io RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



u The Minister of Foreign Affairs to MM. de Eayneval 

 and d'Harcourt. 



" PARIS, May 9, 1849. 



" What pains us even more deeply than the mis- 

 trust which is still shown us at Gaeta, but which 

 time will eventually dissipate, is the nature of the 

 influences which evidently prevail in the councils 

 of the Holy See. The nearer we seem to the denoue- 

 ment, the more clearly come out dangerous propen- 

 sities which are for the moment disguised beneath 

 more or less specious pretexts. In order to avoid 

 making any set declaration as to the intentions of 

 the Holy Father, his advisers say how inconvenient 

 it would be for them to have his hands tied. There 

 might be something in this objection if it were 

 necessary to settle in detail the basis of a fresh 

 regime; but when all we ask is what course it is 

 intended to follow, once the authority of the Holy 

 See is re-established, it is hard to understand why 

 the Holy See should wrap itself in impenetrable 

 silence, unless there is a hidden resolve to return 

 simply to all the abuses of the ancient regime. 



""We are told that there are certain reactionary 

 tendencies among the populations which must be 

 treated tenderly, and of which we have not taken 

 sufficient account. If these tendencies had the great 

 force which is attributed to them, would it not be 

 advisable to assume without delay an attitude which 

 would at some future time place the Holy See in a 



