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Brazilian minister in the beginning of November; and it was clear that don Pedro could no longer retain Monte Video, without involving himself in a war with the new republic. From this war he did not seem disposed to shrink. Prepara

tions were made by him for carrying on hostilities vigorously: and in the mean time his naval squadron occupied the river Plata, and established a blockade, which was duly notified to Great Britain and the other powers.

CHAP. XIII.

ITALY.Papal States-Censorship-Carbonari-Naples-New Convention concerning the Army of Occupation-Miraculous Madonnas THE IONIAN ISLANDS: Ecclesiastical Establishment-Abolition of feudal Tenures-TURKEY-Foreign Relations-Internal Disturbances-GREECE-Suppression of Colocotroni's Insurrection-Blockade of Patras-Preparations of the Turks-Disembarkations of the Egyptians-Siege of Navarino-Sphacteria taken-Old Navarino surrenders-Capitulation of Navarino-Naval success-Recall of Colocotroni-Military Operations in the Morea-Operations of Redschid Pacha-Naval Skirmishes-Siege of Missolonghi-Naval Operations-Unsuccessful attempt to burn the Turkish Fleet in the Port of Alexandria-Insurrection in Candia-Proposal of the Greeks to place themselves under the Protection of Great Britain.

Ν

IN Italy all was tranquil. The Austrian government followed its usual routine; and in the Papal states, the administration of Leo 12th, though not distinguished by any wondrous excess of bigotry, was, upon the whole, less liberal than that of his predecessor. Asyiums were instituted for assassins in Ostia, and three other unhealthy towns. On the 18th of August, the law regulating the censorship of the press was re-modelled. According to the new scheme, a council of revision, consisting of four members of each of the five colleges of the university, was formed, for the purpose of examining all works intended to be printed, and of ascertaining that they contained nothing which might lead to disputes with a foreign government. This council was also to revise all public inscriptions. All printers and booksellers were to procure, within a month's time, licences to continue their business, and were annually to deliver in a list of the prohibited books which they might have in

their possession. Prohibited books

were to be delivered to the public libraries, the inspectors of which were to have a part of the fines imposed on the transgressors of the law. No private presses were to be allowed.

Considerable numbers of persons were arrested at Rome on the charge of Carbonarism; and two individuals were executed for an atrocious murder, which seems to have been the result of political cabals [See Chronicle, p. 160]. These intrigues, however, do not appear to have been of such a nature as to excite any serious alarm.

The health of the Pope was throughout the greater part of the year in a very infirm, and sometimes in an alarming state.

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minution of the number of the Austrian troops in the kingdom of Naples, and for the prolongation of the period of occupation by the remainder, till the end of March, 1827. The preamble of the treaty stated that, according to the preceding convention, the number of the Austrian troops in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies was fixed at 33,500 men, and the evacuation of the kingdom was to take place by the end of May, 1826; but that his Sicilian majesty had considered, on the one hand, that the numerical strength of the Neapolitan army, and the degree of its organization, would probably render the support of other troops necessary even after that date; and, on the other hand, that the consolidation of tranquillity in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies was so certain, that a diminution of the auxiliary army might be effected; and that the emperor of Austria had nothing more at heart than to promote, in concert with his allies, every measure which was calculated to accelerate the entire evacuation of the kingdom of the Two Sicilies by the Austrian troops. At the same time the state of the finances would not allow his Sicilian majesty to be at a greater expense for the occupation, than was fixed by the convention of the 31st of August, 1824; and the Austrian finances ought not to be burdened with an additional charge, in consequence of the prolongation of the period of occupation. It was, therefore, agreed to reduce the troops to 15,000 men, so that the saving accruing from the diminution of their number might cover the expense of the longer duration of the occupation. If the numerical state of the Neapolitan army should be sufficiently increased to allow the auxiliary corps to

be still further reduced, without endangering the tranquillity of the kingdom, this corps was, at the desire of his Sicilian majesty, to be brought down to 12,000 men; and the saving thence arising was to be to the advantage of the Neapolitan treasury.

Events, which excited infinitely more interest in Naples, than any alterations in the political world, were the miraculous changes which were devoutly believed to have befallen divers holy pictures of Madonnas; some of them opening their eyes, or weeping, or shedding blood, and others, from being black and dingy as they had long been, becoming bright and fresh, as if they had recently come from the painter's hand. These miraculous tales were related first of the Madonna of Caserta; and caused such a sensation in every part of Naples, that the interference of the government became necessary, to suppress the disturbances, and apprehend the supposed promoters of the plot. On the 14th of July, a few weeks after the commencement of the frenzy, all the lower orders of the city of Naples were thrown into agitation, by a report that a Madonna, painted at the corner of a dirty lane, close to the strada di Toledo, had been seen to open her eyes, and to smile compassionately; and towards noon, so great was the rush of mad fanatics towards the spot, that the police were obliged to apply to the Austrian government for troops. In the evening of the same day, another Madonna endued with miraculous power was discovered in the street of Pennino (a quarter inhabited by the lowest description of people); on the following day two or three other awkward creations of some miserable wall-dauber were said to have given

signs of life and commiseration; and a respectable old priest was nearly murdered by a mob, before the altar, because he would not give an attestation in writing, that he had seen a wooden crucifix sweat blood. Such, alas! were the people, on whom a military faction had affected to force the blessing of freedom: as if, forsooth, the first of blessings could either be enforced by the sword or be received by abject ignorance or superstition.

