Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-10-27
The STANDARD.
THE ITALIAN REVOLUTION.
TIE PAPAL ALLocurloS.


2sth ult
VKNERABLE BRETHREN: 1t is with incredible pain
and profound sorrow that We are forced 10 oepiore
and condemn attacks unheard oil TIL tneSe DAYS
committed by the Piedmontese government against
US, the Holy See and the Catholic Church lhat
government YOU are aware, abusing the victory
which by the aid of a warlike and great nation It
had gained in most disastrous war, extended ITS
SWAY over Italy, in defiance of all laws human and
divine. After exciting the populations to revolt,
and with monstrous injustice driving the legitimate
sovereIgns from their dominiOns, 1t invaded ano
usurped by an iniquitous and truly sacriSeous &C,
certain provinces of Emilia subject to our Pontihcal
authority. Now, while the Catholic world respond
ing to our most Just and grievous complaints ceases
not to protest against this impOus usurpation that
same government arogates to itself other provinces
of the Holy See in the Picenum Umbra, and the
patrimony of St Peter. Seeing the population OF
those provinces in the enjoyment of the most per-
feet tranquility and faithfully attached to US not
withstanding that a lavish expenditure Of money
and other perverse dealings had failed to Seduce
them from our legrmate civil government and that
of the Holy See it then let loose upon those pro-
Tinces band of worthless men excite troubles
and sediiion, and afterwards sent numerous army
to attack those provinces and subject them by
force of arms.
You are well aware, venerable brethren, of the
impudent letter addressed to our Cardinal the Min
lister of Forign Affairs by the Piedmontese govern
ment to Justify its brigandage. 1t is not ashamed
to tell us that orders have been giTen TO its troops
to occupy our provinces, If We did not Immediately
dismiss the foreigners enrolled in small army,
raised solely to secure the tranquility Of our Pom
tifical dominions and their populations; and you
aware that at the very time that letter was re-
ceiYed those provinces were actually occupied by
the PiedmonteSe troops Verify it is impossible not
to be deeply moved and indignant in presence of
these false accusations, the various caunnleS, and
the outrages with which that government is not
ashamed to cover its impious and hostile aggression
against the civil authority of the Roman Church.
and to attack our own government Who would
not be astonished to see our government taken TO
task for enrolling foreigners in army, when eve
rybOdy knows that none refuse to a legitimate
government the right of enlistng foreigners among
Its troops, Assuredy this right belongs IN Spe-
cial manner to our government and that OF the Holy
See since the Roman PontIff the common father of
all the faithful cannot decline TO receive with all his
heart those Who Influenced BY religious zeal, wish
to serve in the Pontifcal army and lend their aid
to the defence Of the Church. Here it must be OBJ
served that this OF foreign Catholics Is
chiefly due to the perverSity of those who have
sailed the civil power Of the Holy See. No one, in
deed, be ignorant of the indignation and grief
which seized the whole Catholic world at the
of the unjust and impious aggression on the domln
ions Of the Apostolic See. A great number of the
faithful, from different countries. eagerly FASTENED
of their own accord towards our Pont:hcal domn
ions and enrolled themselves in army TO defend
rights those Of the Holy See, and of the Church.
With singular malignity the PiedmonteSe govern
ment does not hesitate calumniously to stigmatize
our soldiers as mereenareS-our soldiers, of whom
q great number, both natives and foreigners, of
bic extraction and bearing illusrous names have de-
termined to serve in our army without paw, and
solely out Of love for religion. The PiedmOnteSe
government well knows the incompatible fidelity Of
our army, and how useless all the perfidious
maneuvres employed 1t is useless TO offer any
refntaton of the false accusation of barbary brought
against our troops, since the calumniatorS pro-
duee no produce no proof of the charge; and what
Is more, this same accusation may with justice be
thrown back on themselves, and fully justified BY
the atrocious proclamatons issued by the chiefs of
the Piedmontese army.
1t is we'll to remark here that our government
could have no suspicion of this hostile invasion,
since it had received the assurance that the Pied
mOntese troops were approaching our territory not
as invaders but to protect it from bands of disor-
derby persons. The Generalin-Chief of our troops,
therefore, could not think that we would have to
fight against the Piedmontese army. The aspect of
Things having changed contrary to all right and all
expectation as soon as he learned the hostile inva-
sion Of an army evidently stronger and more num-
erous than his, he wisely resolved TO retire TO the
fortress Of Ancona, order not to expose our SOL
on his march by the enemy's troops, he could not
but fight to open way for himself and his soldiers
At the same time, however, that award due
and welldeserved praise to the Generalin-Chief of
our troops 10 the officers and to the soldiers who
when attacked unawares by the enemy. fought most
brayely, though inferior in numbers fo- the cause
Of God Of the Church, of this Apostolic See. and
OF justice, we can with difficulty restrain our tears
on learning how many valiant soldiers, young men
Of rank especially, whom their faith and noble hearts
had induced to fly to the defence of the temporal
power Of the Roman Church, have met with death
IN this unjust and cruel invasion. We deeply SYM
pathize with the mourning into which their families
are plunged. God grant that we may he able to
dry up the tears Of those families bv our words II
Will be for them, at least trust ground Of
no little consolation that the honorable MENTION so
well merited, that we make of their fall,n rela-
uYes, prove the signal example Of fath dev0tedness
and love towards ourselves and this Holy See
which they have. by immortalizng their names
given to the Christian world We further cherish
the hope that all those who have goriously fallen
for the cause Of the Church. will obtain that eternal
peace and beatitude for which We have PRAYED, and
shall pray increasingly, to the most High and most
gracious God. We must also here award the praises
due to our dear sons, the Governors of Provinces
especially the Provinces Of Urbino, Pesaro and
Spoeto Who in the midst of the gloomy yicissitudes
OF the times have constantly and courageously per-
But now, venerable brethren. who could tolerate
the garing impudence and hypocrisy with which
the Infamous aggressors dare in their procIamations
to say that they enter into provinces to reestab
lish there the principles of moral order? And this
rash affirmation is made by those who, declaring an
lmplacable war against the Catholic Church. its
ministers and its property and absolutely despisng
the laws and ecclesiastical censures, have not hesta
ted to throw into irons either eminent Cardinals of
the Holy Roman Church, or Bishops or the most
honorable men of one or the other clergy to drive
religious communities from their own monasteries ::
to rob the Church of its property and to deyastate
the patrimony of the Holy See The principles of
moral order would therefore be re-established by
those who found public schools of every false doc
trine, and houses Of perdtion; who endeavor, by
abominable writings and infamous spectacles to Of
fend and destroy modesty honesty and virtue, to
turn into derison the sacred mysteries of our Dr.
vine religion the sacraments the precepts, and the
laws of the Church; its ministers, its rites and its