for a
moment entertain the idea that we would have occupied the Pontifical State
without the full consent of the government of your country!" As one of the
bystanders, in reply to Cialdini, alluded to the fact which was announced,
of the disembarkation of a new French division at Civita Vecchia, "And to
what purpose?" answered one of the higher officers of Cialdini's staff.
"France has no need to re-inforce her army of occupation. See these wires,
gentlemen (pointing to the telegraph), if they chose to speak they would
suffice to stop us at once." It would have been impossible to express more
plainly the omnipotence at that moment of the conqueror of Solferino, and
the fearful stigma which he was preparing for his memory. Not only did he
disorganize the defence, the responsibility, &c., of which he was
understood to have assumed, not only did he deceive the Court of Rome, and
inspire it with a false security, as if it had been his purpose more
surely to throw Lamoriciere into the snares of Cialdini; but, at the same
time, he paralyzed the good intention of the Powers that were sincerely
devoted to the Holy See.

Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria, had dreaded, a month before it
occurred, an invasion of the Pontifical State. His army divisions of the
Mincio were on a war footing. It was only necessary that they should pass
the river and march against Piedmont. An order to this effect was signed.
But before despatching the order, and taking on himself such great
responsibility, the youthful Emperor, who had been none the better for
giving way to his chivalrous impulses in 1859, resolved to call a meeting
of his ministers and chief generals. Addressing this grave assembly, he
stated distinctly the new situation in which Austria was placed by the
violation of recent treaties, and the obligation under which he lay of
opposing such proceedings by arms. His duty as a Catholic was concerned as
well as his honor and interest as a sovereign. It appeared, besides, that
God had blinded the revolution, and the invasion was so odious that
Piedmont would not find a single ally. "I have signed," he added, "an
order to pass to-morrow into Lombardy. Together with this, I have
addressed a manifesto to Europe, in which I declare that I will respect
and cause to be respected the treaty of Zurich. Lombardy does not now
belong to me. I have ceded it, and I do not recall my word; but I require
that the clauses which are burdensome to Austria sh