The year 1867, although the international exposition (which was opened in the spring in Paris with great splendor) made it outwardly appear a prosperous period for the French government, was in reality a time of sharp political struggles at home, and of complications abroad. In the course of the former the members of the opposition in the corps legislatif did not hesitate to openly pronounce the imperial policy of the preceding years a failure; and the financial and military measures of the emperor met with but an indifferent support from that body. Among external affairs the "Roman question," the problem of the position of the Papal States in relation to the rest of Italy, had assumed an aspect which seemed likely to require prompt action if the imperial policy was to be sustained. When in the autumn of 1867 an Italian uprising against the continuance of the papal power in Rome occurred, under Garibaldi's influence and leadership, and the government of Victor Emanuel manifested the greatest hesitancy in undertaking an active interference, Napoleon was driven to more energetic measures.

An ultimatum was sent to Florence on Oct. 16, and on the 30th a body of French troops, brought from Toulon by sea, entered Rome; on Nov. 3 they reenforced the papal troops at the battle of Mentana against the Italian forces, and secured the defeat of the latter; and no part of the force was withdrawn until the pope's authority was reestablished. Even then small garrisons were left in Rome and Civita Vecchia; and, as much diplomatic negotiation on the part of France with the other great powers did not lead to a settlement of the question which was at the same time satisfac-tory to the government of Victor Emanuel and that of the emperor, these garrisons were retained pending the decision of the matter; and they did not finally leave the Italian capital until other and far different events had brought about Napoleon's downfall, nearly three years later. Among the more important measures of the legislative sessions of 1868 were the new press law, which very slightly increased the freedom of the press; the law greatly enlarging the army, and including provisions for prolonging the term of service and arming the troops; and the provision for a loan, for military purposes, of 429,000,000 francs.

The growth of public opinion against the emperor and his ministers was most conspicuous during this year. Republican demonstrations were made both in Paris and in the provinces; Rochefort's Lan-terne and many other publications aided the growing sentiment; while the trials of several prominent offenders only increased the excitement. The legislative session of the early part of 1869 was chiefly noteworthy for the revelations made during its continuance of the condition of the finances of the empire. The failure of the credit mobilier revealed the unauthorized proceedings of Haussmann, the prefect of the Seine, to whom had been due the great embellishment of the capital during the ten years preceding-embellishments and improvements undertaken largely with a view of giving employment to the more turbulent portions of the working people, but pursued with reckless extravagance, and with complete disregard of the rights and interests of the poorer classes. The exposure of the entirely unauthorized means by which money had been obtained for these and other purposes, and of the general confusion prevailing in financial affairs, created great excitement; and it was only with extreme difficulty that the government carried its measures for the year through the corps legislatif.

The elections in May resulted, in spite of the most energetic exertions of the emperor's adherents, in the return of a much greater proportion of opposition deputies than had ever before been chosen. The debates in the corps legislatif were now of such a nature that Napoleon hastened to ward off a possibly approaching crisis by the promise of speedy liberal measures and reforms, and to prevent further action by causing the adjournment of the body. The promised measures were embodied in the senatus consultum of Sept. 6, 1869; but the emperor's failure to convoke the legislature for its new session on the prescribed day led to renewed excitement. On Nov. 29, however, it was finally opened; and its first acts clearly showed the strength of the liberal party. The appointment (in January, 1870) of Ollivier to the premiership and the removal of Haussmann were the earlier events of the session. Great excitement was caused, and popular disturbances were renewed, by the shooting of Victor Noir by Prince Pierre Bonaparte, on Jan. 10, and indignation was greatly increased by the acquittal of the prince in March following.

The arrest of Rochefort and the tumults in consequence; the long continued strikes in several great factories, and the discontent of the laboring classes; the delay of the emperor in giving immediate force to several promised reforms, and the general distrust of his intentions, combined to diminish the at first unusual popularity of Ollivier's ministry. The new government, which had seemed about to introduce in France a constitutional regime, gradually lost the public confidence. In March the draft of a new constitution was submitted to the corps legislatif. While it confirmed the measures of reform already adopted, it did not include the hoped-for provision making the ministers responsible to the legislature instead of to the emperor; and it conferred upon the emperor the right to appeal to the people to sustain him in his acts; a provision which was generally looked upon as a mere cover for the continuance of the old personal government, and a device for concealing Napoleon's retreat from his promises to give to the legislature that power which it should have in a constitutional form of administration. The new constitution itself was submitted to the people, by this form of "appeal," instead of to the corps legislatif.