Page:Coubertin - France since 1814, 1900.djvu/72

 which suits our Third Republic at the present day could not have ruled France in 1824 without serious consequences. In Italy, however, Naples and Turin arose in revolt to cries of " Vive la Constitution Espagnole de 1812 ! " and in Spain, at the same time, this Constitution, re-established by the Revolutionists, and imposed by them on Ferdinand VII., caused all manner of disorder in the country. Now, in the face of Austria and Russia, who desired to re-establish absolute monarchy all over Europe, France continued to insist that the famous Constitution of 1812 should be replaced by a Charter modelled on the wise principles of her own Charter. Nothing, indeed, could be more desirable. One thing only was to be regretted — that France and England could not come to a common understanding on this point. Their ambassadors spoke independently, without any previous agreement ; but with this reservation it must be recognised that the various French representatives invariably expressed themselves with regard to the Greeks, the Italians, and the Poles, in moderate and reasonable language.

There remains the war with Spain. Indubitably it arose from a false principle —