The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-06-21
For the National Era.
Sketch of the Political History of Europe
THE CAPITULATI0N OF PARIS, IN 1914,
THE PRESENT TIME.
BY A FRIEND OF LIBERTY.
CHAPTER V.

Whether the King of Naples was sincere or
not when he promised and swore fidelity to the
Constitution, we have no means of deciding.
But we know that he, on the 18th of January,
1921, wrote from Laibach to his son, the Prince
Regent, that "the great monarchs have resolv-
ed to establish in Naples the old order of
things" and that he did not object to the exc
cution of this resolution. We see, hence that
his imperial and royal brethren had no hesita-
ton in impressing upon him the obligation of
committing perjury in order to regain his alb
soute power. Still, these very princes-who
showed so much disregard for the sanctity of a
solemn oath and for public morality-pretend-
ed to be the vicegerents of the Father of Truth,
and actuated by love for the principles of Chris
tiauity.
On the 9th of February, the ambassadors OF
Russia, Austria, and Prussia declared orally to
the Prince Regent, that the Austrians would
enter the kingdom Of Naples, without delay, to
execute the DEGREES of the Congress of Laibacb
The energetic resolutions Of the Parliament,
which had in haste been convoked, as we'll as
V,
fruitless. The Austrians took possession of the
capital, in virtue of capitulation, on the oath
of March, and the whole kingdom submitted to
the dictates of the Holy Alliance
Now the Liberals, and especially the most
distinguished among the Carbonaries, became
subject to the most violent prosecutions. Six
penal juntas were appointed in order to pass
judgment upon the different classes of the ac-
cused. The people was disarmed, the army
dissolved, and the liberty of the press and OF
speech suppressed, and all the reforms introdu-
ced since the revolution declared void of valid
ity.
The King made his remittance into the cap
ital on the 18th of May, and caused soon after
phantom Constitution to be proclaimed,
announcing, somewhat later, that convention
had been concluded with Austria, for the occu-
patton of the kingdom, during the period of
three years, by Austrian troops.
But now the violence and the fury of the re-
actionists went so far as to provoke. from the
Austrian Government itself, summon to the
King, couched in energetic words, to fulfil
the treaty of Laibach, in which he had promis-
ed a complete amnesty. This admonition had
the effect to restrain, at least little, the ven-
geance of the Court; but it was not until the
Kings death, on the 18th of January, 1925, that
the prosecutions against the Liberals entirely
ceased,
While the Austrian troops were on their way
to put down the revolution in Naples, a SINH
lar one, produced "by similar causes broke
out in Piedmont. In the beginning of the
month of March, 1921, some of the Piedmontese
regiments revolted, and proclaimed, in union
with other patriots, likewise, the Spanish Con-
stitution of 1912. The King, Victor Emanu
el, inclined neither to resistance nor to compA
ance, abdicated in favor of his brother Charles
Felix, who was, however, then abroad. His
absence caused the King to appoint the youth
full Prince of Carignan, the next heir to the
throne, as Professionally Regent.
The flame of liberty spread rapidly through
out the whole of Piedmont, causing the great
est CONSERVATION at Milan. But Charles Felix,
then at Modena, relying upon the assistance of
Austria, issued the most threatening edicts,
while Austrian troops marched to stiAe the