New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-17


sequence, the Asphaltum Kingdom must berc-
Ceiving large additions to It's population.
v-Fgy-~--F=-E.T-s
THE FAILURE orr THE ROWAN COEFEREScE
Il will require better knowledge than we
possess at present Of The diplomatic negotiations
between the European Courts during the present
month, to comprehend fully the extent OF TIC
new defeat Of Louis Napoleon; but what we
do know amply proves the fact Of the defeat.
From the utteranccs of the official papers OF
France and other countries we know that the
diplomatic agents Of France at every Court OF
Europe made the utmost efforts to obtain the
acceptance of the invitation to the Conference
for the settlement of the Roman question. The
efforts of the agents were energetcally sup
ported by tho official and seml-OicAl press
which, by systematic misrepresentation OF the
progress of the transaction, tried to spread the
belief that the Conference was fixed fact, and
that only the want Of agreement upon some
insignificant details retarded its cOnvocatiOn.
How persistent the French press was In this
misrepresentation, may be seen from the fact
that even few days ago, when the advices from
London, Berlin, and St. Petersburg concurrent
ly announced the failure of the scheme. the
Moniter continued to assert that the Confer
ence would take place.
The attitude Of the Great Powers of Europe
with regard to the French proposals indicates
not only failure of this particular scheme,
but a general decline of France in the inter
national counsels of Europe. Napoleon, accord
ing to his custom, tried to keep all parties in
the dark as to his real designs. He opposed
A. Of Ttolt 70 tha
and outspOken defender of the pretended rights
of the Pope, but on the ground of a right of
France TO intervene in an Italian question.
Nothing in the official language of the agents
of Napoleon indicated that like the statesmen
of Spain, he aimed at obtaining new
guarantees for the perpetuatiOn of the
present dominion of the Pope; but the
only thing that could be inferred from the
hints that had been thrown out from time to
time was that Napoleon had in view some new
combination of European Powers for securing
the independence of the spiritual authority OF
the Pope, under the leadership of France. The
clerical party in France and elsewhere have
been iubilant at the last move of Napoleon,
as it opposed the claims of Italy upon Rome but
the speech of NJ Mouster, the Minister of For
| clgu AlldlIS NnlCH VIZ bdfC bhO h"J OoiOAN %
terday, carefully RETAINED from indOrsing the
views expressed III the name of the clerical
party 10y the Archbishop of Paris and others.
! The French Senate is thoroughly UltIamon-
tame body. Nearly all the speakers were
ardent opponents of the claims OF the
Pope not solitary champion OF the
rights of the Italians was TO be found
among the speakers; but the Minister, while
| blandly pretending TO a thorough sympathy
with the views of the Ultram0ntane speakers,
managed TO make his speech as ambiguous as
are usually the addresses of his Imperial mas
ter. A later speech by NJ. ROuher seems to
have stepped little beyond his usual reserve,
and indicated that at the Conference he would
openly oppose Italy. The great Courts
of Europe have emphatically disapprOyed both
| the insidious silence of NJ. Mouster and the
clerical tendencies of NJ. Rouher.
The defeat of France increases the hopes OF
the National Party of Italy. They cannot ex-
pect the present conservative Ministry to take
any bold step toward the restoration OF the
national hope but the knowledge that Prussia,
! Ru-sn. and England dsfayOr the mpcrtlnent
meddling of France in Italian matters will
strengthen the National Party, and increase
the longing OF the nation for Rome. An ltal-
ian Bismarck under the present circumstances,
would hardly let go the golden opportunity OF
concluding the national independence but, UNI
fortunately, Italy has yet to wait for its Bis
I malck.