Επιστολή του James Campbell προς τον The Right Honorable Earl Bathurst (Κέρκυρα, 15 Σεπτεμβρίου 1814), με την οποία επιστολή ενημερώνει τον τελευταίο για την κατάσταση των Επτανήσων με μία ιστορική αναδρομή από τις αρχές του 19^ου αιώνα, με την παρουσία της Επτανήσου Πολιτείας, την κατάληψη των νησιών από τους Γάλλους, και τις εκ νέου βλέψεις σε αυτά των Ρώσων, όπως αυτές καταδεικνύονται μέσα από τις κινήσεις του Μοτσενίγου. Επίσης, γίνετα αναφορά και στον ρόλο του Καποδίστρια και στις σχέσεις του με την Ρωσία, ενώ ο Campbell αναφέρεται και στο πως ο ίδιος χειρίστηκε την Γερουσία στην Κέρκυρα στην προσπάθειά του να περιορίσει τα σχέδια για επαναφορά της ρωσικής επιρροής και εξουσίας στα Επτάνησα, στο καθεστώς δηλαδή που υπήρχε πριν την υπογραφή της Συνθήκης του Τιλσίτ. Επίσης ο Campbell κάνει μία εκτενή αναφορά στην επικοινωνία του με την αυτοαποκαλούμενη Γερουσία των Επτανήσων, την οποία όμως ο ίδιος δεν αναγνωρίζει, καθώς τα μέλη της υπήρξαν μέλη της διοίκησης των Γάλλων. Από την άλλη δεν δέχεται πως τα υπόλοιπα έξι νησιά του Ιονίου μπορούν να αντιπροσωπεύονται από την αποκαλούμενη κερκυραϊκή Γερουσία. Από την άλλη τονίζει πως γίνονται συστηματικά προσπάθειες για να αλλαχθεί το πολιτικό σύστημα στον Λεβάντε και πως η Μεγάλη Βρετανία θα πρέπει να διασφαλίσει τις πολύτιμες νησιωτικές κτήσεις του Ιονίου αλλά και να προστατεύσει τον πληθυσμό των νησιών. (στις σελίδες 47-88 βρίσκονται τα επισυναπτόμενα έγγραφα/επιστολές στις οποίες αναφέρεται στην κύρια επιστολή του ο Campbell, επιστολές μεταξύ του Campbell και της Γερουσίας της Κέρκυρας).

Συγκεκριμένα ο Campbell γράφει:

My Lord,

From my dispatches Nrs. 15-19-28-33 relative to the conduct of the Russian Minister, Count Mocenigo during his abode in Zante, as well as from my subsequent reports relative to the cession of this island, Your Lordship has been sufficiently apprized of the laborious efforts made by the Russian Government in conjunction with all descriptions of its agents and adherents throughout the Levant to effect, if possible, the reestablishment of the Russian Authority in the Ionian Islands, and generally to restore the state of things here as it existed after the Treaty of Amiens in 1802.

When the Islands composing the territories of the Septinsular Republic were delivered over to France by the Secret Treaty of Tilsit, and which transfer subverted “de facto” that Republic as guaranteed by the Treaty of Amiens, the French Government found it their Policy with reference to their ambitious projects in the Levant, to maintain the Form of the Executive Power as vested in a Senate, which constitutionally consisted of Seventeen Members being Representatives from the different Islands. This number, however, the French authorities soon reduced to eight; and by subsequent changes introduced in the modes of administration, the Senate retained only a nominal existence, while the individuals who were permitted to bear the Title of Senators, were selected as the creatures of the French revolutionary Government, and were the prominent Figures in the two deputations sent to Paris in the years 1808 and 1810.

It was at the latter perios that the late Ruler of France publicly announced the annexation of the Seven Islands to the styled French Empire.

