. 424 
could not have so easily succeeded: 
The wish for reform was as generally 
and as deeply felt among the nation 
as the discontent for the daily increa- 
sing exactions of the government ; and 
liberal opinions are of an ancient date 
among the Neapolitans, having been 
for thirty years kept alive in their 
minds by the proscription of the best 
of their community. Hence all those 
people who, either prompted by an ar- 
dent character, or accidentally by 
stronger motives of dissatisfaction, 
flocked to the ranks of Carboneria, 
are only to be considered as the most 
impatient and the boldest among the 
majority of the nation, who longed for 
liberty. The Carbonaris could not 
have grown formidable to despotism 
had they not addressed the nation for 
national interests. The dangers Mac- 
chiaroli had braved for the revolution 
entitled him to be chosen deputy to 
the Parliament for his province. But, 
being possessed of no oratorical talents 
nor legislative intrigue, he did not 
exercise any influence over the par- 
liamentary counsels. He was rather 
a plain yulgar character, but full of 
courage and public zeal. On every 
dangerous deliberation he inclined to 
the boldest advice, though without 
any success. When he saw public 
affairs hastening to utter ruin, after 
having urged in vain the Parliament 
to retire of itself into Calabria, without 
attending any longer to the delays of 
the executive government, he set out 
alone for those distant provinces, with 
the design of raising them by the assis~ 
tance of Carboneria. But this society 
had soon been corrupted by its own 
success, and still more by the wicked 
practices of despotism; and was now 
found nearly extinct at the moment 
when public necessity most required 
its co-operation. 
Macchiaroli having arrived at Sa- 
lerno, he was warned by his friends 
not to proceed farther alone, as they 
suspected a personage in power in 
the province of! laying snares for his 
life. A capital mistake of the leaders 
of the revolution had been not to de- 
mand along with the constitution the 
immediate change of at Jeast all the 
The Neapolitan Patriots, 
[Dee. 1, 
principal public functionaries, whe- 
ther civil or military. So that in the 
state’s highest danger, public power 
remained almost exclusively entrusted 
to a set of men, accustomed during 
twenty years to change sides from the 
vanquished to the vanquisher; and 
who, with a few exceptions, were di- 
rectly disposed to assist in the re-esta- 
blishment of that despotism of which 
they had so long partaken, and to 
which it now clearly appeared for- 
tune was to incline in the unequal 
contest between Naples and the Holy 
Alliance. Yet many of them were 
disappointed; having been punished 
by the restored despotism itself, to 
which they were no longer acceptable, 
after the fruit of their services had 
been gathered. 
Macchiaroli being urged by the 
approach of the enemy to the capital, 
he set out from Salerno about the 
evening witha single boy ; and, travel- 
ling post in a galesso, (a species of 
light gig, drawn by a single horse,) he 
soon arrived at Eboli. This town is 
situated about fifteen miles from Sa- 
lerno, in the mountains by the high 
road to Calabria. Having remained 
there for awhile, he set out on the 
same night, though warned again of 
his danger, and entreated to wait at 
least until the break of day. Scarcely 
had he come down on the road, when 
two bravoes rushed upon him, and, 
seizing the reins of his horse, bade him 
alight. He did so; but, whilst boldly 
attempting some defence, his arms 
were seized behind, and he was asked 
his name: “fT am adeputy to the Par- 
liament.” ‘‘ And you we sought for,” 
cried one of the assassins, instantly 
plunging a poignard in his breast, and 
dispatched him with repeated wounds. 
His corpse was found on the high road 
the next morning, 
The fate of this man seems to be the 
best excuse that might be alleged for 
some Neapolitan leaders, who have 
been taxed with having too hastily 
abandoned their ground. Yet for the 
memory of so mean a man as Mac- 
chiaroli, remains the lamentable honour 
of having been one of the few patriots 
who fell for their country. 
STEPHENSIANA. 
