with him, to oblige
him to new a regular war against them, it is neces-
sary to bear with the term of civl war. For inch
reasons, therefore, it is to be concluded that the Pa-
lermitans were pot rebels.
But, even considering them as such, it is real blas-
phemy to *sliest that the 4.0111 eta. 'endu,ted with them
not be observed : it would be sapping the founda-
tion of natural law, good faith, and morality, to break
inch a convention from this pretext. It would be an
error enmity ruinous and base, to imagine that every
duty should cease, that every human tie should be broken
between the Sovereign and his subjects who way be re-
domed to the bard necessity of taking up arms an their
own defence and to maintain their rights; men do not
cease to be men from such circumstances, the same na-
tural law exists and still shoula influence their conduct,
and therefore the Sovereign should keep his plighted
flab even with his rebellious subjects. .• What shall we
tay, bonevrr. (such are the words of (Instills) of the
r
/noises owl eonventious made in a war between a King,
or any other Sovereign power and his own subjects? If
he should treat them as if they hail been deserters or
rebels. lie cannot avoid keeping the promises he had
Auto, by using the pretext that he retained the right to
punish them. It is necessary to be sincere and honest
even with slaves, and Pagan antiquity itself would
teach s snore pure morality in its ilbastrations of the truth
of this

V 3 ttel evert demonstrates that the Sovereign is bound
td tali wain the promises made to his rebellious subjects,
and chose' how dangerous it would he to break his
faith to them. Ili* words are as follows :---"Et en
gerferai le Prince religiews, nbierraterr de ea parole.
da'it gardor idelen•ent tortt re veil a prowls ay: ft;
belles meates ; oattendA d rests des sus swjets ?Xi sr so4l
reholda sans raison, ci fans Alreed#W. Si set 'rev
messes
.tae sent pas inrialabbs, 1: m'y awry pies d
asap, parr les rein/es oi traitor are ,• Ira ; dr., veils
swan( luau tYpele, Plandi a 7+44 jrtir le joerieaw,,
coaoste l'a die Nis .spurn a. Le Prince mannwer
pa le plus
doer, et m
plea solutoi:e des oyeese d'apoixer les
doer,
ri:rotte. II use led rester* poor rite:Vier, ire &ester-
rie,•oll.!.t. Le dr.texpoir les rendre formidable, ;
(a rompossion /ewe attirera des skoars, greasers leer
purti, et /'/Slut xe ttonvera endanger." -
Let us snppove for a illlfluent.that General Pepe bad
exceeded the limits of his powers in contracting this.
convention, and that in cuasetinence tbn. Parliament
had justly annulled it: what should have • !teen pro-
perly the condtict of the General and the Parliament
in such a case Not that of faithlessly receiving the
prisoners, and takliaz possession of the forts and
city of Palermo, disarming the people, and obliging
the Palermitans to conform to all-the articles of the
convention, derivin7 every advantage from it ; not
that of imposing militari contributions, and treating
the city as it it had hero antler military law : but to
restore things to the state in which they wear
previous to that convention. What greater perfidy
could there he, than to retract the treaty, without any
restitution of the former situation of the plauc The
city of Palermo may well uskthe expressions of the
General of the Samnites, wheel the Romao Senate per-
fidiously refused to cermet. the cnpventibti t.l the Can-
dine Hills, protesting against the base perfidy of the
breach of treaties and the most solemn promise: "
pilaw Boman seta appello (exclaims/ (hut el)
grew si spamsiossis adfrrestlax cardiaao fai la )sriiit,t
restitosa re:tiono a inter saltrui ; lan :-pc poerwmt :
wiping! imossio r per partionests tradider vitt : rideakt
in contra sact 1,441;44 peidie haloweraol, Imam ia
col/alluvia est mhtesue, hebotal: leSer 9,111 patia
conellia placeanl, tone .pnstsio et per repfillictai."
However, if the. Parliament of Naples doe: not
agree to the maintenance of the convention of Octo-
ber Stb, which was legally contracted, why do they
not restore tar prisoners ? why do they not order the
troops back to the positions where they revue Air-
rounded by the inevitable destruction with which they
were threatened by u teu-fold force? Why do they
not restore the occupied forts, why not deliver bad: the
arms and atitninititiou which hare been surrendered to
them by the City'
If, thee-elute, tieneral Pepe did ant e7ccerd hies pow-
ers in c•.ncholiti,z the tunvcution with thi• liar of Pa.
lerniu : if that convection does not clash in the least
deg, ee with the l'onstittit ion in the somber.- :t, 1, amp
of the said article 172, or in any ',Alt thereof : it it he
demolish ated that it did not tend to pr.:duce division
in the liingthmi of the two Sidle's, or to transfer
Sicily to another power ; if, in short, it be not contrary
to political treaties, lint is directed to the object of
collecting the paddle • caatinient of all the districts of
Sicily, on the ambit., t the onion or separation of the
aatiuttal reptesentati•ot molt r the same Prince, how
could it hale been (let hired null and void?
In consequence of these eiretom,tances, fife eitvoi
Palermo std all true Sit thane, whom neither intrigues
nor interest; hiss of ensplopleastevw otrrsiv tt4tivaa
have induced to abandon those sacred duties they owe
to Oda country, renewing in the first place the protest
of February Ist, ltsl7, declare as null anal injurious
to their liberties all acts of the I;orrytimeht of Naples
to the present time, and which may be loci ratter made,
for the purpose of rendering the kiogilania of Sicily a
province of Naples; also that the votes of the Siciiiatt
districts which bad sent their Deputies to the Parlia-
ment of Naples not to express the spontaneous voice
of the people, and that Sicily subjected as she is to
the rod of potter, eatinot express her free will and in-
clination, nor assert her sacred rights, which arc in-
alienable and impreseiiptible ; firmly protesting to all
Europe that the people will never voluntarily Loosest
that Sicily be erased f.otes the list of nations.
Generous Britons, distressed Sicily results to roe,
imploring your a...,istaucc, your mediation' it is Irmo
your justice and generosity that the Sicilians expect
an effort to arrest the progress of so much violence
and injustice directed to the total o.ertltroir of all the
ancient and modern constitittioikil laws of the State,
and which aim et the extinction of their liberties!
Palermo, Dec. 20, lt20.

