THE MISSION TO ROME. 83 



directions which I received from the Government 

 of the Eepublic. Upon the day when, in presence of 

 many eye-witnesses, you created a scandalous scene 

 which nothing but my sang-froid and calm resolve 

 prevented from degenerating into personal violence, 

 upon the day when, ignoring me altogether, you gave 

 your commanders of corps orders to commence hostili- 

 ties all of a sudden and under cover of the night, my 

 mind was made up beyond the possibility of change. 

 I left with you the day before yesterday, at 8 A.M., 

 and at 3 P.M., and yesterday at 6 A.M., three notes, 

 copies of which I am also forwarding to the Minister 

 of Foreign Affairs. These documents will show that, 

 anticipating your projects, I had called upon you not 

 to put them into execution. You imagined that as I 

 had addressed an ultimatum to the Eoman authorities, 

 the declaration I made to you that my mission was at 

 an end and that hostilities might recommence at the 

 expiry of the time named, was absolute and inde- 

 pendent of any fresh incident which might arise. 

 But I stated to you in due time, and I here repeat, 

 that nine hours before the time named (twenty-four 

 hours) had expired the Eoman authorities had replied 

 to our ultimatum ; that they had sent me a counter 

 project, which the plainest common sense, the elemen- 

 tary principles of diplomacy, and, above all, the 

 dictates of humanity, made it incumbent for us to take 

 into consideration. 



" You could scarcely find time to cast your eyes 



G 2 



