The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-23 00:00:00

ROME.

Mr. ROEBUCK rose to ask the Noble Lord the Se-
cretary of State for Foreign Affairs a question respecting
our diplomatic correspondence with France on the sub-
ject of Rome, in order to ascertain whether any disap-
probation has been expressed by her Majesty's Govern-
ment of the proposed bombardment of Rome by the
French. He said the position of this country was
such, that from time to time their interference was asked
by other countries. Knowing our power—the high posi-
tion which we occupied in the world— theywere often called
upon to be arbitrators between contending Powers, an evi-
dence of which was to be found in the papers he held in
his hand. But the application to which they related
was a most remarkable one. Unfortunately for
Europe and this country, a rupture occurred
between the Pope and his subjects. With these
disputes they had nothing to do, except so far as other
nations had chosen to interfere. Early in the present
year the Pope thought it wise to leave his dominions, and
take up his residence at Gaeta. He applied to foreign na-
tions for their interference, and amongst them was England.
The mode in which this was done was most remarkable.
A letter from the Minister of the King of the Two Sici-
hes was sent to the Noble Lord, asking him to take a
part in the negotiations that were about to take place
for the restoration of the Pope. Two modes were
mentioned—by negotiation, or by force of arms.
While these negotiations were going on France
interfered, and not only interfered by way of
negotiation, but by arms. Now, considering the
position in which England now stood, con-
sidering that her atmosphere was serene, and
that sh was now in the proudest position that any
nation could bo placed, her opinion going forth to
the world through the regular channel, the
Minister of the Crown, must have the greatest
weight. What, therefore, he desired to obtain
from the Noble Lord was his unqualified, marked, and
plain disapprobation of the interference on the part of
France with the Roman people.—(Hear, hear.) For
himself he could not but express his astonishment,
and that astonishment included his disapprobation, of the
course that had been pursued by France. What had the
French done? They had girted Rome with their armies,
in order to prevent the Roman people from carrying
out such a revolution as France had effected for herself.
He said he wanted England not to participate even by
its silence in this matter, but that the Noble Lord should
come forth boldly, and plainly state that England did not
let all approve of this interference with Rome, and that
when Rome had appealed to her, to state that England had

nothing on earth to do with the matter. That was
not the language for England to hold. He asked this
plain question of the Noble Lord, whether he had al-
ready by any of the papers in his hand explained defi-
nitively to the Government of France that the transac-
tions now going on before the walls of Rome
were not only by the whole people of England, but in
the opinion of her Majesty's Government, worthy of se-
vere reprobation ? (Hear, hear.) Rome was at
this moment being bombarded by French troops,
and they could not throw a shell into that city
without destroying some beautiful relic of art—(Hear,
hear)—and even on that ground he would
ask that England should come forward and employ its
high authority and its moral influence, of which the
Noble Lord spoke, not simply for the sake of peace, but
for the maintenance of all that was precious in art, and
oargde.FELhmeeEr.itss)
outrage.—(Cheers.)
for the sake of those very principles on which the revolu-
lion of France itself depended, and stay this atrocious
TON said the House would see the
delicacy of a M.
The W.r.
calledGovertater of the country.—(Hear, hear.)
con uct of a on
umto pronounce Judgment on the
business, he appreiumde.ndt likeo France. It was not the
standing in this House, to b a Minister of the Crown
roceedings of the Freecnpere rlet defender of the
matter on which the British &vernment on a
declined altogether to be a party°.vameant had
Ile could certainly say that we had not been eeaar.)
such circumstances as those complained of by tit,
Honourable and Learned Member. It would be seen by
the papers that we had always deprecated anything like
armed intervention. We had declined to participate in
the negotiations which had been carried on in Milan, and
therefore he could not be expected to be acquainted with
the whole of the circumstances which had led to the pre-
sent state of affairs.
Mr. HUME thought the House would be glad to see
that this country had not been a party to the interven-
tion at Rome. He wished to know if the Noble Lord
had any objection to produce the papers which he had
lately asked for.
Lord PALMERSTON said that the papers had come
to him in the form of a dispatch to a French
Ambassador, but the French Government not having
expressed any objection to it being laid before the
House, he would not decline to do so.
Mr. HUME, amidst loud cries from all sides, rose to
ask whether this Government, having acknowledged the
Government of France as a de facto Government, had
also acknowledged the Roman Government.
Lord PALMERSTON said that this country had
not acknowledged the French Government until it had

obtained a firm and settled standing; nor would they
do that of Rome until it had acquired the same.