No. 414.
Mr. Marsh
to Mr. Evarts.
Rome, March 22, 1880. (Received April 8.)
Sir: The last week was signalized by one of the ablest and most important debates which has ever taken place in the Italian Parliament. [Page 649] The subject under discussion was what may be called the diplomatio appropriation bill, and the debate embraced the conduct of the foreign relations of Italy during the whole period which has elapsed since the formation of the present kingdom. The debate closed with a resolution of confidence in the ministry, which, though not so strongly worded as the most earnest supporter of the administration would have wished, was nevertheless accepted by the ministry as satisfactory, and was carried in an unusually full house by the large majority of 127 votes.
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The replies of the ministry to inquiries and charges respecting the present policy and future intentions of the government are of much greater moment, because they touch upon one of the burning questions of the day, the relations between Italy and Austria.
On this point both the president of the council and the ministry of foreign affairs gave the most explicit assurances of a firm purpose of maintaining the present friendly relations between the two states and of discouraging all discussion and repressing all movements tending to the disturbance of the existing harmony and friendship between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Italian Kingdom. I have no doubt these assurances will be fulfilled, and we may therefore regard one of the menacing clouds in the political horizon of Europe as completely dispelled.
I have, &c.,