New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-08-02
ET4CUATION or ROME.

France appears to have been dickering with
Italy, giving up Rome in exchange for Victor
Fmanuels alliance. The Emperor withdraws
his small force from the Papal territory, not,
we suppose, because he needs the men, but
because Italy demands his retirement as the
price Of either friendship or neutrality. SIX
wears ago the French and Italian Governments
signed a convention for the protection of the
Pope's dOminiOns, Italy engaging neither to
attack them herself nor allow attacks to he
made upon them from without, and consenting
to the organization of a Papal army, pro-
vidcd it should not "degenerate into means
"of attack against the Italian Government"
while France pledged herself to withdraw all
her troops from Rome within two years. a
Papal army (nOw numbering about 10000
mem was accordingly enlisted, chiefly III
foreign countries, and by the month of Octo-
Der. 1866 the French had all returned home.
The result which everybody had fOreseen
soon came to pass. The Ganbaldians evaded
the Kings forces, set on foot repeated expedi-
tons against Rome and would probably have
secured possession of the city had not the
French returned to the POn6ff's assistance.
On the ground that Italy had not observed her
promise of preventing attacks from without,
Napoleon has ever since kept force in the
POntifical States, to the intense chagrin OF the
Italian people.
Now that he withdraws once more, it may
be doubted whether Italy will repeat the guaran-
tee she gave in 1854. 1t seems probable
that we shall see the speedy extinction of the rem
nant of the temporal power and the incorpora-
ton of Rome with the kingdom of which it is the
natural capital. 1t is reported that the opera
ton is to be conducted by the favOrite Napo-
leonic device of plebiscitum, only there will
be no necessity for manufacturing msjOrities
ON the French plan, because the Roman
people, it is notorious, are Overwhelmingly in
favor of union with the Kingdom of Italy.
The Pope's 10000 men can do nothing, though
Gem Kanzler, the Minister of War, talks bravely
of putting the city in q state of defense.
Austria has consented to the arrangement,
and there seems to be no one else to whom
Plus TX. can turn for help. In the hour of
his theological triumph he is probably destined
to see the last of his temporal gloIies slip
from his hands.
To say nothing Of the Church as a
religious organization, the vitality of the
temporal power in history has certainly been
amazing. 1t has withstood more assaults, both
from within and without than any other state
or form of government ever erected in Chris
tendon. 1t has arisen from humiliatons which
all mankind believed to be fatal. The first
Napoleon blotted it entirely ont of existence
and sent the Pope captive into France. Plus
VI. died in captivity, and no other
Pope could be elected except upon terms
dictated by the conQueror. But just when men
began to believe not only in the extinction
of the temporal power, but the extinction of
the Papacy itself, Napoleon fell, and Rome re-
gained all that had been taken from it. Plus
IN. had to flee from Rome in disguise, and
there has been more than one period of his
reign when his case seemed at first view even
more desperate than it is now. We cannot,
therefore, feel assured that some at least of
his power may not be saved or restored to
him yet. In former times, however, he has
had more of the good will of the Catholic
powers than he seems to have now. France,
Austria, Spain, the Two Sicilies, any or all of
them twenty years ago would have been
ready 70 helm lin as far ms they could not
one would do much for I'M now The revolution