THE MISSION TO ROME. 19 



amends for a personal check, the constant instigations 

 of persons interested in a renewal of hostilities, and 

 the echo of the unenlightened advice by which the 

 Holy Father was guided, would raise up for me 

 at the French head-quarters obstacles which, if less 

 imminent, would perhaps be more persistent than those 

 which I had just surmounted in Eome. 



DIRECTION POLJTIQUE. No. 1. 



First Despatch to M. Drouijn de Lliuys. 



"ROME, May 16, 1849. 



" Monsieur le Ministre, I informed you yesterday 

 by telegraph that, after having come to an under- 

 standing with General Oudinot, I should start for 

 Eome accompanied by M. de la Tour d'Auvergne, in 

 order to ascertain for myself the real sentiments of the 

 Eoman population and supply you with an exact 

 account of the information which I obtained. I 

 subjoin you a copy of the letter which I wrote the 

 same day to General Oudinot from Eome. M. de la 

 Tour d'Auvergne quite shares my ideas. M. de 

 Gerando, a man of good sense, whom I had heard 

 highly spoken of at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

 before I left Paris, confirms my opinion as to the 

 resistance which would be offered us being a very 

 general one. Not that I doubt the ultimate success 

 of our arms, but it would only be reached through 



