The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-21 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1867.

Those who have for some time past been looking
forward to the return of the Emperor NAPOLEON
from Biarritz scarcely anticipated the confused cir-
cumstances and stormy events which would greet
him on his arrival. After all the doubts and un-
certainties that have prevailed on the subject, it is
now certain that French troops are leaving for
Italy. This, indeed, the most experienced were pre-
pared for, but it is still to be seen if their arrival at
their destination will lead to active hostilities or
not. It is possible, and greatly to be desired, that
some middle course may be pursued, and that a
decided rupture may not take place between France
and Italy. Such a result is greatly to be deplored,
and one cannot help feeling disappointed that Italy
should not have been left quiescent, for some time at
least, after the decided advantages that had been her
portion in the German war of last year. Discretion
was never a virtue of GARIBALDI'S, and his friends
and supporters seem to wish to outvie him
in hasty, ill-concerted measures. The worat
of it is that those Italians who did not take
any active interest in the beginning of this
affair, or indeed might have been against it when it
was confined to their own country, will not look at
all pleasant upon the appearance of foreign troops
to settle their affairs for them. The departure of
the French troops from Rome was considered so
great a step in advance, and was hailed by the
enthusiastic and devoted as so promising a sign of
progress, that it is idle to think that their return
will cause any feelings but those of dissatisfaction
in some quarters, and indignation in others. The
Emperor NAPOLEON may urge on his behalf
that good faith has not been kept with him, and
so on, but we in this country \ o -survey things
from a more dispassionate point of view than those
on the spot, and rersonaliy and politically inte-
rested, can possibly do, cannot fail to perceive the
sad and serious part of the affair, and lament the
tone that fortune has taken.
It would really seem as if it was an impossibility
for us to have the nations of the Continent in a
settled state, and those prophets who went about
declaring that war was superseded, and that universal
peace would now reign, may well bide their
diminished heads just now, for no sooner does one
nation seem to have come to an amicable arrange-
ment than fresh disturbances start up, and all
Europe is again disturbed and perplexed. War
with France and Prussia seemed all but imminent a
month or so back, but it seems that we are to have
the scene of action changed, and that the entente
cordiale between France and Italy is to be dis

turbed. Perhaps no one can be more disappointed
at this than the Emperor NAPOLEON himself. It

has been his aim and object for many years that
Italy should be free, and it has been his pride and
pleasure to aid in the development of the great work
of Italian regeneration. It cannot, then, be with
other feelings than those of mortification that he
mixes himself up in this new dispute, and we feel

assured that he would willingly consent to any com
promise that may suggest itself.

The French papers appear puzzled how to de-
scribe the state of affairs, and various accounts are
given of the position in which their Government

is placed. The Pattie of last evening contains
an article, which makes out that French interven-
tion in Rome is by no means to bo looked upqp as
an act of aggression, because Franco has not declared
war against Italy, but against revolution. "If

Italy, unable to stay the invaders, does not appeal
to France, Franco must go and defend her signa-
ture." The final reply of the Italian Government

had arrived yesterday, and seemed to arrest, in
some measure, the most decided movements being
taken, but, in all probability, by to-morrow we

shall have the result of these deliberations,

and the effects produced by them. The intelligence
that Italy is again the scence of a fierce struggle,
and that the horrors of civil war hays been further

increased and still more complicated by the inter-
vention of foreign troops, resisted by both sides of

the disputants, will give rite to deep regret among
the other nations of Europe, and more especially in
England, which has long been a well-wisher to
Italy, and looked forward with confident assurance

to the development of her prosperity if possessed of

freedom, and enabled to enjoy that blessing in peace
and free from embarrassing disputes.

Much time has not elapsed since the murder of
poor APDONNELL iu Bloomsbury, when the same
locality is startled by thereport of another attempted
assassination. Every unusual crime or alarming
ocearrence is, of course, in these days, put down at
once to Fenianisin ; certainly the brotherhood
have done something to deserve their evil reputa-
It is, however, uncertain whether or no they
are impiie..ted in this last ou'rage, the pol:ce being
of opinion that it is connected with a gang of bur-
glars. The sufferer is a police constable named
S..II;.NDEn3, Ivlio was on duty in Bucton-
creEcent on Saturday night. It seems from his
own account that on first going on duty
he noticed a suspicious-looking man loitering about
the North-crescent Mews. About two o'clock in
tho morning he saw him still loitering there, and
asked him what he was doing. To this the suan
returned no answer, but drawing a pistol he fired
and wounded him seriously, following up his at zck
by boating him on the head until he was in.;en-
sible. The poor man was found lying sense Jess
in the street by some officers who were g )ing
their usual rounds, so that the ruffian escaped,
but as active pursuit was immediately r. lade

tion.