250 



CORSICA. 



Corsica. 



Govern- 

 ment. 



Religion. 



tend the economy and police of the village — to call the 

 inhabitants together — and to consult with them on 

 every thing that concerns their interest. Once a year, 

 in like manner, the inhabitants of each village choose 

 a procurator to represent them in the general consulta 

 or parliament of the nation, which is held annually in 

 the month of May, at the city of Corte. The magis- 

 trates of each province send thither, at the same time, a 

 procurator, and there are several other honorary mem- 

 bers. Before it proceeds to business, there are chosen 

 a president and an orator of this assembly. The pre- 

 sident governs during its sitting : the orator reads the 

 different papers subjected to its deliberation. Propo- 

 sitions from the government are addressed to the pre- 

 sident : those from the people to the orator. A propo- 

 sition from the government, when approved by a ma- 

 jority of voices, is immediately passed into a law : one 

 from the people, in the same circumstances, may be 

 suspended by the government, but on the principle of 

 its being subject afterwards to a proper responsibility. 

 The procurators of the several provinces- choose their 

 representatives in the supreme council for the ensuing 

 year, one of whom is elected into the office of great 

 chancellor. These counsellors, with the general of 

 the kingdom, are to form the executive power of the 

 whole nation. 



The general holds his office for life. He is perpe- 

 tual president of the supreme council of nine. He 

 votes in all questions, and in Case of an equality has a 

 casting vote. He is absolute commander of the troops 

 or militia of the island. 



The procurators of the provinces choose also the pro- 

 vincial magistrates for the current year. This magis- 

 tracy is regularly composed of a president, two con- 

 suitors, an auditor, and a chancellor ; but the number 

 is varied in different provinces, as is, indeed, also the 

 magistracy in the different villages. 



Both the magistrates of the villages, and the provin- 

 cial magistrates, have a certain jurisdiction assigned to 

 them in civil causes. The provincial magistrates have 

 also, within determined limits, a jurisdiction in crimi- 

 nal matters. The chief judicial authority is vested in 

 the supreme council. The ultimate rule of judging, is 

 the civil and the canon laws, together with the parti- 

 cular laws of Corsica. 



Besides the other elections, the procurators in the 

 general consulta choose some persons of high credit 

 and respect as syndicatori, whose office it is to make 

 a tour through the different provinces, to hear com- 

 plaints against the magistrates, to redress grievances, 

 and, in short, to promote every where industry, order, 

 and general improvement. 



The hereditary feudal jurisdictions, which had place 

 in Corsica as in other parts of Europe, having, by a 

 fortunate concurrence of accident and wisdom, been so 

 moderated as to coincide with the spirit, and even, in 

 some degree, to promote the objects aimed at in this 

 constitution of its government, have, in latter times, 

 been attended with little inconvenience, indeed may, 

 in some respects, have been productive of advantage. 



The religion of Corsica is the Roman Catholic, in 

 which these islanders are very zealous. They are, 

 however, decidedly inimical to the temporal power of 

 the church. The Corsican bishops are five in number, 

 and are suffragans of the archbishop of Pisa. The 

 tithes in Corsica are, in general, about a twentieth part 

 of every production. Several of the inhabitants have 

 made a composition with the church for their tithes ; 

 and the descendants of the Caporale, on account of the 



services of that family in expelling the Saracens from Corsica. 

 the island, are, by special privilege, exempted from S """"Y"*'' 

 paying any tithes. There are, in Corsica, sixty-five 

 convents of mendicant friars of different orders, which 

 depend for their support altogether on the charity of 

 the people. There are two colleges of Jesuits, two 

 convents of Dominicans, five of Servites, and one of 

 missionaries ; all of which, as also the Carthusians of 

 Pisa, have very good possessions. There are no nun- 

 neries in Corsica. 



The state of learning in this island, amidst the con- Learning, 

 fusions and distresses to which it has, during the lapse 

 of ages, been subject, has necessarily been at a low ebb. 

 In 1764, a university was established in the city of 

 Corte, of which the professors have mostly been fa- 

 thers of different religious orders. About the same 

 period, there were also in that city a printing-house 

 and a bookseller's shop, but both conducted by a fo- 

 reigner. 



The language of the Corsicans is good Italian, tine- Language* 

 tured a little with Genoese corruptions, and with some 

 remains of the dialects of the barbarous nations. Their 

 pronunciation is coarse, but they write the language in 

 a great degree of perfection, 



A turn for the arts is prevalent amongst the Corsi- A" 5 * 

 cans. Painting has not yet flourished among them, 

 but they succeed well in music and poetry. 



The warlike force of Corsica consists chiefly in a Army; 

 bold and resolute militia. The people are trained to 

 arms from the time that they are able to bear them. 

 Officers are appointed over the several districts, who 

 call out the men, and otherwise give such directions as 

 the occasion may require. The arms of the Corsican 

 soldier are a gun, pistol, and stiletto, with a cartridge- 

 box for his ammunition. The only instrument of war- 

 like music that is used, is a large Triton shell pierced 

 in the end, with which a sound is made loud enough 

 to be heard at a great distance. 



Corsica was probably first peopled by the inhabi- 

 tants of the opposite coast of Italy. It was successive- 

 ly conquered by the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, 

 Goths, Lombards, and Saracens. The French, under 

 Charles Martel, entered the island about the year 725 ; 

 and the family of the Colonnas established themselves in 

 the sovereignty of it about the eighth century. Owing 

 to the family divisions, the troubles, and the consequent 

 anarchy which for some centuries after this period pre- 

 vailed in the island, an opportunity was afforded to the 

 popes of interfering, and of claiming for themselves an 

 authority which was now so ill exercised. Pope Grego- 

 ry VII. excommunicated the Genoese, branding then 1 

 occupation of Corsica as a usurpation of ecclesiastical 

 property. In 1071, the island was sold by Urban II. 

 to the Pisans. Genoa disputed the sale ; and the island 

 was afterwards divided into two rival republics. The 

 Pisans not being able to come to any agreement re- 

 specting it with the Genoese, ceded again their part 

 of the island to Pope Urban IV ; and Boniface VIII. as 

 if the possession of a part gave him also a title to the 

 disposal of the rest, made a present of the whole island 

 to the kings of Arragon, from whom it returned under 

 the yoke of Genoa. 



An assembly of the Corsicans as a national body, the History 

 first of which we have received any notice, was held in 

 the year 1359, for the purpose of taking into consider- 

 ation the evils to which they Avere subjected, both from 

 the incursions of foreigners, who disputed with each 

 other the possession of their country, and from the ani- 

 mosity of their nobility, who in certain districts had as- 





By whom 

 first peo- 

 pled. 



