62 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



Different as were our views as to the pending nego- 

 tiations and the hopes which they might evoke, M. 

 de Eayneval, indicated (see clause 5) the essential 

 point. "You have appealed to the supreme judg- 

 ment of the French Government, so that it is but 

 right to await their decision.'.' 



Upon the 28th General Oudinot held, a few miles 

 from head- quarters, a review of 10,000 men, most of 

 them belonging to corps recently arrived from France, 

 and he asked me to accompany him. On the 29th 

 I arranged with him to address a very pressing com- 

 munication to the Eoman authorities. 



The announcement of the forward march of the 

 Austrians, the desire to give satisfaction to the army, 

 and the hope of seeing an honourable compromise 

 agreed to by the majority of the Assembly, which, I 

 was assured, was very favourably disposed, induced us 

 to send to Eome what was practically an ultimatum to 

 the Assembly, the Municipality, and the Triumvirate 

 each of them receiving a copy from M. Leduc, my 

 private secretary. This declaration was as follows : 



"The undersigned, F. de Lesseps, Envoy Extra- 

 ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the French 

 Eepublic ; Considering that the march of the Austrian 

 army upon the Eoman States changes the respective 

 position of the French army and the Eoman troops ; 

 Considering that the Austrians, in advancing upon 

 Eome, might seize positions which would be threa- 

 tening for the security of the French army ; Consider- 



