Year: 1860

The following is part of the allecution
pronounced by his Holiness Plus TX, at the |
secret consistory of the 2sth ultimo II.


Venerable Brethren: Who could tolerate
the glaring impudence and hypocrisy with
which the infamous aggressors dare, in their
proclamatiOns, to say that they enter into
our provinces to re-establish there the prin-
ciples of moral order? And this rash af-
firmation is made by those Who declaring
an implacable war against the Catholic
Church, its ministers and its property, and
absolutely despising the laws and ecclesi-
astical censures, have not hesitated 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 devastate 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 doctrine and houses of perdition; who
endeavor, by abominable writings and infa-
nous spectacles, to offend and destroy mod
esty, honesty and virtue, to turn into deri-
sion the sacred mysteries of our divine reli-
gion; the sacraments, the precepts and the
laws of the Church; its ministers, its rites
and its ceremonies; to annihilate every no.
ton of justice to shake and destroy the
foundations of religion and of society," -


This is why, in this unjust aggression, in
this horrible invasion of our temporal power,
accomplished by the King of Sardinia and
his Government against all the laws of JUS
tice and Of the law of nations we, calling to
mind the duty imposed on u.s. again erer-
getically raise our voice, in the midst of your
illustrious assembly, and, in the face of the
Catholic universe, we reprove and condemn
the criminal and sacrilegous excesses of that
King and of that Government; we declare
all their acts null and of non-effect, and we
claim, in the most urgent manner, the integ-
rity of that temporal power which belongs
to the Roman Church, as well as its rights
and those of all Catholics, and we shall never
cease to claim the restitution of them.


Here we can not conceal from you, vener-
able brethren, that we are overcome by the
most lively bitterness, in seeing that such
wicked and even execrable spoliation, we
are again deprived of foreign assistance, in
consequence Of different difficulties which
have arisen. Certainly the reiterated declara-
tions which have been made to us by one of
the most powerful princes of Europe, are
well known to you. Nevertheless, while we
shall wait for the effect of them, we can not
but be cruelty afflicted and disturbed, in see
ing that the authors Of, and actors, in this
frightful usurpation persist and advance with
audacity and insolence in their detestablo
effectually oppose it. t~.- -.-


Their perversity has reached to such .
point that the hostile troops of the Sub-Al-
pine army, having been sent almost to the
foot of the walls of our well-beloved capital
all communication is stopped; public and
private affairs are in suspense; the roads are
Intercepted; and, what is more serious, the
Sovereign Pontiff is reduced to the most
painful embarrassment for the affairs of the
Church, and can not provide for it, since the
Serent paTts @ Of the Word IS cIogeS T Thns Sne
venerable brethren, in those bitter agonies,
and in such an extremity, you understand
that we are brought to the painful necessity
of thinking even in spite of ourselves, of
adopting opportune resolutions to save our
dignity.