THE MISSION TO ROME. 31 



M. de Lesseps to Signor Mazzini. 



" ROME, May 18, 10 A.M. 



" I received your letter upon my return late last 

 night. The matter of the messengers shall be arranged 

 at once. 



" It might be inferred from something said in the 

 Chamber yesterday that an attempt would be made to 

 distinguish between the conduct and the intentions of 

 my Government. I think it fair to inform you that if 

 the Powers with which we are about to treat entertain 

 any idea of this kind, or if a language which would be 

 the consequence of it should be made use of, either 

 against the President of the Eepublic, the Ministers 

 who sent me to Rome, or the honourable General 

 Oudinot, all negotiations would be at once broken off. 



" My Government has been charged with having 

 some afterthought. If this were the case I should not 

 have been entrusted with a loyal and humane mission 

 which I intend to fulfil to the very last, and in con- 

 nection with which I have already found that I can 

 count upon your able co-operation. I do not doubt 

 but what I shall succeed, inasmuch as the result which 

 we were endeavouring to arrive at is one which will 

 bear the light of day. 



" I have sent your note on to M. Drouyn de Lhuys. 

 I thank you for it. 



"F. DE LESSEPS. 



"P.S. I authorise you to make what use you may 

 think proper of this letter." 



