The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-07

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with tho 0oDfslonisr, were chsscd ml'h'he defence
Of the citizens against the insolenee and injuries oil
the mobiles In 1903, the Republic, unable TO obtain
the assistance Of the King Of Naples on any olher
terms to protect them against the Emperor, agreed
10 submit their city his authority for i've years Al
the expiration of that period the citizens "iihoe"
Themselves from obedience TO his government and
drove out his deputy, the Count No'eIo, IRON the
city. Subjected by the authors OF tins revolution 10
the authority of Land d'Agobbio, The cl'y, groaned
under the cruel and relentless despotism Of that pro-
yncial upstart The tyrant, however,was driven from
the CITY and forced back his country in 1916.
After Florence had driven Casrueeio Castracan back
10 ucca and compelled him 10 raise the siege OF Prao
conspraees were entered into between certain mobiles
within and fugitiyes without, to procure the readms
sion of the exiles into the city The plot discover
ed and and order protect the city against
the dangers and umults, similar TO those which had
attended these conspiracies II was enacted That IN
addition to the Goniaonien there should be three
chiefs Of each company Of the people, called pen
no.ieri, and who should command parts OF company
when the whole could not be called into service AS
authority during times of trouble and danger Is gen
orally usurped by those who govern republics, the
Signor and Coegi then in Office nominated all their
for the forty ensuing MONTHS and put heir
names into bag, and at the end OF each sixty days
drew the requisite number for the service OF The
| state. Before, however, the ~ whole number was
drawn out many doubted whether their names had
been originally placed in the bag, and il therefore be-
came necessary TO draw all the second time.
This process was called Squiiini. II all the names
were fairly put in and fairly drawn out of the bag,
was certainly very curious sort Of dicebox, hap
hazard democracy. As upon the creation and va
cancy of officers great tumults and strife on
| account of The number and eagerness Of competl-
tors, this conrivance was invented to give sasiac-
tion to all. This evil was chimerical in Florence,
and is uDattainable in any republic, for the number
of those who desire places will always increase fast
er than places can be provided by any government,
however lavish in its and rich in its resources
The other defects of this system, arising from the
choice of governors by lot and distribution of Offices
by lottery too obvious TO need exposure.
In 1884, the Duke of Calabria having been elected
Master Of Florence, sent the Duke Of Athens TO gov
ern the city. Under the reign Of this viceroy the
Forentines not only deprived Of their rights,
but plundered of their property and loaded with
person the city, but apprehensive of danger to
his own kingdom from the arrival of Lewis of
Bavaria in Italy, he soon returned to his CAPT
tai The death of this monarch ard that of
Castruccio Casracan reie,e the Florenlnes from
the tyranny of domestic oppressor and their fears
of foreign enemy. Having by this double bless
ing Of fortune recovered at their freedom and
their peace, the citizens created two councils, one
consisting Of three hundred citizens and the other of
two hundred and fifty noblemen and commons The
first was called consigho d. popolO, and the second
consglio di con,Huni. Under this constitution, the
people continued to live about fifteen years. The
citizens who had been active in the election Of the
Retori, discovered that their officers were favorable
10 their interests in the judgments which they pro-
nounced, and with selfish aims, aud by extraordinary
means, chose third, whom they invested with the
title of Captain of the Guard, and clothed with su-
preme authority over the city. The tyranny and IN
jures which this Captain of the Guard inflicted es-
pecally upon some noble families, gave rise TO an
extended conspiracy against the existing government
The attempt al revolution put down. Suppressed
rebelions are always pretexs and occasions for the
usurpation of additional power by the government,
and the Signora, after infcting severe punishment
on the offenders created Captain of the Guard for
the country, with the unlimited power pos
sessed by that Of the city Several years afterwards
the yran Of Lucca, unable to retain possession of that
city, offered il at public sale. Two nval cities became
competitors for the prize, but the Pisans believing
that the florentines, by means Of their greater
wealth, would be successful, endeavored TO take by
force what they were unable to acquire by MONEY.
war eDsued, in which Pisa became master of Iucca
The Florentnes inycighed in the public squares and
common streets against the twenty citizens who at
tina, time had the government Of the city, and who
by their Encouragement had suffered Lucca 10 es-
cape from their hands. They sent Immediately to
the King OF Naples for assistance and that monarch
appointed the Duke of Athens Governor Of the
city Many of the mobiles, aggrieved by the iniu-
res which they had received, resolved 10 make
the Duke of Athens absolute master of the CITY,
Many citiztns combined in the scheme and hoped
by the slavery of their country escape the misery
of their debts. From the days Of Catne to those Of
modern defhuers, history shows that political intea.
ri,y rarely exists without pecunisry Independence
The nobility believed that the Duke of Athens who
had experienced their friendship and witnessed the
insolence OF the people, would repay their devotion
and services with honons and rewards. The Duke
commenced his government by a great aHectation 4
gravity and justice and by the inflcon OF exile and
death, on the twenty citizens whose inisrule had
caused such heavy lossos and raised such wide dis
contents. Having, however resolved TO grasp abso.
Lutte power in the State he at first dema nded from the
Slgnors an unconditional surrender Of their author
w. and pretended that this demand was made only in
obedience to the WISHES Of the people. Having Or
dered the citizens to assemble on the following morn
ing in the Church Of Santa Cioce one Of the Slqnor
endeavored to di'suade hin from his purpose and
pointed out the dangers and difficulties N tvr,nnio