The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-03-20
NAPOLEON AND THE POPE.

The n. Y. Erening Post gives a synopsis o
the late address of Louis Napoleon on the State
of the Country. The following is the Emperor's
explanation Of his agency in the affairs of the
Pope:
At the peace of Villafranca, the Emperor had
stipulated in favor OF corferring on the Pope the
Presidency of the Italian Confederation. and
urged him 10 grant TO his people the concessions
required by tie gravity OF the situation. The
Holy See. bv giving a separate administration 10
the dsaffected provinces, and bv substituting G
private citizens for priests i'll the distribution OF
public offices, would have, in the opirion OF Louis
Napoleon. retained the Legation. But the Pope
rejected all propositions of thi- kind. and even
the idea of plan Of reform, TO be executed con-
jointly with France in the year 1859 unless the
submission Of the Romagna guaranteed.
Having failed in this France thea proposed
that all the atholic nations of Europe should
meet, and that resolutions be adopted 10 supply
his Holiness with an army sufficient for the sai,
keeping of Rome. and with an annual income
inscIibtd q first on the books OF pubic debt. To
this generous advice the Pope replied that hc
would not listen TO a ything before his right upon
the Romagna had been recognized, and clsimed
besides the prerogative of eilisIing soldiers In
Catholic countries.
As regards the income rendered TO him. he
said il but compensation Tor religious taxes
and vacant benehces which formerly ,nurei TO
the Papacy, but are now abolished i'm a, the
States of Europe.
Thus" says the Imperial message, "ihe
Pope rejected successively ideas and combina-
tons Calculated TO solve the dIffo ulties Of his
position, and exposed himself TO lose, in conse-
quence Of new complications, the PROVINCES
France proposed 10 secure to him"
Once the provi ces OF the Roman States lost
to the Pope aud occupied bv SArdlnian troops,
the French government, which had, previous to
this. agreed to withdraw its troops, vas placed
i'll the necessity of sending renforcements To
Rome. The Emperor, however, did not believe
bimsel. bound To reconquer the provinces which
the Holy See had lost in consequence of rejecting
his advice. Every means was employed Ia dis
| suade the King of Piedmont from encroachinc
upon the Papal domains, but without avail H.
cons, quence of this failure the Emperor Ceased
his relations with the cabinet of Turn. Franc.
could not do more without renoGncing the pin
ciple OF non Intervention, and adopted it, so that
it might be prac'iced by all other powers.
The French message adds that the advice Civ
en to the Pope i'll reference To the necessity OF
introducing reform in the administration of the
country, was also given to the court of Naples,
but without De ter success. The consequence
was that the kingdom of Naples Was lost, and
| passed into the hands OF Piedmont
! The interview OF the sOvereisns at Warsaw
was provoked by desire on the part of Austria
TO become acquainted with the disposition of III,
Northern Powers in case of An attack ny III.
King of Piedmont upon Venetia The French
government has, on this point, communicated d
memorandum 10 the Cabinet of 81 Petersburg
in which it stated that the King of elmont Eas
10 his risk and peril, seized upon Naples and Pal
erno and that, should he eventually assail Ven
eta, his action woCld be emphatically disappro
we'd by France, whose assistance he must nc
longer rely upon.
/ Ou the whole, the respective situations of th.
great Powers remain the same Their relation,
have not been altered, and they ali seem persua
ded that peace depends on the observance of th,
principle of non Intervention.
La reference to the United States, the Messag,
SAYS: "Our relations with the Cabinet at Wash
ingtOn continue TO bear the marks of that mutua
friendship SO happily maintained tor long year
between the United States and France"