THE MISSION TO ROME. 37 



sion. Moreover, such a clause, much as it was desired 

 by the general in command, did not appear to me to 

 form part of my instructions, or to be adumbrated by 

 the speeches of M. Drouyn de Lhuys, who, at the 

 sitting of the 7th inst., had defied the Opposition to 

 find any proof of the Eoman Government having been 

 called upon to resign its powers. The first procla- 

 mation of General Oudinot, drawn up, as has been 

 shown, by the Minister himself, was, moreover, very 

 explicit upon this point, as it ran : " We will concert 

 with the existing authorities in order that our momen- 

 tary occupation may not in any way embarrass you." 

 I found, moreover, after having well informed myself 

 as to the actual state of public feeling, that as my 

 mission was a special one and designed solely to effect 

 a conciliation between the French army and the popu- 

 lation of Eome, it would be prudent to reserve in all 

 their integrity the questions relating to the Holy See, 

 and not to allow his sacred person or Catholicism to be 

 dragged into a public discussion, the tone of which it 

 was impossible to foretell. It seemed therefore better 

 policy to limit these discussions to the subject of a 

 partial arrangement, as an indispensable preliminary 

 to the general negotiations which might be carried on 

 later between the different Governments. A fresh 

 wording was accordingly agreed upon by General 

 Oudinot and myself. The three commissioners elected 

 by the Eoman Constituent Assembly were appointed 

 to discuss it with me. They called upon me, but as 



