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These replies with the documents already cited were published in the Libro Verde or Green Book by the government at the commencement of the debates on the Law of Guarantees. As the documents concerned the efforts to sound the opinions of the various governments on the occupation of Rome, before as well as after the event, so their publication served to inform the Parliament of the assurances that had gone out from their foreign ministry in the name of Italy. (Documenti Diplomatici relativi alla Questione Romana communiçati dal Minister o degli Affari Esteri nella’ tornata del 19 dicembre 1870. Camera dei Deputati. Sessione 1870–1871. Prima della XI Legislatura. Doe. No 46 The same text is also printed in the parliamentary debates, Deputati, 19 dicembre 1870, p. 100–128.)
The original French text of this part of this important statement: „La loi du 13 mai en reconnaissant l’existence d’un Corps Diplomatique auprès du Saint-Père, ainsi que le droit de continuer à envoyer des Nonces auprès des chefs des autres gouvernements, laisse intacte la grande situation que le droit public de l’Europe a reconnue au Pape, pour ce qui concerne l’exercice de sa haute mission spirituelle... Notre devoir est donc de faire connaître à l’Europe que rien n’est changé au point de vue de droit public dans la situation de la Papauté, en ce qui touche son pouvoir spirituel. C’est dans ce but que nous portons à la connaissance du Cabinet [Français] la loi qui vient d’être promulguée. Cette loi n’est en effet, dans sa première partie, qu’une reconnaissance explicite et formelle des prérogatives et des honneurs que le droit international accorde à la Papauté“. Cited from the copy sent to the French Foreign Ministry. A. E. Ft. Rome. Mémoires et Documents, 1865–1883, folio page 278. This copy is lithographed, with a space left free after the word “Cabinet” to be filled in by hand according to the government concerned.
The circular of May 20 was not a fulsome glorification of the international position of the Pope but an effort to get the acquiescence of the powers to the Law of Guarantees. As such acquiescence, in view of the denunciation of the Pope, was out of the question, the powers avoided committing themselves upon the letter. Though dated May 20, it was not communicated to the governments until June. On July 1, de Sonnaz in Brussels reported that he had communicated the text of the law, with the commentary, to Baron d’Anethan. The text, he said, was already known and d’Anethan had a copy on his desk on that occasion. The foreign minister made no comment, he reported. It is evident that Visconti-Venosta wanted some kind of reply to his communication. The French minister to Italy, Count Horace de Choiseul, in a note to Visconti-Venosta dated June 28, 1871, informs him that envoy Nigra in Paris had transmitted to Favre a complaint that Visconti-Venosta had not received from Choiseul an acknowledgment of the reception of the copy. Choiseul assures the foreign minister that the copy was sent to Favre on June 10, with the dispatch of Visconti-Venosta under date of May 20, containing a commentary on the law. (A. E. It. r. Nigra. 28/6/71 S.P. 2021) If Favre did not even acknowledge receipt of the notification, the explanation was Favre’s desire to be noncommittal and not Choiseul’s negligence.
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Graham, R.A. (1951). Italy’s Assurances to the Governments. In: The Rise of the Double Diplomatic Corps in Rome. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-1023-3_3
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