Year: 1871

There is flavor of pleous and bitter des-
pair in the last address OF the Pope before
. the entrance of King Victor Emanuel into
Rome. That event, then imminent and now
consummated, he morosely treated as the
most calamilous of all dooms. "We have
nothing to expect" so he exclaimed, ssfrom
human aid." "Kings and governments, for
getting their promises, leave us to our own
fate. All is lost"


This melancholy tone indicates with what
tenacty the Pontiff has cung to the temporal
rule, and with what acrid reluctance he sur
renders the hope OF foreign assistance. But
the very impotence of the cry betrays the
hollowness of the fiction he has so passionate
ly and strenuousy maintained. He objects
to an asylum in an alien and-he objects to
remaining in Rome with Victor Emanuel
lest in either case his independence NAV be
sacrificed. But what independence wonh he
have if maintained in Rome by France or
Austria? What essential difference would ex-
ist between this condition, which he so ar
IDENTIFY sought, and that which lie so doehllly
laments? SO far as the world al large is con-
cerned, they would be Identical. The only
distinction would be in the degree of local iule
and consideration. Beyond the narrow con-


fines OF the Papal States it would be purely
nominal, and the effect In either case would
be precisely the same.


The captious criticisms of the Pope are di-
rected against the Catholic Governments
Ihe great Catholic powers are the offenders
in his sight. He partially excuses France be-
cause OF her own desperate straits. But
Spain and Austria were once as Jealous in
theil devotion as France, and they are now
even more fixed in their determination not to
interfere. The Pope charges them with fati.-
lessness to their pledges anu with limiting
their assistance to fine bun worthless phrases.
Apart from the policy or impolicy of making
such proclamation to the world regarding
the chief supporters of the Church, the Pom
tiff makes the fatal mistake of ignoring and
resisting the great revolution which has been
wrought i'll the methods and influences of
public action. Even the most arbitrary pow
ers can no longer act upon the mere caprice
OF their rulers. They are amenable to public
sentiment, and cannot venture upon a great
measure OF foreign policy, especially one in
VolVing the contingency of war, without the
support OF the people. The whole relation of
the leading powers have changed. For The
Pope to expect their material support, when
they could not render it without topping
themselves and without defyin9 ali the cur





all the fatuity and presumption which have
lately distinguished the Papal policy.


In transferring the Capital to Rome, Vic
tor Emanuel has obeyed the dictation OF his
people. He has himself evinced some hesita-
tion and reluctance in this national move
ment. Nothing could exceed the personal
consideration and the spiritual Difference
which he has paid to the head OF his Church.
In executing the unavoidable, inevitable poll
nf hic Sfnta hah has, IA


studiously preserving 10 the Pontiff all that
the circumstances would possibly permit. He
accOrds him the rank and dignity OF a mon-
arch. He grants him large subsidy from
the public treasury. He guarantees him prac
tical exemption from municipal control. The
Pope has entire personal independence and
the highest personal state, losing only that
temporal sovreisniry which from its very ma
ture is not susceptible of division. The occu-
patton of Rome was inevitable. Victor Eman-
uel himself could only have delayed 1.-THE
could not have prevented it. To have resist
ed the current would have been to whelm
himself.


The Pope discloses in this allocution no
purpose OF exiling himself from Rome. The
intimations that such course would be pur-
sued in case OF the Italian occupation have
received no confirmation since the event.
There is no valid reason for such move, and
| its adoption would seem like another of the
| fatuitous mistakes which have been pIunging
the Papacy in repeated trouble. While
double sovereignty of temporal character is
| impossible in Rome, the coexistence OF the
Italian and Papal rule, each within its own
legitimate sphere, is entirely possible. The
King ana the Pope may reigG side by side
the one over the material affairs OF one unit
ed, consolidated nauon-the other over the
| spiritual affairs OF hierarchy extending over
all civilized lands. The Pope can l0ok for no


more solid temporal power under any other
sky, while the prestige OF the Vatican and ST.
Peters would suffer in any transfer from
| Rome.