, 1860-11-30
The Bourbon Dynasty in Naples

The dynasty Of Spanish Bourbons, which
is Just now being expelled so ignominiously
from what was absurdly styled by diploma.
cy the Kingdom Of the two Sicilies, has af.
Aicted the southern parts of Italy and the
island Of Sicily for more than hundred
years. 1t was in 1875 that the child Of
Philip, the first French King OF Spain
Louis XIV's grandson) and of Elizabeth
Farnese, his Queen, took by force Of arms
the Kingdom Of Naples fern the Hspsburg
Emperor Of Germany, und in like manner
appropriated that insular Kingdom Of Sicily
which the treaty Of Utrecht had bestowed
on the House Of Savoy. But the reign Of
the first Bourbon sovereign, at Naples and
Palermo, guided by the enlightened coun.
sci Of his Minister, the Florentine TaDucci,
was bene6cent and popular compared with
the previous dominion Of the House OF
HapSburg. And it is not until 1853 that
this century of miserable tyranny begins,
which 1850, by a just aud though long de-
layed retributicn, brings TO an end.
In that year, 1859, Carlo Of the two
Sicilies, by the decease Of his royal brother
at Madrid, became King Carlos Of Spain,
and being thus obliged to Vacate the ltal-
ian throne, he left it TO bis younger son.
This was Ferdinand, then child Of seven,
but who afterwards grew to be the coarse,
inseusible blackgdard to whose service the
British navy, and its hero Nelson, were W.
worthily devoted. This first King Ferdi-
nand, with bis consort, the Austrian Caro-
line, "unsexed and filled with direst cruel
ty" as she was, was twice cast out Of Ma
piles, and protected in Sicily by ber own
feet aud troops. He was twice enabled,
by the forces Of his allies, to recover his
peninsular dominions. Horribly was that
restoration Of the Bourbon monarchy
abused, both in 1893, and in its latter
lease of power, especially when confirmed
by the Austrian armed Intervention Of
1921. The murder by court martial Of
Admiral Caracciolo, in the guilt Of which,
Nelson, seduced by the minioD, Emma
Hamilton, was to have secondary part,
cannot easily be forgotten,
The savage Ferdinand /. was followed
in 1925 by bis son. the hypocrite and prof
ligate, Francis /; aud he, in 1880, by the
late Ferdinand H., whom we remember
but too well, aud who was succeeded last
year by the present Frapcis, last King Of
the Two Sicilies. So that four bad soyer.
eigns in direct descent, with an omlnoui
alteration Of names Of Ferdinand and
Francis, have inflicted on the fair Italian
provinces they owned . dreadful course Of
maltreatment and unmitigated misery. In
Ferdinand ii, Of hateful memory, we have
bebeld the type Of pure aud absolute tyran-
ny-that wilful, perVerse exhibition OF the
capacity Of doing wrong, in defiance Of all
dictates Of equity aud humanity, which has
been stigmauzed BY Mr.. Gladstone As ''tbe
negation Of God upon earth.' Such IT,
rant is simply The mortal impersonation Of
the Spirit Of EVil-he reigus Dia6oi graiia.
OF the young Prince who has just shown
bis puny back 10 Graibaldi il would be IN
fair TO pronounce so harsh Judgment
He is not royal Satan; he has not yet
had time to be traitor; probably tie ef.
fleet Of his court education has been merely
to make him feOl. TIE gross ignorance
and brutishness of Ferdinand l., his great
grandfather we're ascribed to the crafty
design Of the regents or tutors Of his infa0-
cy, who had hoped TO take advantage ol
the Kings future iucapacity TO goVeru.--
And it is at least very plausible co1jec-
ture that Francis H., is indebted for bis
defective Development to the solicitude ol
bis step-mother. now Queen Dowager, "a
second Austrian Caroliue,) whose restless
intrigues 70 procure the crown for her own
son, the Count Of Trapaui, were already no
torious in her husbands Hfstime.--D Daiiy
NeiOs. .sr ote sl