No. 279.

Mr. George P. Marsh to Mr. Fish.

No. 303.]

Sir: The erroneous announcement of the determination of the Italian government to occupy the Pontifical States, to which I referred in my dispatches Nos. 300 and 301, proves to have been but premature.

The order for crossing the frontier was given to the commanding general of the army of observation yesterday morning, and a considerable detatchment entered the Papal territory near Orvieto at 8 o’clock last evening.

I inclose herewith printed slips containing the instructions given to Count Ponza di San Martino, special envoy to Rome, and two circulars of the minister of foreign affairs to the diplomatic representatives of Italy at foreign courts, in reference to the intended occupation.

Count Ponza di San Martino’s report of his reception at Rome is not yet made public, but I shall probably be able to send a copy of it in a day or two. It is not known at this hour whether forcible resistance will be made by the papal government, but it is not expected.

The Italian government has long hesitated in the adoption of a decided policy, and in fact it has been so constantly in the habit of blindly following the dictation of the Emperor of France in the conduct of all its foreign relations, without attempting to mark out a policy for itself, that since the downfall of the empire silenced its oracle the ministry has been completely bewildered and quite unable to arrive at a conclusion upon any subject until forced by the fear of popular violence to decide upon the military occupation of the Papal territory.

Its future course in this matter, unless controlled by external forces, will be characterized by vacillation, tergiversation and duplicity, as it has always been since 1864, and I see no reason to hope that any measures originated by this or any probable future cabinet will tend to settle the question upon any terms which ought to be acceptable to the Italian people.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

GEO. P. MARSH.