120 General Sir Ridiard Church's Narrative of the [Feb. 



of freedom and patriotism are polluted by the furious vociferations of 

 incendiary demagogues, and their misguided but terrible multitudes. 



Many have witnessed the commencement and progress of a revolu- 

 tion, but few the singularity of two revolutions in the same day I 

 Those, however, who were at Palermo on the night of the 13th of July 

 1820, and the 16th and 17th of the same month, and who liavc escaped 

 from the tragedies of the Sicilian capital, will have that singularity im- 

 pressed on their memoiy for a long time. 



During the interval between the 11th and 14th, whilst everyone 

 seemed occupied by the various scenes of the festival, I received a 

 communication from the viceroy, informing me of secret meetings and 

 dinners of the non-commissioned officers of some of the corps in the 

 garrison, and of the proposals of some individuals of these parties to 

 create disturbance ; these were meetings of the Carbonari, of whom 

 there were many besides the military in Palermo. In fact, a general 

 impatience prevailed amongst the greater part of the officers and soldiers 

 to declare themselves in the way that part of the army had done in 

 Naples. I hoped, however, that the consideration of there being a 

 small corps of Neapolitans in Sicily, would have prevented proceedings 

 of this nature. My calculations were wrong ; and it was afterwards 

 discovered, that a regiment had determined to revolt on the 11th at 

 midnight, beat to arms, and seize the person of the viceroy. A bat- 

 talion of another regiment was actually under arms, and was proceed- 

 ing to attack their officers, whom they had determined to murder. 

 This measure was likewise proposed to the Foreign Fusileers, and by 

 them refused ; but so close was the secret kept, that it was not com- 

 municated to me until some time after the revolt of the populace. 

 Some hints that a plot was in agitation amongst the troops were com- 

 municated b)' me to the commanding-officer of one of the regiments, 

 who endeavoured to refute them by reasoning upon the inutility and 

 danger of such a project. 



In this manner, between suspicions and apprehensions on the one side, 

 and hopes and preparations on the other, the evening of the 14th at last 

 arrived, and put an end to any farther doubt as to the result of the 

 insurrection in the kingdom of Naples. It had triumphed ; and the 

 King had been obliged to grant such conditions as the insurgents chose 

 to dictate. 



The despatches likewise brought the news of General Nugent's de- 

 parture from Naples, the final decrees of the King's acceptance of the 

 Constitution of Spain, and the appointment of the Hereditary Prince to 

 be vicar general of the kingdom, with the alter ego of General Pepe as 

 commander-in-chief, and of General Carakosa as miiiister of war. To 

 the viceroy in Sicily was transmitted the royal order for proclaiming 

 the Constitution of Spain in Palermo. 



About seven o'clock on that evening I had just mounted on horse- 

 back for the first time since my arrival in Sicily (my horses not liaving 

 yet arrived from Naples), with Major Francia, the commanding officer 

 of the Foreign Fusileers. We were proceeding to ride out of the town 

 to select a suitable position for exercising troops, when I received a 

 note from the viceroy, requesting me to come to him without delay. 

 I accordingly went, and about eight o'clock in the evening arrived at his 

 excellency's house, where I found the despatches from Naples already 

 divulged ; and also learnt that tlie crew of the boat .which brouglit the^ 



