The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-25 00:00:00

SPEECH OF BARON BICASOLL

In presenting to the Chamber of Deputies at
Turin, on the 20th inst., the papers relating to the
Roman question (which have already appeared in
our columns), Baron Ricasoli expressed himself in
the following terms :
" The Government of the King is happy to find
itself again in presence of the representatives of the
country, and to submit to their judgment its con-
duct upon a question which most sensibly touches
the sentiments of the nation. The great statesman
whose loss we can never sufficiently deplore, and
whum I more than anyone else personally lament,
because with far less power I have been obliged to
undertake the arduous duty which he so well dis-
charged—that great statesman proclaimed a preg-
nant principle on the subject of the Roman ques-
tion, viz., the principle of a free church in a free
state. In succeeding to this responsible inheritance
I have deemed it a sacred duty to realise this idea,
which is as vast as it is simple. Accordingly, I
have endeavoured to sum up in a few articles reci-
procal guarantees for the liberty of the church and
the state, and I have resolved once more, in the
name of all my colleagues and by express command
of his Majesty the King, to address myself to the
justice of mind and to the goodness of heart of the
Sovereign Pontiff. But as, unfortunately, every
channel for treating directly with hitn was closed,
we have sought the good offices of the magnanimous
Emperor of the French, and of his Government,
whose goodwill towards Italy, as well as his respect
and affection for the Holy See, have been displayed
by so many numerous and remarkable proofs.
Already, upon another occasion, I have bad to state
to you solemnly by what means it was the wish of the
King's Government to advance to Rome. This step
should not be the result of a disordered impulse,nor of
violent measures ; it should not be accomplished by
destroying, but by building up, tad furnishing to
the church an opportunity of acquiring new splen-
dour and new dignity, by shaking off temporal ties
which render her a slave while they appear to pre-
serve her power. Whenever the question of Rome

has hem debated I have made it a condition
that it was necessary to act in conjunction with
France, for Italy will never forget the gratitude she
owes to that country for the powerful support to
which she owes her actual condition, a condition
which—if she continue in the sensible and resolute
path which she has hitherto so nobly followed—
allows her to exalt herself to her true rank among

the powers. The conduct of the Government of the
King was therefore conformable to his declarations,
to his sentiments, rind to expediency, when he de
termined to settle the Roman question by means of
an agreement with the Holy Father, upon the basis
of liberty for Church and State respectively, as well
as when he applied to the French Government for
its consent to act as the exponent of his sentiments
and proposals to the Holy Chair. Unfortunately, at
that time it seemed that the Holy Father was not
disposed to listen to any proposition, and the Impe-
rial Government judged in its wisdom that, under
such circumstances, it would not be prudent to un-
dertake the task of presenting the proposal which
the Government of the King, animated by loyal in-
tentions towards the church, had prepared with the

greatest care. To-day the government of the King
feels the necessity of making known to the repre-
sentatives of the nation as well as to the whole world
how ho has understood that his daty should be ful-
filled, and the means he has adopted to discharge his
obligations to you and to Italy. He thinks it
useful to state that the Italian nation in its desire to
accomplish the work of its liberty and indepen-
dence, does not desire to attain this object by
causing an injury to religion and to the church.

When—these sentiments are well understood and
well appreciated he hopes to obtain the support of

all honest minds, and above all the support of those
who at home and abroad, whilst they love liberty
and independence, tremble lest these great bless-
ings may not be obtained without injury to reli-
gion and without reducing the church to slavery.
This assent of tranquillised consciences will,we feel
assured, open channels which until now have re-
mained closed, and will convince the Catholic
world and the Holy Father that the sentiments of
his Majesty the King of Italy, and of his Govern-
ment, as well as of the entire nation, are faithful
and loyal to the church, at the same time that they
are firmly bent on maintaining the rights of the
nation. I have the honour to lay upon:the table of
the Chamber the project to which I have alluded."

The articles proposed for the acceptance of the
Pope are as follows :
Article 1. The Sovereign Pontiff preserves the dignity,
the inviolability, and all the other prerogatives of the
sovereignty, and, in addition, the precedence established by
custom over the King and other Sovereigns. The Cardinals
of the Holy Church shall retain the title of Prince, and the
honours which are attached to it.

" Art. 2. The Government of his Majesty the King of
Italy pledges itself not to interpose an obstacle on any occa-
sion to the acts performed ly the Sovereign Pontiff in vir-
tue of the Divine right as Chief of the Church, and in virtue
of the canonical law as Patriarch of the West and Primate
of Italy.
Art. 3. The same Government recognizes the right of the
Sovereign Pontiff to send nuncios abroad, and undertakes
to protect them so long as they shall be in the territory of
the State.
Art. 4. The Sovereign Pontiff shall have full liberty of
communication with the Bishops and all the faithful, and
reciprocally, without interference on the part of theovern-
ment . He shall also be able to convoke in the plac G
es and
in the forms that he shall judge expedient the councils and
the ecclesiastical synods.
Art. 5. The Bishops in their dioceses, and the curates
in their parishes, shall be exempt from all Governmental
interference in the exercise of their ministry.
Art. 6. They nottwoitohffstaerinettes punished notwithstanding,
by the
laws of the kingdom., in subjection
to the
live,
ive.
regard

Art. 7. His Majesty renounces entirely the right of
patronage as respects ecclesiastical benefices.

Art, 8. The Italian Government renounces all inter-
ference in the nomination of the Bishops.

Art. 9. The same Government undertakes to furnish to
the Holy See a fixed and irrevocable dotation, the amount of
which shall be regulated by mutual consent.
Art. 10. The Government of his Majesty the King of
Italy, in order that all the Powers and all the Catholic
peoples may contribute to tht, maintenance of the Holy See,
will open with those Powers the proper negotiations for
determining the quota of each of them in the dotation
spoken of in the preceding article.
Art. 11. The negotiations shall also be directed to oh •
taining the guarantees of what is established in the pre-
ceding articles.
Art. 12. In accordance with these conditions the Sove-
reign Pontiff and the Government of his Majesty the King
of Italy shall come to an agreement by means of commis-
sioners delegated for that purpose.

It is most probable (says the Court Journa., ,at
her Majesty and the Prince Consort will reside at the
White Lodge, Richmond Park, for a short time previous to
the departure of the Court for Osborne• Some of the royal
household have been engaged during the past week getting
the lodge ready for her lktajesty's reception,

d) th