d speak to you of the actual question, such as it is
debated in fact, if not by right, between the French government and
ours. You will allow us to do it with the frankness demanded by the
urgency of the situation, as well as the sympathy which ought to
govern all relations between France and Italy. Our diplomacy is the
truth, and the character given to your mission is a guaranty that the
best possible interpretation will be given to what we shall say to
you.

"With your permission, we return for an instant to the cause of the
present situation of affairs.

"In consequence of conferences and arrangements which took place
without the government of the Roman Republic ever being called on
to take part, it was some time since decided by the Catholic
Powers,--1st. That a modification should take place in the government
and institutions of the Roman States; 2d. That this modification
should have for basis the return of Pius IX., not as Pope, for to that
no obstacle is interposed by us, but as temporal sovereign; 3d.
That if, to attain that aim, a continuous intervention was judged
necessary, that intervention should take place.

"We are willing to admit, that while for some of the contracting
governments the only motive was the hope of a general restoration and
absolute return to the treaties of 1815, the French government
was drawn into this agreement only in consequence of erroneous
information, tending systematically to depict the Roman States as
given up to anarchy and governed by terror exercised in the name of an
audacious minority. We know also, that, in the modification proposed,
the French government intended to represent an influence more or less
liberal, opposed to the absolutist programme of Austria and of
Naples. It does none the less remain true, that under the Apostolic or
constitutional form, with or without liberal guaranties to the Roman
people, the dominant thought in all the negotiations to which we
allude has been some sort of return toward the past, a compromise
between the Roman people and Pius IX. considered as temporal prince.

"We cannot dissemble to ourselves, Monsieur, that the French
expedition has been planned and executed under the inspiration of this
thought. Its object was, on one side, to throw the sword of France
into the balance of negotiations which were to be opened at Rome;
on the other, to guarantee the Roman people from the excess of
retrograde, but always on condition that it sho