The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-10 00:00:00

AFFAIRS IN ROME.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
ROME, SEPTEMBER 30TH.

. Nothing positive appears to be decided as to the Pope's
movements, and it seems certain that till after the Plebis-
cite, at least, no measure for his departurewill be taken.
A very strong party for his remaining exists, headed by
Cardinal Antonelli, and, strange to say, also by Mgr. De
Merode, but no one even within the most
intimate circles of the Vatican can even
guess what will be done. Waiting on events
in France seems to be the probable key of the,situation,
and in the meantime the Pope,is to'all intents and pur-
poses a prisoner. His health is better than could have
been hoped for, and during the.„,last five days he has been
able'to sleep and to walk in the Vatican gardens as usual.
The tickets for the Plebiscite are being distributed
to the people—even to children—and it is impossible to
imagine a more perfect farce than the voting will be.
Men with sticks and clubs are being hired to occupy the
voting booths and the approaches to them, and to prevent
any negative voting. All I have seen distributed
have been " Yes," and I have not heard of a " No "
being obtainable. Yesterday at the little town of Marino,
a few miles from Albano, the people proclaimed. the Re-
public, and a Bersaglieri was killed, and everything pro-
claims a great reaction in favour of the Republic. The
flags with the cross are very few in comparison with those
of the simple tricolour which denotes the adhesion to the
Mazzinian faction.

Prince Ruspoli has gone to Florence in order to come to
some understanding as to the future arrangements of the
transfer of the capital ; the public buildings necessary for
such an 'important step, and the general situation en-
tailed by it. Thousands of hungry vagabonds from the
provinces are thronging to Rome for employment, and all
the chambers d'industrie, journalists, advocates, and
demi-monde celebrities of Italy are gathering in hope of
" something turning up."
In the meantime the religious world here is profoundly
agitated, and it is certain that all teaching bodies will
shOrtly be subjected to the secular system, under the
direction of Torenegio Mamiani, who is on his way
to Rome to assume the direction of public
instruction. The Jesuits are leaving gradually, and their
organ, the Unita Cattolica, ceases to appear from day
to day.

The Anglo-Canadian Zouaves left Genoa for Liverpool
to-day, under the direction of Captains Bell, De La
Hayd, and Taillefer. A few remain in hospital, one
(Curten by name) very seriously wounded and, I fear,
unlikely to recover.

This evening, since I began my letter, I learn that
the Pope's departure is considered more and more
probable, and it is, indeed, difficult to conceive that he
can remain in Rome in his present position, or lend much
longer the sanction of his presence to the infamies perpe-
trated against religion and or .
It is, however, a question whether he could
leave the Vatican, and if he did, where he could retire to
in the present state of Europe. His departure is ex-
tremely dreaded here, too, by the citizens, as it is quite
certain that it would be the signal for a supreme and san-
guinary struggle between the marauders and the Garibal-
dian party, in which the latter would almost certainly be
the victors.

We are still living under a law of terror, and no one
dares stir out after dark on account of the hords of revolu-
tionary rabble who parade the Corso and other public
thoroughfares, insulting every one whom they know not
to belong to their party, or who are in way connected
with the Vatican or the army. More disor-
ders are certain later on, and the banks, embassies,
and consulates are crowded with valuables deposited there
by families leaving Rome. Another class will, of course
supply their place, but the brilliant society of the Roman
salons is completely broken up, and it is probable it
will never again be what it was during the last two or
three years.

Naples appears to be very full at ,present, but mostly
by invalids who have fled from Rome, and who are unable
to risk so long a journey as Nice or Alentone, which ap-
pears to be the quietest winter quarters this year. Per-
sons who can do without change of climate, however, will
do wisely not to risk a visit to Italy this winter, as it is
quite certain that the apparent tranquillity will not last
long.