• ---
HIGH WATERmisi. AT LO DO io-moßanw.
Aloruinc I; afl,r N t
—ENsenistg. 35 min. sOrr 4.

1112/CE OF STOt. KS TM!
Bank Stuck
3 per Cent. Bert. shut.
3 per rent. tin. 71j t 3 •!1
31 per Crot. shut
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3 per Ct. Navy 1013ile
5 per Cent.
Long Ann. shut
Imp. it per Cent.

I)AV .41` \I O'CLOCK.
Irish 3 per (*cut.
India Stock
Pato Roods —4. —s. pm.
South-Sea litock
Ka Hills ail. 4s. 3s. pale
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Souk for kccontit
Con. for Ace 74:4
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LONDON:

TURPDAT :SIARCILI t, 1t21•

Paris Paper•, March 3d.
Roam, Fro. 17.—The Neapolitans have hitherto
allowed us to remain in a tr unpin state. Since the
13th nothing new has ocrurred here. It is generally
supposed that if our neighbours had farmed an enter-
prise against us, they would have experienced bat little
resistance. Persons arriving here from Naples affirm,
that the Neapolitans have determined to adopt a
system of operations entirely on the defensive. tient-
ral PEPS has transferred his command to General
FSLASOCRI, under whose orders be himself new
arts.
Pm-wiener, Faa. lS.—The fourth co-ps of the
Austrian Army commanded by Field Marshal Ks-
DERFR. IS expected here to morrow. The three divi-
sions which have already passed Wench our Town.
have proceeded by way of Sienna and Areas., towards
the Roman States.
The hotel of the Comaalmary General of the Papal

t .

-----,-------__
troops at Bologna has been recently burnt dawn. The
Commissary General lost his life on the accasi.m.
INISTRUCK, I'eu. 19.—The Battalion of the regi-
ment of Infantry, of the Grand Duke of Baden, ex-
pected on the 21th, arrived here yesterday.
N arLts, Fin. 11.—1 he Parliament of Naples has
authorised a furred Loan of three millions of ducats.
' YKUN. Fin. 23.--The news of the passa:te of the
Po and the march of the Austrian army on Naples
arrived at Madrid on the 21st ult. It caused great
sent Lion at Madrid, and in all the province'.
FRENCH Frt: Ds.—Five per Cents 951. 55c. Bank
1 Actions, 1520 f.

Extract of a letter from Havannah, I Ith ultimo :
We have received to-day accounts from Spain of the
Cortes having cow...voted to, and authorised the KING
to ratify the treaty for the cession of the Floridas to
the 17nited• States.
Ct. ACOA, Pt.. 9.—llis M AJETV'S corvette Comet,
cf guns, 9 days from :;utinain, arr;vcd ye,,eiday
off this harbour. We understand that the colony is
at present very sielly. We have learnt by letters
)rom the capital of New Granada, that all the kingdom
halituiess,hasi decidedly shaken off the Spanish yoke.
tPatitsli General, Mat.cnota, Governor of Quiet,
had beets completely defeated previous to the insurrec-
tion of the provinces.—(Jamaica Chronicle, Jan. 2.)

