had commanded for sixteen
years, was on the point of slipping from him; so, turning to Jules Favre,
he declared "that he was not agreed with him on any point--that he
absolutely rejected his policy." Then, addressing the Conservatives, he
affirmed that they would defend Rome so long as the desired reconciliation
did not take place--that France would never, never abandon Rome. He
concluded by conjuring the deputies to cling to the government which gave
the battle of Mentana as a pledge of its sincerity. This declaration was
greeted with prolonged applause, and it could no longer be doubted that
the vote would be almost unanimous. The deputies, however, determined that
the head of their church should not be imperfectly protected, required of
the minister a distinct explanation of what he meant by defending Rome.
They were resolved that the government should not have the power to give
up to Italy the territory around the city which the Pope still possessed,
and leave to him only the walls of Rome. This position was maintained by
the veteran orator of French parliaments, M. Berryer. A great number of
deputies came to his support, so necessary was it understood to be to
guard against all subterfuge in transacting with Napoleon III. M. Rouher
was constrained to reascend the tribune. He did so, he said, more fully to
express his idea, and declared, whilst the Chamber loudly applauded, that
the Emperor guaranteed not only the city of Rome, but also the territory
actually possessed by the Holy See, in all its integrity. Such was the
memorable sitting of 4th December, 1867, at which the will of France was
forced on its despotic ruler. But both for him and the country, French
writers assure us, it was too late. If the representatives of the nation,
they say, had shown from the beginning the same decision; if the empire
had always spoken as on the 4th December, 1867; if, above all, it had
acted conformably to its words, it would either not have fallen or fallen
with honor. But never would we have seen either Italian unity or German
unity, and the black flag of Prussia would not wave to-day over Metz,
Malhouse and Strasbourg.

Piedmont having withdrawn its threatening force on the approach of the
French troops, the Holy See had nothing to dread, for some time at least,
from foreign invasion. It remained only to provide against the attacks of
banditti such as had been just defeated at Mentana. In this important
matter the Holy Father