i€/J6.3 Revolution at Palermo, in the Year 16:tO. 121 



had been allowed to land, and to parade the streets of Palermo with the 

 tri-coloured cockade in their hats. In a few moments a great part of 

 the populace was distinguished by the same cockade, the adoption of 

 which rapidly spread through Palermo, before it was officially comnm- 

 nicated to the public that the despatches fi-om Naples brought " the 

 orders for the proclamation of the Spanish Constitution." 



In the meantime I remained in conference with the viceroy, both 

 rejoicing over the supposed termination of the insurrection in Naples ; and 

 he determined on carrying the orders he had received into execution, as 

 the only measure which might, perlraps, preserve the public tranquillity ; 

 since no demonstration in favour of the King, and of a better system, could 

 be perceived in any quarter whatever — three-fourths of the troops, and 

 nearly the whole population, with the exception, perhaps, of some few 

 nobles and officers, being decidedly Carbonari. To support the King's 

 government, as it was before the arrival of the news from Naples, was 

 impossible — to attempt it, madness. It was necessary to take imme- 

 diate resolution : and the viceroy ordered the instantaneous publication 

 of the proclamations received from Naples. 



My first act was the tender of my resignation to the viceroy, wlio 

 refused it; begging me not to abandon him in so critical a position, until 

 the approaching arrival of his successor. General Fardella, who had been 

 named by the revolutionary government; but to unite in supporting the 

 King's interest, until greater light was thrown upon the state of affairs. 



At eleven o'clock at night it was reported to me, that several officers 

 and many soldiers had been seen with the new cockade ; upon which I 

 re-assembled the commanding officers, and ordered them, under pain of 

 their personal responsibility, not to allow any officer or soldier to wear 

 any other than the King's cockade, until the viceroy had given lii« orders 

 to him in writing to communicate to the troops ; who, although anxious 

 for tlie new cockade, were thus kept within the bounds of discipline, 

 but not until the general commanding had been obliged to use hi* 

 authority with several officers. 



By this time the populace liad added to their cockades a fourth 

 colour, yellow, for " The Independence of Sicily I"' which was now 

 heard in the streets, together with " The Constitution of Spain !" 

 Upon this I again went to the viceroy, informed him of the new cockade, 

 and begged his orders ; he said he had no means of preventing such a 

 proceeding, and that he could not give any orders about it. This, and 

 what had happened to Capt. General Nugent at Naples, placed matters 

 in such a light as to render it almost impossible for me to leave the 

 command till my successor arrived ; and induced me, with the hope of 

 securing the King's cause and the Sicilians, and the few troops that 

 seemed well-disposed, to comply with the viceroy's request, that I 

 v/ould retain the command until my successor, whose nomination was 

 already known in Sicily, had arrived. After an interesting conversation 

 of above an hour with General Coglitore, I returned to my lodgings, and 

 after midnight again assembled the general and many of the field-officers ; 

 I took their opinions upon various subjects unnecessary to be here related, 

 and the}^ left me at about two o'clock in the morning, all and every one of 

 them thunderstruck at the prospect of affairs, and indifferent to every 

 thing but their own safety. I desired Marshal O'Farris, the chief of 

 the staff in Sicily, to go to the viceroy at six o'clock in the morning, and 

 bring me his excellency's definitive orders in xxriting ; and at three 



M.M. New Series.— Vol. I. No. 2. R 



