The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-27 00:00:00

THE TREATY OF VILLAFRANC.A.

(From the Times.)
In another column the reader will find the tex
of the treaty signed at Villafranca. It is given with
a certain degree of authority, and has been adopted
by the Paris papers ; so we will accept it as genuine.
It is only important as confirming what some per-
sons still desired to doubt, as to the retention by
Austria of the great fortresses. and as containing no
stipulation which can bind Austria in her future
dealings with Italy. Everything else had been
known with certainty within a few hours of the
signing of the document. The abandonment of -Ve-
netia, the reimposition of the Austrian satraps upon.
Tuscany and Modena, and the installation of Aus-
tria as a member of the Italian Confederation were
all well-established facts. But there were some who
clung with a faithful tenacity to their idea of
" Napoleon 111., the Liberator of Italy," and who
could not be convinced that their confidence had
been misplaced. They have believed even up to this
time that there must be " something behind." They
found hope in the " honorary presidency of the Holy
Father," and they saw in this condition that the
Pope was to be relieved of all his temporal autho-
rity, and remitted to his ecclesiastical title para-
mount. They had faith also in some stipulations as
to the neutrality of the great fortresses. They would
not receive any evidence as sufficient to prove that
Austria would again be allowed to interfere in
Italy. They were confident that in the conditions
of the peace which we had yet heard we had
seen only the moderation of the Emperor of
the French, but in the details which were
yet to come we should see his wisdom. The great
outline showed only how much he had left to Aus-
tria ; the filling up would show what safeguards he
had provided, and how he had sacrificed the mere
outward and imposing form of great success to a
more humble and less obtrusive reality. Many
honest and enthusiastic men were startled and
drew back, but others, who could not afford to
allow that they had been deceived, went on hoping.
Lord John Russell took, as is his wont, a still more
decided course, and at once claimed a partnership
in the glory of these Imperial negotiations by
adopting the conditions, and pronouncing them
"just." However, such as this Treaty is, it is now
in all probability before us. There is nothing to
vary the first appreciation of those who never
trusted, or to give fruition to the hopes of those
who hoped against hope, or to diminish the appro-
bation of those who, like Lord John Russell, saw
in the terms already known the perfection of all
that could be desired—for what Englishman would
ask or wish for more than what is just ?
We have the law. Now for the administration
of this law. Who is to be process-server ? The
two Eagles have ceased to fight, and have agreed
how the prey is to be divided. Who is to make
the division? It is not enough to publish an
edict; some one must enforce obedience to it. It
isncoet enough even to bo possessed of irresistible
for
; it will be necessary to put that force in
action,
Opposition may be hopeless, to resist may
be only to be crushed ; but obstinate men who
have espoused
to lose their Power desperate causes are sometimes found
Th of calculating chances or of
counting e
anaidne of Napoleon 111. has
been at once a shield
has hitherto cheered lithealstprear to Italy ; but it
earalannssonoluyt toofgrlatatelyfu2l,
tasks. " Chase me these G
S weep' away these Austrians from the Alps
to the Adriatic." These were c
now it is to be,
the Pope."
commands which
met with ready obedience. But
Italians. obey with reverence the commands
of your Holy Father and Sovereign
" Holy Father, reform your Government and cease