Volume II Part 2 (1/2)
In writing, on the 28th of January, to the Honourable Mr. Windham, at Leghorn, Lord Nelson thus foretells the fate of Tuscany, and of all the Emperor of Germany's Italian dominions. ”Alas!” says his lords.h.i.+p, ”the fancied neutrality of Tuscany will be it's downfall. You see it, and it cannot fail soon to happen. Tuscany does not, or cannot, support it's neutrality for us or Naples; only to protect the French, is this name prost.i.tuted. Seratti, who is a man of sound sense, must see it. When the emperor loses Tuscany and Naples--which, I am bold to say, the conduct of his ministry conduces to do more than the arms of the French--his newly-acquired dominions will not keep to him. Active, not pa.s.sive; actions, are the only weapons to meet these scoundrels with. We can, as your excellency knows, have no desire to distress the Grand Duke by our conduct; on the contrary, it is our duty to support his royal highness against the tyranny of the French. Your excellency will be so good as to say, for me, to his royal highness, that an English s.h.i.+p of war shall, as long as he pleases, remain at Leghorn, ready to receive his person and family; for, unless the emperor acts speedily, the British flag will be his only security. Tuscany has the choice, to act like men, and take the chance of war; or, in a few weeks, to become another conquest of the French, and to form a new republic.” Speaking of Naples, he, says--”We have heard nothing since the 19th; and, from those accounts, it is difficult to say, what turn the mob will take; at that time, they were certainly loyal. The n.o.bility, to a man, Jacobins. Mack has disappeared, and no one knows the route he has taken.” Such, it appears, was the uncertainty of the royal family of Naples, with regard to it's fate, on the 28th, at Palermo; though, in reality, it had then been already determined.
In fact, on the 25th, the following curious advertis.e.m.e.nt, for a grand Te Deum, in consequence of this desirable event, was actually published at Naples; and the archbishop, with the rest of the clergy, solemnly a.s.sured the people, that great faith, and extraordinary prayers, had induced their saint to testify his entire approbation of the measure.
”All the faithful citizens of Naples are invited to be present this day, (Friday, the 25th of January 1799,) at two in the afternoon, at the celebration of Te Deum; which the archbishop, accompanied by the chapter, the clergy, the general in chief and staff of the army of Naples, will sing in the cathedral church, to thank the Most High for the glorious entry of the French troops into this city; and who, protected in a peculiar manner by Providence, have regenerated this people, and are come to establish and consolidate our happiness. St. Januarius, our protector, rejoices in their arrival. His blood miraculously liquified on the very evening of the entry of the republican troops.”
Lord Nelson, in the letter last mentioned, thus speaks of the state of Sicily--”As to this island, I cannot take upon me to say much: that they all hate the French, is certain; but, still, they feel themselves an oppressed people. On the 20th, at Augusta, a French vessel, with a hundred and forty officers and soldiers, arrived from Egypt. The boat people, and those of the town, attacked them. Eighty-seven were killed; the remainder escaped on board a Neapolitan frigate, who protected them.
Sir William and Lady Hamilton, and I may add myself, are all unwell. The great queen is far from well. The king is the best of the party. As the queen is very anxious to hear of the fate of Tuscany, I shall direct Captain Louis--who, I was sure, your excellency would like--to send either Terpsich.o.r.e, or this brig, back to Palermo.”
In a letter of the same date to Captain now Admiral Louis, his lords.h.i.+p says, observing that all in the house had been ill, and were still far from well--”The air of Palermo is very bad, in my opinion.” His confidence in Captain Louis, as well as in Mr. Windham, is thus strongly expressed--”You will, I am sure, my dear Sir, act in that way, which will always meet my wishes and do credit to our country. Whenever Mr.
Windham tells you, that his Royal Highness the Grand Duke his no occasion for his majesty's s.h.i.+ps, I shall be very glad to see you here; but consult with Mr. Windham, and you cannot err.”
On the last day of January, Lord Nelson received, from England, official communications of the votes which had been pa.s.sed by the House of Peers, the House of Commons, and the Irish House of Commons, conveying their thanks, by their respective speakers, to his lords.h.i.+p, his officers, and men, who fought in the battle off the Nile; which he instantly acknowledged, by most respectful answers to Lord Loughborough, the Right Honourable Henry Addington, and the Honourable John Foster.
On the same day, he also received letters from the Lord Mayor of London, the Clerk of the Drapers Company, and the Mayor of Liverpool; to which he immediately wrote, respectively, the following answers.
”Vanguard, Palermo, 31st Jan. 1799.
”SIR,
”I have only this day received the honour of your letter (when Lord Mayor) of the 16th October; and I beg that you will convey to the Court of Common Council my sincere grat.i.tude for all their goodness to me; and a.s.sure them, it shall be the business of my life, to act in the manner most conducive to the prosperity of the city of London, on which depends that of our country.
”I am truly sensible of your politeness, in desiring me to say what particular devices I should wish on the sword which is to be presented to me by the city of London; but, I beg to leave that to the better judgment of my fellow-citizens. Believe me, when I a.s.sure you, that I feel myself your most faithful and obliged servant,”
Nelson.
”Sir William Anderson, Bart late Lord-Mayor of London.
”Vanguard, Palermo, 31st Jan. 1799.
”SIR,
”I have this day received your letter, conveying to me the great honour conferred upon me by the wors.h.i.+pful Company of Drapers of London, by presenting me with the freedom of their company. I beg you will, Sir, have the goodness to convey to the wors.h.i.+pful Company, how much I feel honoured by their kind notice of my services; and a.s.sure them, that it shall be the study of my life, to preserve their good opinion. Allow me, also, to thank you, for the very flattering manner in which you have executed the orders of the company. Believe me, Sir, with great respect, your much obliged and most obedient servant,”
”Nelson.”
Henry Smith, Esq. Clerk of the Drapers Company.
”Vanguard, Palermo, 31st Jan. 1799.
”SIR,
”I am this day favoured with your letter, conveying to me the unanimous resolution of the Common Council of Liverpool, to honour me with their thanks, and also the freedom of their town. I beg you will a.s.sure those whom, from this moment, I am to call my brother freemen, that my future exertions shall never be wanting, to approve myself worthy of the high honour conferred upon me by the representative body of the second sea-port in the kingdom; and believe me, with the highest respect, your much obliged and obedient servant,
”Nelson.”
”Thomas Leyland, Esq. Mayor of Liverpool.”