GENERAL SUMMARY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1416, 30 March 1860, Page 5

GENERAL SUMMARY.

{From the Home News, January 18.) The history of the month is full of strange matter. The actual events are few, but their, import is great. The ultimate fact is the indefinite postponement of the meeting of Congress, which, at the date of our last, was expected to take place, within a few days. Whether it will ever take place is now a question open to. .considerable doubt The circumstances which have led to this unexpected result m.iy be thus sueciuctly traced.

About a week, or less, before Christmas, there issued from the press of Paris a pamphlet which was known to draw its inspiration from authority (and which, indeed, dare not have been circulated otherwise), the purport of which was to show the necessity of separating the Ros inagoa definitely from the Roman States. The curious points in this brochure, Dext to the source from whence it emanated, was the tone of respect and tenderness with which it treated the unhappy Pontiff whom the author, or the Emperor speaking through him, deliberately proposed to strip of his land, leaving him nothing but his scrip and weeds. It was Louis Napoleon on the threshold of the Congress, saying to the Pope, " Hsly Father, I am nowgoing to the Council Chamber of the nations to settle your affairs, in ray capacity of Eldest Son of the Church which you have deigned icj confer upon me ; and as I feel, above all things that ease of mind and security are indespen sable to the discharge of the sacred function devolving upon you as the successor of St Peter, I will dedicate all my influence to the task of relieving you from the disturbing cares of State, so that your attention may not b« di, verted from holy things, and the spiritual interests of the countless millions committed to your care. Your zealous followers have over and over declared that your kingdom is not of this world ; and be confident, "H«»ly Father, that I will endeavour to obtain the guarantee of the Powers now about to assemble, that you shall not hereafter be encumbered with any •other kingdom than that to the crown of which alone yonr exalted piety aspires." Such was the gist, of the pamphlet which has ev»;r since been circulating through every jtowir and hamlet in Europe as a manifesto of the Italian policy, so far as Rome is concerned, which the Emperor intended to support in Congress. Yet the Irish Roman Catholics from Bishops^, lords, and members of Parliament, down to peasants, had been wearying heaven with prayers fur Louis Napoleon, iutimating in unmistakeable terms their readiness to support him when he landed on their shores to overthrow the British power; they have chauged their note since.

The impression this pamphlet made in England, or, speaking more strictly, in political circles in England, was highly favourable to a satisfactory settlement of the main object for which Congress had been convened. It was inferred from the whole spirit -of - the brochure that England and France were vfl perfect accord upon the necessity of leaving 1 the Romagna free, and of consigning Ihe Pope to that patrimony wkich he claims as an inheritance frouni St. Peter. Subsequent incidents have entirely confirmed this impression.

. It is not quite clear whether the Pope formally demanded of the French government in the first instance a disavowal of tlie policy laid dowa in the pamhlet ; but it is pretty certain that a remonstrance, more or less official, was conveyed through M. Walewski, and that the Pope intimated his intention of withdrawing from the Congress should the Cabinet adqpt that policy. M. Walewski had altlmmghuut advocated the forcible reduction of the Romagna, and the restoration of the Italian Dukes; and having rea-. son to believe that Austria, Spain, and Naples would withdraw from the Congress, if the Pop* withdrew, he did not hesitate to declare his determination to resign rather than carry out the course supposed to have been marked out by the Emperor. Nobody knows whether this resignation was sent in, or absolutely anticipated ; but the sequel showed that the Emperor was not alarmed by the secession of the Minister. M Walewski ceased at once to be a member of the ministry, and M. de Thouvenel was sent for from Constantinople to supply his place. Ou New Yeai's Day tbe reception at the Tuileries had been singularly formal. Not a word was spoken by the Nuncio, who headed a dipV* matte body according to custom, .beyond the driest and scantiest common-place; and. the Emperjr uttered a few ambiguous phrase^ for which he is famous, and which can be quoted on any side, in any sense you please. On this same day tbe reception at the Vatican was distinguished by a speech from the Pope, in which he humiliated himself by a whimpering reference to the offending pamphlet and \ by suggesting a hope that the Emperor would not abandon the church, on. which condition hjs Holiness blessed Franoe, and the Imperial family — no Roraagna, no blessing, being obvi-* ously understood,