CHAPTER XXXI

M. THIERS’ APPEAL TO THE KING. — AMADEO ACCEPTS THE CROWN OF SPAIN. — LAST PARLIAMENT IN FLORENCE. A.D. 187O.

The provisional govemment of Paris had sent an ambassador to Florence, M. Sénard, to whom the king had shown such deep feeling for the misfortunes of France that M. Thiers was encouraged to make a joumey to Italy to appeal to the king for help for his unhappy country. He had never been friendly to the House of Savoy, and had always opposed Italian unity ; so he felt the mission a trying and painful one. It is needless to say that Victor Emmanuel was not influenced by what the Frenchman had said about him when he met his appeal by a négative. He received him kindly, and explained that the reasons of State which prevented him aiding the emperor must prevent him aiding the Republic. ‘You hâve been a constitutional minister,’ said the king, ‘ and you know what are the duties of a constitutional monarch.’ And he defined those duties with such précision and discernment that Thiers was much struck by his clevemess. He related to a friend what passed in the interview.