The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-05 00:00:00

IHE FRENCH PRESS ON THE MARQUIS

DE •MO USTIER S DESPA7 Cll.

The Temps of yesterday writes as follows upon
the Marquis de Moustier's despatch :--
"The French Government has just replied to the
circular of General Menabrea, and made known to
the Cabinet of Florence its impressions upon the
entry of the Italian troops into the Pontifical States.
The Moniteur publishes the text of the short de-
spatch which M. de Moustier addressed on the Ist
November to M. de la Villestreux, charge d'affaires
of France in Italy. This document will not be one
of the least interesting elements of that astonishing
imbroglio called the Roman question ; it would be
somewhat difficult to define the exact character of
this diplomatic paper. A protest had been talked
about ; it is not a protest, it is a manifestation of
discontent, of regret and of blame, a declaration of
painful surprise, a disavowal, but purely Platonic,
and which ends in resignation to an attitude of
toleration towards established facts. The French
Government hoped for better things from the Mena-
brea Ministry ; it expected that advancing with
a firm step along the path traced out for it, the new
Italian Cabinet would discourage by effective mea-
sures all revolutionary schemes, and re-establish
moral and material order upon their foundations,'
and that such a policy, followed without hesitation
and without imprudent concessions to the passions
which it had been accepted as a mission to oppose,
would lead to the immediate appeasement of the
formidable crisis Italy is at this moment passing
through. The French Government cannot, there-
fore, but deeply regret the resolution taken at
Florence to occupy certain of the Pontifical
territory ; it will not just now discuss the
reasons by which it is endeavoured to explain an
act so contrary to the law of nations ; it simply
desires to make manifest its impressions without
delay. People will remark the passage in the de-
spatch where M. de Moustier declares that, however
restricted may be the Italian intervention in the
States of the Holy See, however promptly it may
cease, and whatever may be the consideration with
which attempts may be made to surround it, the
Cabinet of the Tuileries, ' which has always blamed
and opposed it, cannot in any way cover it with its
assent,' or even accord it a tacit adhesion. This
declaration indirectly places limits of time, space,
and character to the Italian intervention, but it will
be understood that there is a reserve, the exact
bearing of which events can alone determine. At
present it doer not appear that the Italian Cabinet
is disposed to pass the limits of a simple military
occupation ; it is believed, indeed, as we said yes-
terday, that it has refused to accept the plebiscites
of Frosinone and Velletri."

The Debats, in speaking of the despatch, says :
" While blaming with energy the entrance of the
Italian troops upon Pontifical territory, the Minis-
ter of Foreign Affairs in no way calls upon--and in
that we think acts very wisely—the Cabinet of
Florence to reconsider the decision so sharply criti-
cised in Paris, or to call back the regiments which
have just crossed the frontier."

The Avenir National says :—" We reproduce
from the Moniteur the circular addressed by M. de
Moustier to our Minister at Florence. Already a
note in the small illoniteur reporting an act of mode-
ration of the Italian Cabinet might be considered to
presage the manner in which the French Govern-
ment would take the occupation of the States of the
Pope by the troops of Victor Emmanuel. The
Italian Government,' said this note, ' replies by a
refusal to all requests of acceptance of plebis-
cites in the Italian territory.' This was the
swallow announcing, if not the fine weather, at
all events a clearing up, although there is a
momentary lull, since, instead of coming
to blows, words are still used ; matters
none the less' remain full of trouble, confusion, and
peril. The despatch of troops and war materials
does not cease ; the whole of our ironclad fleet is at
this moment at Toulon."

The Liberte says :—" We admit it in all humi-
lity we understand nothing of this policy, which
solves nothing and aggravates everything ; and if
we do not approve the despatch signed Moustier,
neither do we approve the circular signed' Mena-
brea.' The despatch is on n par with the circular,
and the circular with the despatch. On both sides
there is too much or not enough. This resembles
true policy as much as two porcelain dogs which
threaten each other resemble two dogs in flesh and
blood which are about to bite each other."

The Siecle has a leading article upon the subject,
in the course of which the following remarks

Occur :

" We think we are as susceptible as need be with
regard to the honour and dignity of our country ;
we cannot, however, but consider that the tone
of , this despatch would have lost nothing
by being a little more conciliatory. The
stronger we feel towards an adversary the more
becoming it is, even if we have no intention of
pushing things to extremes, to employ courteous
forms in the diplomatic relations we have with that
Power. Of course we speak only of force here from
a material point of view, for from the point of view
of law and equity we see nothing which compels
our Government to affect such an air of superiority
towards the Italian Government. We are inclined
to believe that the French Government appreciates
more soundly from day to day a situation it has it-
self created. Already, notwithstanding the scold-
ing complexion of the despatch, it is easy to see
that the extreme consequences of the double inter-
vention cause anxiety."

The Siecle concludes its article by recalling that
on other occasions the relations between the two
Governments have been even more strained than at
present. When the Pontifical provinces were an-
nexed France was so irritated that she withdrew
her ambassador, but this interruption of diplomatic
relations WAS not of long duration. The Siecle
thinks that things will not even go so far as that
on the present occasion.

Serious Food Riots at Exeter.

EXETER, Nov. 4.

Serious riots took place in this city and suburbs
this evening in connection with the present dearness
of provisions. The riots began with the breaking
of the windows of some bakers' shops and threaten-
ing assemblages before the shops of some butchers.
Between 10 and 12 o'clock the rioters became very
daring, and nearly every baker and several butchers
were visited and their shops broken into. The shop
fronts were destroyed, and the houses were gutted.
Much damage was done, and in some cases the tills
were robbed. The rioters were principally lads.
The militia were called out, and a telegram was sent
to Plymouth for assistance, whereupon 200 soldiers
of the 20th Regiment were forwarded by special
train by the military authorities of that town.
The corn dealers' premises at Exminster were
burned down to-night, it is feared by incendiaries.
The city authorities were at first paralysed, but
several arrests have since been effected, and attempts
have been made to clear the streets.

The Mayor addressed the mob in Iligh-street,
advised them to go home, and telling them that
riots could do no good. Special constables have
been sworn in.

EXETER, TUESDAY MORNING.

Great excitement continues to prevail here. This
morning the streets were lined with people. Only
six persons were taken into custody last night.
Further disturbances arc anticipated to-night partly
from the food riots and partly from the expected
attempt, with the assistance of the soldiers, to sup.
press the bonfires in celebration of Gunpowder Plot
day.

A REWARD OF liumANlTY.—The secretary of the
South Shields Local Marine Board has received a letter
from the Board of Trado enclosing a communication from
tha Prussian Minister, awarding a telescope to Captain
George Gunn, of the vessel Paragon, of South Shields, for
saving the crew of the Prussian vessel Auguste, of Papen-
burg. On the telescope is engraved an inscription in Ger-
man, of which the following is a translation :—" By order
of his Majesty the King of Prussia, to Captain George
Gunn, master of the British ship Paragon, of Shields, in
remembrance of the saving of the crow of the ship Auguste,
of Papeabarg, in August, 1.80."