Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Account Of The Vicissitudes Of The Neapolitan Masonry;
and comprehends in a few degrees all that are found in Masonry . Men of all classes made part of this society ; the provinces were all Carhouarized : and the Abruzzis constituted the greatest number . The government ivas aware of this , and military commissions were established in all the provinces to judge them . Many were condemned to death , a great number to the galleys , while others were obliged to expatriate themselves . In spite of all these persecutionsthe efforts for the liberation of the
, country , and for the obtaining of a constitution , with laws more adapted to the enlightenment of the day , were continued . The government inveighed continually against the unfortunates who desired nothing but to be governed as men , for they were treated like slaves . All persecutions had no other effect than to make them more obstinate in their aim . Bands of them threw themselves into the country , preferring to die with the musket in hand to surrendering to the despot .
The year 1815 arrived . Napoleon was in France . An army of 40 , 000 Austrians was marching towards the frontiers of Naples . The king gathered an imposing army , and went to meet the invading forces . There can be no doubt but that had the Neapolitan soldiers fought , they would have destroyed their slavish opponents ; it was not so , however ; but they took advantage of the opportunity to break their galling chains , and without coming up to the enemy disbanded themselvesand Murat
, was in consequence obliged to embark and leave the kingdom . The Austrians being once in possession of the States of Naples , and knowing that those who had allowed them to enter without a gun-shot , might as easily drive them away again , began to persecute the Carbonaris , and the Masons who were their source . Rigorous measures were taken ,
and the Masons were obliged to suspend their meetings . Some time elapsed in inactivity ; but the taxes increased every day , ancl coersive means were employed to enforce them . These excesses of oppression , exasperated the unfortunate ones to such a degree that they again began to meet , and even penetrated into the quarters of the troops , a great number of whom they made Carbonari . Thus time passed away ; the army of occupation retired ; and with so much secrecy were the affairs of the Carbonari conductedthat the new government of the Bourbons
, were in utter ignorance of their meetings . The month of May , 1820 , arrived . A camp was established , where the troops had to practice their manoeuvres ; and as the king , Ferdinand I ., attended it , the Carbonari wished to take advantage of this opportunity to strike for their rights ; but some one among them , in order to ingratiate himself , discovered the conspiracy . The camp was broken up , and the regiments re-entered their quarters . The loss of this
favourable opportunity served but to redouble the zeal of the Carbonari . Some general officers interfered , putting themselves at the head of the movement , and the revolution fairly commenced . They fixed for their meeting a place well suited for the defence , called Monteforte , in the province of Avellino . In the night of the 2 Cth of June the regiment of Bourbon cavalry , with a part of the inhabitants of Nola , whieh was their garrison-townleft their quartersand marched upon Montefortetaking
, , , with them the troops which were in quarters on their route . The regiment of prince-cavalry followed the movement , and a great number of people of all ranks in the different neighbouring provinces assembled . The government , hearing of this movement , commanded General Carascosa to pursue the rebels with one division . He attacked them , and a skirmish took place ; but whilst the government was awaiting the tidings
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Account Of The Vicissitudes Of The Neapolitan Masonry;
and comprehends in a few degrees all that are found in Masonry . Men of all classes made part of this society ; the provinces were all Carhouarized : and the Abruzzis constituted the greatest number . The government ivas aware of this , and military commissions were established in all the provinces to judge them . Many were condemned to death , a great number to the galleys , while others were obliged to expatriate themselves . In spite of all these persecutionsthe efforts for the liberation of the
, country , and for the obtaining of a constitution , with laws more adapted to the enlightenment of the day , were continued . The government inveighed continually against the unfortunates who desired nothing but to be governed as men , for they were treated like slaves . All persecutions had no other effect than to make them more obstinate in their aim . Bands of them threw themselves into the country , preferring to die with the musket in hand to surrendering to the despot .
The year 1815 arrived . Napoleon was in France . An army of 40 , 000 Austrians was marching towards the frontiers of Naples . The king gathered an imposing army , and went to meet the invading forces . There can be no doubt but that had the Neapolitan soldiers fought , they would have destroyed their slavish opponents ; it was not so , however ; but they took advantage of the opportunity to break their galling chains , and without coming up to the enemy disbanded themselvesand Murat
, was in consequence obliged to embark and leave the kingdom . The Austrians being once in possession of the States of Naples , and knowing that those who had allowed them to enter without a gun-shot , might as easily drive them away again , began to persecute the Carbonaris , and the Masons who were their source . Rigorous measures were taken ,
and the Masons were obliged to suspend their meetings . Some time elapsed in inactivity ; but the taxes increased every day , ancl coersive means were employed to enforce them . These excesses of oppression , exasperated the unfortunate ones to such a degree that they again began to meet , and even penetrated into the quarters of the troops , a great number of whom they made Carbonari . Thus time passed away ; the army of occupation retired ; and with so much secrecy were the affairs of the Carbonari conductedthat the new government of the Bourbons
, were in utter ignorance of their meetings . The month of May , 1820 , arrived . A camp was established , where the troops had to practice their manoeuvres ; and as the king , Ferdinand I ., attended it , the Carbonari wished to take advantage of this opportunity to strike for their rights ; but some one among them , in order to ingratiate himself , discovered the conspiracy . The camp was broken up , and the regiments re-entered their quarters . The loss of this
favourable opportunity served but to redouble the zeal of the Carbonari . Some general officers interfered , putting themselves at the head of the movement , and the revolution fairly commenced . They fixed for their meeting a place well suited for the defence , called Monteforte , in the province of Avellino . In the night of the 2 Cth of June the regiment of Bourbon cavalry , with a part of the inhabitants of Nola , whieh was their garrison-townleft their quartersand marched upon Montefortetaking
, , , with them the troops which were in quarters on their route . The regiment of prince-cavalry followed the movement , and a great number of people of all ranks in the different neighbouring provinces assembled . The government , hearing of this movement , commanded General Carascosa to pursue the rebels with one division . He attacked them , and a skirmish took place ; but whilst the government was awaiting the tidings