The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-30 00:00:00

The Franco-Italian Convention.

The following is the full text of tho article in the
Constitutionnel, of which a summary has already
appeared in our columns. The article, which is
signed Paulin Limayrac, bears the heading, " The
Temporal Power and the Convention of the 15th

September :
Which is the chief argument of the adversaries of the
Holy See in France, in Italy, and in the rest of the world ?
Which is in newspapers and in books the principal objec-
tion directed against the temporal power of the Holy Father?
The principal argument of the radical school of philosophy
and the principal objection of revolutionary policy may be
thus slimmed up :
" The temporal power of the Holy Father is no longer
possible, because it no longer contains the essential condi-
tions of all power ; at one time it exists under the protection
of Austrian troops, at another time under the protection of
French troops. It passes, according to political circum•
stances, from one military occupation to another military
occupation ; but it is always a foreign flag which floats
over the Vatican."
The argument and the objection were the mere serious as
the fact had long existed. In our opinion, however, the fact
was transitory. Was it to be allowed to become permanent?
and when a favourable opportunity presented itself for re-
placing the Pontifical Government in the normal and logi-
cal conditions of every Government, was it to bo missed?
we do not think so. To have so acted would have been to
share the reasons of those irreconcilable adversaries of the
Papacy who will not have the temporal power at any price,
and subsidiarily to have been like those deluded friends
who fancy they glorify the Holy See by condemning it to
perpetual protection.
The policy of the Imperial Government has always kept
at an equal distance from these two extreme parties, which
definitively come to the same conclusion ; for let us repeat
it, to declare that the temporal power is no longer a thing
of our days, as asserted by freethinkers and revolutionists,
or to declare that it can only be maintained by a French or
Austrian army at Rome, as is now asserted by certain Ul-
tramontane organs, is one and the same thing.
The diplomatic acts of Sept. 15 have been inspired by a
more elevated and just idea, and they are the consecration
of the policy invariably followed by the Government of the
Emperor in the affairs of Italy ; they are the consecration of
those two fundamental ideas which are to be found in the
words of the Emperor and in all the despatches of his Mini-
sters ; that, on the one hand, our troops could not remain
for ever at Rome, ,and on the other hand, that they could
not leave, handing over Rome to revolutionary passions.
The mission of France was therefore olearly defined, and
it was to remain faithful to that mission that the French
Government accepted the overtures made to it when the
Italian Government, with a view to its internal organisa-
tion and safety, considering the present and the future,
to respond to the aspirations of reform at home, and to
guard against certain possible dangers from without,showed
itself disposed to respect the territory of the Holy Father,
and not to allow that territory to be attacked. By acting
otherwise, it would have disavowed the principles which it
has never ceased to obey.
The French occupation wounded the legitimate pride of
Italy ; that occupation will now cease. The Holy See, en
the departure of our troops, might fear an invasion from
without ;it is guaranteed against all invasion. It might
also fear internal commotions ; it has the possibility and the
resources for constituting a real armed force.
Thus the enlightened friends of the Holy See, those who
do not mix up political passions with religion, must rejoice
at a new era opening for Rome. Instead of an abnormal
power maintained by foreign troops, the Sovereign Pontiff
has refound the real conditions of all power in this world,
as it now depends upon him to have an army and finances.
According to the terms of the Convention, the Papal
army, recruited from Roman subjects, and, if it suits the
Holy Father, from foreign Catholic volunteers, will natu-
rally wear the uniform, cockade, and flag, which are the
distinguishing signs of a national army. The foreign armies
which have for so long a period occupied the Pontifical
States always remained foreigners ; the soldiers of Austria
remained Aus rians,the soldiers of France remained French,
and the Vatican was guarded by troops which it dial not
command.
The new Pontifical army, suffioiePt maintain internal
order without ever becoming a menace to others, will be a