The previous conquest, however, of the greater part of them by His Majesty’s Forces in the year 1809, caused the enlightened portion of the Inhabitants so liberated to speculate upon a different destiny. Their visions and wishes were made known to His Majesty’s Government by a deputy duly appointed to that effect, and they obtained the powerful and beneficent protection they so ardently desired and solicited.

In this state of political division the Islands continued till the month of May last, when the Subversion of the late Government in France and the Convention of Paris dated 23^rd April 1814 were made known in Corfu.

The French Authorities then finding themselves compelled to evacuate this Island and its impregnable Fortresses, and to forego all their favorite projects, judged it advisable and politic not only to endeavour to restore to the Senate the Rights of which they had deprived it, in consequence of the Stipulations of the secret Treaty of Tilsit, but also to urge its members to reassert their Title as the Constitutional Representative Body of the Septinsular Nation.

Little disposed as the French Authorities might feel to serve the cause of Russia, it appears that they restored to second the ruling Bias in the Members of their obsequious Senate; presuming that the question of Possession might afford a ground of serious discussion between the British and Russian Government, and that in the Event of the Restoration of the Septinsular Republic the French Government would serve its own visions by claiming the merits of having essentially contributed to a result so gratifying to the ambition and feelings of the Greek People.

From the period of the disastrous retreat of the French Armies from Moscow the Russian Agents had began to prepare and concert the means for cancelling the act of cession by the Treaty of Tilsit and for establishing the Russian Authority in the Septinsular circle.

The great political and military Events on the Continent concurred to second their views and to favour their intrigues to that effect. Their Labours have at length terminated by a self elected unconstitutional Senate of a subverted State framing a formal Declaration of National Independence; and by secretly presenting that act in the first instance to the acceptance of His Majesty the Emperor of Russia, by means of an agent acted with full powers and instructions for that purpose. This commission was confined to Count Capo d’ Istria; a native of Corfu who on the cession of his Country to France retired into Russia and has subsequently appointed Russia’s Envoy in Switzerland.

On my receiving the Cession of Corfu I had strong reasons for concluding that some such measures as the above mentioned had been pursued; though I was assured even by some of the Senators themselves (with whom in the detail of the Civil Administrations I am in correspondence and Intercourse) that no such appeal had been made to the Emperor of Russia. But I had provided against any attempt of that Body to perplex the question by having from the first moment of my Correspondence addressed them as the Senate of Corfu in the name of the Allies generally.

Your Lordship will form a correct estimate of the Character and Principles of the Individuals still acting here as Senators when I proceed to state that in the Seventh Week after I had assured the Command and Government of this Island in obedience to my Instructions as Commissary of the Allied Powers, and not before, the whole proceedings of the double-dealing Senate and the State of the Negotiation with the Russian Government, were formally communicated to me; yet more from the necessity of the case, than from any motives of an enlightened Policy or of respectful deference to the Court of Great Britain in their part. And I am persuaded, My Lord, if the Congress had assembled at Vienna on the 1^st of August last, as it was expected, that no communication would have been made to me on this subject.

Having premised these observations, it remains for me to enter into a brief exposition of the Correspondence and Negotiation in question.

The Enclosure No 1, which I have the honor to annex contains 1^st copies of the minutes of the Extraordinary Session of the Senate on the 21^st May last; 2^nd, The Declaration of the Independence and Wishes of the Septinsular Nation; 3^rd, the letter of the Senate transmitting the same to Ct. Capo d’ Istria; and 4^th the letter of the Senate to the Emperor Alexander. The Senators voted and subscribed their names in this extraordinary Sitting in the assumed constitutional character as Senators of the Ionian Islands collectively. The Ex French Commissary, Mon. Lesseps assisted at their Sitting and subscribed a declaration on the said act of the Senate.

It was also decreed that communications of the acts of the Extraordinary Sitting of the 21^st May be made by Count Capo d’Istria to the Ministers of England and France at the Congress at Vienna, accompanied by an appeal to them to support the Wishes of the Septinsular Nation as represented by the Senate. A copy was also decreed to be communicated to the Ex-Governor General Donzelot, to be presented by Him at the foot of the Throne of His Majesty Louis XVIII.

