The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 2, 3 January 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1868.

Nothing- is more rernatkable in the intel--1 genre, which has just, reached us from Europe' tban the very altered tone which the punlie mind, both in England and elsewhere, has assumed with reference to what is generally known as the 'Italian Qieslion,'and this has been prominently illustrated by the comments which have been evoked by the late ineffectual attempt made by Garihaldi and his followers to occupy Rome. Th" London eorrespnndents of colonial journals may continue to present their one-sided views of the events which h ve taken plaee lately in the Italian PeniuKula, but tbe stubborn fact remains tbat the ruling powers in Europe, and the friends of order generally, Protestant as well as Cat hel ie, were strongly opposed to any disturbance at. the present moment of tlie existing order of things iu the Papal Staffs, lr is mbre than probable thai, as far as England is concerned, fhe ' frantic" admiiation which Garihaldi aroused a few years ago among our cnufrrymen may have been cooled veiy considerably by reflections on his conduct, nn I avowed motives since, and notably by the energetic, protest with whirl, his so-called Peace Congress w-is ree ived nf, Geneva by the Protestant pastors of ihat city, who refined to allow tbeir city to be aii-Aver,ilde for the blasphemous and anurpChiral sentiments there put forwsrd. It mny he, too, that revolutionism has been brought too near ih:-ir own doors at home, nud that our countrymen begin to have some idea that all aimed resistance to the powers that be is wrong, and that ev^n the fact of men wearing red shirts does not mnke them a whit tbe less ruffians if their aets are those of Fenians. be they Irish or Italhns. It was. at all events, affirmed semi -officially that the Italian Government had received from tbe representatives of England and Prussia an assurance of the strong disapprobation felt hy both those Powers of any project ajaiust Rome, and it was probably owing to the significant hint thus given that the Italian Government interposed to prevent lhe Garibubiiaus from march iug upon the Eternal City. 'l'he Times' Paris correspondent states that in France it wis by no means exclusively fhe clerical journals that urged the Government to underlake a fresh expedition to keep back both Garibaldtan and Italian troops from occupying the Pontifical territory. Tha Presse. for instance, and the Journal de Paris w< re strong io their reprobation of the invaders, and of those who were believed to support them. The former journal quoted a passage from M. Guizot's work, 'L' Eglise et la Societe en ib6l,' to show how an eminent statesman who is no Catholic thinks on the Roman question, and which seems so apposite to the late conjuncture of events, that we make uo apology for reprinting it. — I admit for that kingdom (Italy) the most favorable chances ; that France whhdraws her troops from I. ome; that Piedmont is established there ; that the Turin Parliament is installed there; but does any one believe that the Homun j question will lie finally settled ? On the contrary, it would then assume all its gravity. People require material facts, great outward signs to make r ,thern comprehend events, and receive those sovereign impressions winch reveal their meaning to them. So long as :he question between the Papacy anl the new Italian kmgdom regards only the pos. e -ion of territory, or certain.matters relating to the organization of the Church, Catholic populations in France, Spain, 'Germady, or wherever elm they can be found,

■BHP— — a— MWp— mmmmmmtm. i p p iiipW— >^—— — WW will not be profoundly moved and troubled. But when they see the very scat of the Papacy invaded, the Pope a fugitive, the Catholic Church shaken in its founda! inns, find deaiandin, wiih anxiety from their Governments their rij_ht. their capital, and their repose, it is then that the Catholic populations will feel the blow and manifest their resentment. The French Republic died on the scaffold of Loui. XVI What would bcome of the new Italian kingdom iu presence of the Pope dethrone 1, wandering, and subsisting on alms in the midst of Christendom ? The Couptirutionnel nlso declared explicitly tliat the question at issue was purely and simply one of a treaty — a treaty drawn up in terms so clear us to leave uo doubt whatever as to its meaning, aad that treaties signed deliberately mid lively must, be execured with good faith. Who could say that Italy did not si^u the September Convention freely, or that one of the contracting parties used violence towards the other? France and Italy too!; upon themselves certain engagements towards each otlier whic , mu..t iio strictly observed, and from which one ofthe parties cannot be relieved without the consent of the other. No doubt there might he difficulties in tlie way of their execution, and it might require sacrifices at a certain moment to do one's duty to the end ; but it ii precisely for this that treaties were made, and that guarantees were given and taken ever since civilization existed — ever since there wi-ve States and people. Certainly never was treaty mor. explicit than the Convention of September ; iu order that France might, quit Rome, Italy took upon herself engagements towards the French Government, and it was as plainly the duty of Italy to observe those engagements, as it v.- as thu right of France to cause them to be respected. Reciprocating these feelings, whilst regretting the necessity for a second French intervention at, Home, .we cannot be surpiised that the English press hail d the \ speedy termination of tlm last GuriUtildinn campaign a.- ao earnest of the good faith of nations ani of the continuance of peace in Europe.