The Enquirer

DOCUMENTS

Read by Lord Castlereagh, in his speech in the House of Commons, on the 2d May, 1815.

"Lucca, Feb. 18, 1814.

SIRE,

"I have received the letter from the Minister at War, transmitting to me the instruction of your majesty concerning the evacuation of the Roman states and of Tuscany. Immediately after the receipt of that letter, I set out for Bologna, where the king of Naples was. I experienced no difficulty as far as Florence, but, upon my arrival in that town, the new authorities signified to me that I could neither continue my route nor remain at Florence, as that I must go back as far as Prato, there to await the answer of the king. I dispatched a courier to that prince, and am returned to Lucca, where I am in greater safety than at Prato, which is in a state of insurrection. I know not what the king will be allowed to answer. The Austrian and English ministers reproach him with being French and particularly of being too much attached to your majesty.

"The revolutionists, who govern Florence just now, assert loudly that the King of Naples has an understanding with the French, & that he deceives the Italians. They attribute to my Councils the inaction of the Neapolitan troops, which the allies wished should march against the viceroy at the moment when he was about being attacked by general Bellegarde. The king is sick with grief. He now thoroughly feels in what a situation he is placed. It is difficult for me to make my advice reach him. If there were as much firmness in his character as good qualities in his heart, he would be stronger in Italy than the coalition.

(Signed)

"The Duke of OTRANTO."

Letter from the Consul at Ancona (without date, and supposed to be written from Lucca.)

"The Consul had occasion to see the king of Naples on account of his passports. The following is the substance of the conversation he had with him. Necessity alone, said the king, has obliged me to unite with the allies; the great extent of the coasts of my kingdom exposed them to the invasions of the English. Their maritime strength, and their force in Italy is well known. Who would have defended my kingdom, had I carried my army beyond the Po? besides, it would have been impossible for me to make it leave the kingdom. On the other hand, my people were discontented in consequence of the stagnation of commerce, which prevented them from realizing the productions of the soil. It would have been easy for the enemy to have reduced them to the sole detriment of myself & of France. On the other hand, my nation would have been dissatisfied, had I not acceded to the proposals which the allies made me of indemnifying myself for Sicily by the countries on this side the Po, which his majesty the emperor of the French was obliged to renounce by the force of circumstances.

"He added, that his intentions were so much the purer on this head, as it was agreed, that his army was never to fight against the French; he would recollect constantly that he was himself a Frenchman, and that he would not forget all he owed to his illustrious brother-in-law. He desired the consul to remain at Ancona, and to continue his functions, assuring him that his correspondence should be free, since he was not at war with France. The consul did not think that it was for him to make any objection.

"On their arrival at Ancona, the Neapolitan authorities had all the Italian arms taken down. The arms of France, placed at the Consul's house, were respected."