Whilst such was the deplorable state of Naples, and the painful situation of His Sicilian Majesty, whose hopes and comforts equally rested upon the British squadron; the affairs of Tuscany, and the cruel insults to which the King of Sardinia was then exposed, demanded also a large share of Nelson’s judgment and decision. Throughout the whole of the subsequent proceedings in that part of Italy, his Excellency the Hon. W. Wyndham displayed an energy and impartiality
stitious ideas of this loyal body, by publishing an account of his regard for their national patron, St. Januarius! This had the desired effect; his conversion flew like lightning through the city, and did more in his favour than all the ammunition he had expended. One of their chiefs delivered an oration, ordered them to cease firing, and to lay down their arms. He was listened to with reverence, and obeyed with alacrity. The horrors of war were followed by acclamations of joy, and the French General’s hand was kissed in token of submission.
Thus suddenly the Lazzaroni became the advocates of republicanism. They plundered the royal palace, which but a short time before they would have defended to the last extremity; and were with difficulty restrained from committing still greater excesses. Championet left the city in charge of General Duhesme, and encamped his army on the adjacent heights.. Having disarmed the inhabitants, the French commander, in person, proclaimed to his troops, that henceforth they should be styled “The Army of Naples;” which decree was accompanied by the shouts of the multitude and a tremendous discharge of cannon.
The clergy and many of the nobles celebrated this event. Even the Cardinal Archbishop paid servile court to the invaders, and actually practised fraud to complete the overthrow of monarchy. In consequence of long and earnest prayers, the phial, which contained a precious portion of the patron saint, so much respected by the inhabitants, exhibited undoubted marks of miraculous interposition, an event immediately communicated to the credulous multitude. After this, a day was appointed for a solemn Te Deum, when the citizens were to return thanks for the glorious entry of the French troops, who had come to “regenerate the nation, and consolidate its happiness” – to promulgate the blasphemous tenets of a frenzied republic, and to reduce all classes to one common level. At the, same time the traitorous prelate intimated, that St. Januarius had greeted their arrival in the kindest manner, “his blood having miraculously liquefied in the evening of that very day on which the French forces had taken up their abode in the capital*.” Immediately alter this, Naples was proclaimed a commonwealth, under the designation of “The Parthenopean Republic,” and the provisional government confided to twenty-one citizens, chosen by Championet.
- St. Januarius was subsequently punished far his jacobinism. See Vol. I. note * at p. 280.