The Enclosure No.2 is copy of an official Note written by Count Moncenigo as Russian Plenipotentiary to the Ionian Senate on the 11^th August 1807 informing them of the Emperor of Russia having transferred all Rights of Protection reserved Him by the Treaty of Constantinople in 1800, to the so styled Emperor of the French. The Senate is referring me to this document, which they appear to make the ground work of their negotiation, studiously overlook the total invalidity of this Transfer, as being in direct violation of the Stipulatios of the Treary of Amiens, by which the Septinsular Republic was alone recognized and guaranteed in Europe according to the Constitution as established by the aforesaid Treaty of 1800.

The Enclosure No.3 is copy of the letter addressed to the Senate by Ct. Capo d’ Istria dated 15 July at Zurich in answer to the commission conveyed to him by the Senate. He therein states his inability to appear at the Congress in an official Character, in consequence of his diplomatical Employment under the Court of St. Petersburg; and suggest therefore to the Senate to appoint and send a regular accredited Envoy to the Congress to represent the Septinsular Nation; pledging himself at the same time to support the wishes of the Senate by every means in his Power.

The Enclosure No 4 is copy of the official Note addressed to me on the 16^th August last by the Vice President of the Senate communicating the above official papers.

From my answer thereto as by No 5 and the Enclosures it refers to, you Lordship will perceive that I distinctly declined to recognize any authority in the Senate as the Representative Body of the Ionian Islands generally. And that I therefore declined becoming a Party to any Negotiation or Correspondence they might institute on such a Basis; it being directly subversive of those Rights of Conquest and Dominion, which it belongs to His Majesty’s Crown to exercise with respect to such of the Ionian Islands as were conquered by His Majesty’s Arms, and from which the Boon of restitution must proceed; and because it is also at variance with the Principle of Tenure by which the Island of Corfu is now occupied in the Name of the Allies generally.

Various attempts have been since made by the Senate to obtain any Sanction to the answer proposed to be sent to Count Capo d’ Istria, announcing the determination or rather the necessity as it is expressed on the part of the Senate to suspend its negotiations to treat in the name of the Septinsular Nation, in consequence of my having declined to recognize the authority they have assumed to that effect and to become a party to the same.

I have thought it incumbent on me, My Lord, to communicate these details as concisely as the subject admitted, for your Lordship’s Information, being well aware that every attempt will be made by the Russian Minister and Adherents, as well as by the French Interest at the Congress at Vienna, to put a false construction, and present garbled extracts of the said correspondence; and to a misrepresent the grounds of any determination not to recognize any authority in the Senate to respresent the affairs and Interests of the Seven United Ionian Islands as their Constitutional Representative.

I am well aware on the other hand that such Cabals and Intrigues as I have in part developed could have no real Influence on the Wisdom and Decision of the Congress with respect to the fate of these valuable Insular Possessions and the Welfare of its interesting population. But while His Majesty’s Government and the British Nation have so essentially contributed to their amelioration, and have so uniformly advocated their Interests (of which the quiet mass of the People and the most respectable Portion of it are fully sensible) it would be most unfair and most unjust, My Lord, to suffer that the British Name should be misrepresented by a few fanatical Individuals, the Creatures of the Late French Government, and now the Servile Instruments of the Russian Government; who are notoriously corrupt; who by falsely assuming an authority, for which there is no foundation either in Rights or in Pacts, have insidiously attempted to impeach and annul the rights of Conquest by which six of the Ionian Islands do still appertain to His Majesty’s Crown, and from which alone the Boon of restitution must come; and that such unworthy machinations should borrow the mask of Public Virtue and Patriotism to gratify only the pernicious passions of a few overbearing Patrician Families in the separate Islands, and alternately to promote objects, which have a direct tendency to subvert the Political System of the Levant.