The British Government has never exactly recognized the French Republic,
aristocratic Foreign Secretaries having an idea that while they may recognize Kings and Emporers offhand as persons naturally entitled to rule, they may not recog- nize Republics till legitimized by a vote. Nevertheless, business has always been done with M. Gambetta, and Lord Lyons resides at Tours, and as we rather want support in the coming Conference, France has been asked as a favour to take a seat there. Gambetta, who thinks his title to rule quite as good as, say, that of the new King of Spain or the last Spanish-Ameri- can President, hesitates, and will, we imagine, ultimately refuse, so that we shall be in the delightful position of having sacrificed an alliance to an etiquette, which, nevertheless, we scarcely pretend to observe, and which, if General D'Aurelles reaches the Marne, we shall at once abandon. By the way, will the unauthorized agent of an illegal power vote, or will that point depend upon the Red Prince's success ?
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