, a convention which we confirmed soon after your
protest, it must consider that convention obligatory for both parties,
and indeed a safeguard of the rights of nations, until it has been
ratified or declined by the government of France. Therefore the
Assembly must regard as a violation of that convention every hostile
act of the French army since the above-named 31st of May, and all
others that shall take place before the resolution of your government
can be made known, and before the expiration of the time agreed upon
for the armistice. You demand, General, an answer correspondent to the
intentions and power of France. Nothing could be more conformable with
the intentions and power of France than to cease a flagrant violation
of the rights of nations.

"Whatever may be the results of such violation, the people of Rome are
not responsible for them. Rome is strong in its right, and decided
to maintain tire conventions which attach it to your nation; only it
finds itself constrained by the necessity of self-defence to repel
unjust aggressions.

"Accept, &c., for the Assembly,

"The President, GALLETTI.

"Secretaries, FABRETTI, PANNACCHI, COCCHI."

"ANSWER OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL GUARD.

"General,--The treaty, of which we await the ratification, assures
this tranquil city from every disaster.

"The National Guard, destined to maintain order, has the duty of
seconding the resolutions of the government; willingly and zealously
it fulfils this duty, not caring for annoyance and fatigue.

"The National Guard showed very lately, when it escorted the prisoners
sent back to you, its sympathy for France, but it shows also on every
occasion a supreme regard for its own dignity, for the honor of Rome.

"Any misfortune to the capital of the Catholic world, to the
monumental city, must be attributed not to the pacific citizens
constrained to defend themselves, but solely to its aggressors.

"Accept, &c.

"STURBINETTI,

_General of the National Guard, Representative of the People_".

ANSWER OF THE GENERALISSIMO.

"Citizen General,--A fatality leads to conflict between the armies
of two republics, whom a better destiny would have invited to combat
against their common enemy; for the enemies of the one cannot fail to
be also enemies of the other.

"We are not deceived, and shall combat by every means in our power
whoever assails our institutions, for only the brave are worthy to
stand before the