Last night, in the House of Lords, a Bill for ex-
tending to Ireland the provisions of an Act respecting I,
Treason and the misprision of Treason, went throne!'
e
a Cori ;;;; ittre, and passed its second stage ; in the
' House of Commons, the second reading of the
Newington Selo t Vestry Bill was carried, by a
rajori t v of 12 to .2. A motion of Mr. 4.. t: kW EN.
for repealing the tax on Husbandry Horses was
negatived on a ditisi!'n, by a majority of 122 to ti:. : as
was one of Dr. LesoiNri.i us: fur addressing his Mt- 1
JZSTT to discharge Mr. Et.Lis from his Office of Master .
in Chancery in Ireland, on the ground that its dtitiesl
ere incompatible with those of a Member of the House
of Commons. 1 his motion was decided by a majority
of 112 to 52. Ihe motion of Mr. CuRWEN made
with a view to propose a tat on the trawler of Stock
in the Public Fonds, which was negatived without &
division, aid the Grainportml Disfranchisement Bill,
which WAS recommitted and passed the Committee,
gave rise to souse estimated and interesting di*cussions.

Intelligence respecting Naples accumulates daily,
and is honrly augmenting in interest. On the I:ctli
alt., the Neapolitan Parliament issued a declaration in
which it anuounces among other things, that it can-
not agree to as* of the propoiitions communicated to it
on the part of the King of and the Emperors
ufREIDPIA and Artaltl4, and that it feels itself incom-
petent to attribute to the free will of the King of
IVAILts, my act. past or future, which may be con-
•
nary to the oaths confirmatory to the Constitution ;
Apie tiott.erzasequetly aomislars hi* Najosty, u ith
respect to such acts, as placed in a state of cuercien.
among the several principles relative to the law of
nations, it declares, the same day, that the nation
never will make peace milli au enemy while; occupyiog
its territory. In the same sitting war was resolved
on *ad from an order of the day, dated Feb. 14, it
appears, that General Pi:ec was about to leave Napie:•
immediately to take the command of the troops in the
Abruzzi. Letters ref oived in Naples from the Papal
States, announced a general rising among the people,
to JOlll.lOll a coestitution similar to that of the Neapo-
litans. 11'e apprehend, bon ever, that this intelli-
gence is premature, though we are well aware, ae we
stated souse time since, that the whole of the Italian
States are ripe for revolution, auJ the article we have
inserted in another part of our paper to-day, appears
afford strong presumption of the fact. Wt. are led to
expect that the Asia:: of the other States will depend
nit the success of the Neapolitans, and that the Loin-
hardest and Milanese will be the first to follow their

example.
A report addressed to the Pnixer. REGIIN T by the
I.luke Di (1.11.1.0 has 'Well published, describing the
interruptions which the Duke experienced hi hi jour-
ney, and the cavalier manner in n bids he was treated
by the Congress. Flom this and (ober cwasnuniea-
tions, we learn that on his arrival he was immediately
played under the charge of the Police, and only allowed
one short interview with his Sovereign; and that lie
was smiled to the Cengresa for tie mere par roe of-sre-
'ceiving the decision of that body, and the letter and
instructions of the king of NA 1 1.1.4. respect to
the Powers win) have tate a part in these deei,ions of
the Congress, the Itiike informs his ll'val Highness
that certai!dy An,tria, Pru.sta ami Russia, may be
be considered as unanimous in their hostility a.trainst
the order of tit; rigs in Naples; and that the French Pleni-
potentiaries at the Congress have indeed a dhered, by a I
a verbal note, to the instruetioni given to the
)linisters of the otl.cr three powers, solely
Ishii a hope of being able to avert a war, but
they lrave • not engaged to take any active
part in easy of war. His Britannic MAir.:!..tv, the
'Report proceeds to state, riot only dues not concur in
'The principles and hostile measures of the three
poriers. but leas also *declared his perfect neutrality
in what relates to the question .of the kiiirdom
Naples. A confirmation of these sentiments on the
part of the Bri!ish Cabinet, will be found in the
mite of Sir W. A'Couar to the Neapolitan
Government, a copy of which is inserted in another
column. Besides the above important documents,
'here has also been received a part of the translation
a despatch from the Russian Minister of Foreign

1.