s.

On the 19th April, when about to besiege Piacenza, news reached Murat of
the fall of Paris, and of the treaty of peace concluded with the viceroy
of the kingdom of Italy. The war was suspended, and the Neapolitan army
retired southwards. At Rimini, General Pepe, who commanded the rear
guard, fell in with the Pope, then proceeding to Rome, and was admitted
to an interview. Never oblivious of his political principles, he took an
opportunity of saying, "that it would be worthy of an Italian pontiff to
collect about him the sons of Italy, and to drive the foreigners out of
his native land." His holiness listened attentively, but made no reply.
When Murat was informed of this bold suggestion of Pepe's, he exclaimed,
"He will not leave even the Pope quiet," and this saying became a
standing joke against the tenacious patriot. A few days afterwards,
General Ambrosio, another of the liberal party, had been advocating to
the Pope the advantages of a constitution for Italy, "when a crippled
gentleman was brought to the carriage door, who requested the pontiff to
bestow his blessing upon him, that he might recover the use of his
limbs. The Pope, turning towards Ambrosio, said, 'You see, General,
where we are; Italy is still far from the period you so ardently
desire.'" Ambrosio and his friends, especially Pepe, were of the
contrary opinion, and conspired to compel Murat to grant them a
constitution. Seventeen general officers were implicated in the plot,
but when the moment for action came, the majority faltered, Pepe was
left in the lurch, and became the scapegoat. Urged to fly to Milan, he
refused to lower himself in the opinion of his countrymen by seeking
refuge amidst the oppressors of Italy. He was ordered to the castle of
St. Elmo, there to appear before a court-martial, but on reaching
Naples, the placable Murat had forgotten his anger, and received him
kindly. "I treat all my subjects, and you in particular, like my
children," were his first words. In the interesting conversation that
followed, Pepe urged the king to grant a constitution, as the surest
means of securing the affections of his subjects and consolidating his
throne. Murat replied, that he should long since have done so, but that
such a proceeding would draw upon him the implacable animosity of
Austria. And he declined relying, as his unceremonious counsellor urged
him to do, upon the courage of six millions of Neapolitans and the
natural strongholds of t