Many of the persons, who had found it necessary to seek safety in exile on account of their share in the Neapolitan revolution, received from the new sovereign permission to return to their native country, and availed themselves of the indulgence. A considerable number of those fugitives had found an asylum in the Roman states.

The administration of the Ionian Islands was prosperous and tranquil. Of the acts of the Ionian parliament, the most important was that which settled the ecclesiastical administration, and established the power and the jurisdiction of the hierarchy of the orthodox Greek church. It consisted of 73 articles, of which the following were the principal:

"The hierarchy consists of four metropolitans, one archbishop, and two suffragans. Each of the metropolitans shall be invested in rotation with the dignity of exarch of the Greek Church during one session of the legislature.

"The prelates can in no case correspond with a foreign power, except through a governor-general. "No prelate can, without permission of the government, introduce into his diocess new regulations in ecclesiastical matters.

"No Ionian ecclesiastic can be consecrated out of the Ionian states.

"The government will fix the bounds of the parishes.

"Every prelate is bound to visit the churches of his diocess at least once every three years.

"No prelate shall interfere in matters belonging to the civil authorities.

"The prelates receive a fixed salary from the State.

"Whenever it is intended to build a new church, the plan is to be laid before the government."

The other articles related to the institution of the ecclesiastical tribunals, the rights and duties of vicars and curates, and the means of carrying the provisions of the act into execution.

Another most important law wrought a complete change in the state of landed property. The preamble stated, that "It being one of the principal objects of the government to encourage agriculture, and experience having demonstrated that one of the greatest impediments to its progress is the existence of property rendered inalienable by means of feudal restrictions, therefore, with a view to put an end to this evil, increasing at the same time the prosperity of the state and of private persons, by the authority of his excellency the president of the most illustrious senate, with the assent and advice of the most noble legislative assembly of the Ionian islands, in the second session of the second parliament, and with the approbation of his excellency the lord high commissioner of the sovereign protector, it is ordained and enacted as follows." The law itself, in seven articles, provided for the abolition (partly immediate and partly gradual) of all feudal tenures or restrictions,

hindering or impeding the alienation of landed property.

The relations between Turkey and Russia still continued on an ambiguous and critical footing: though no step towards hostilities was taken on either side, and abundant professions were made of a mutual desire to maintain An insult having been offered at Constantinople to the Russian flag, Mr. Minziacky immediately demanded and obtained satisfaction.

Both the populace and the Janissaries were in a state of great fermentation. The discontent with the ministers was violent, and led to various changes in the administration. In February, four ortas of Janissaries, in which signs of insubordination had appeared, received orders to proceed to Thessaly, and join the corps opposed to the Greeks; but they unanimously refused to march. "We will not march," said they, "till the heads of three of the sultan's ministers have been delivered to us." Some of the leaders in this insurrection were executed privately.

In April, Abdul Hamed, the son of the sultan, and the heir of the Ottoman throne, died of the small pox. He was only fourteen years of age; but the Janissaries had formed, it was supposed, a project of deposing his father, and placing him on the throne: and to them his death was a subject of regret.

During the winter, the Greeks had been occupied much more with their own internal dissentions, than in making preparations to meet the common enemy. To such a height did these dissentions arise, that, after the close of the campaign of last year, the Moreots, dissatisfied with the individuals who were at

the head of affairs, broke out in an open insurrection, at the head of which were Colocotroni and his sons, Niketas, Demetrius, and Nicholas Deliyanni, general Sessini, Andrea Zaimi, Andrea Londo, and Giovanni, and Panageola Notapopuolo. The government immediately called in the aid of the Roumeliots, two of whom, generals Izonga and Goura, aided by the counsels and presence of John Coletti, member of the Executive body, took command of their forces. The Moreots carried on the civil war with considerable spirit for some time, and proceeded even so far as to attempt the capture of Napoli di Romania; but at length, after some delay and bloodshed, the insurgents were dispersed, and the rebellion was quelled by the end of the year. The leaders sought safety in flight: some of them were seized: others left the Morea, and took refuge in Kalamos, an island appointed by the Ionian government for the reception of Grecian refugees. Some (and among these was Colocotroni) surrendered to the government. The same vessel which brought Conduriotti from Hydra, to resume his functions of president of the Executive counsel at Napoli di Romania, returned with the chiefs of the rebellion on board; for the government had resolved to confine them in Hydra, as that island was more remote from the scene of action, and less liable to afford them occasions of creating fresh seditions. Accordingly, on the 18th of February, Colocotroni and his companions embarked on board the Gorgo, and in a few days landed at their destination; their new asylum being the monastry of St. Elias, on the craggy summit of one of the wildest hills of Hydra. An extraordinary commission of

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