Holy Father never to abuse the favor, but to remain always a good and
faithful subject. He was not without ability; was well informed, cool and
resolute, but without any fixed principle in politics. He would as readily
have set up a Red Republic as a constitutional monarchy. His political
conduct was guided more by events and circumstances than by any
well-conceived idea of what is right and fitting. He was one of those
Italian Liberals who might be compared to the Necker of the French
Revolution, whilst Mazzini and his followers were the ultra-radicals—the
Robespierres of Roman politics. The Mamiani ministry necessarily arose out
of the popular commotions, and was a protest of the excited masses against
the Encyclical of 29th April. Its policy was no secret. In the days of
popular turmoil they immediately preceded his nomination. Mamiani had
declared distinctly in his harangues to the people that no priest should
be appointed to any public office; that although Pius IX. should remain at
the head of the government, they ought to obtain from him the revocation
of his Encyclical of 29th April, and a declaration of war against Austria;
that a new expedition should be speedily organized, and that an official
bulletin of the war should be published daily. The warlike and
revolutionary pronunciamentos, thus pompously made, could not fail to
arouse the enthusiasm of the multitude, whose excitement was already so
great. In matters of this nature, however, it is more easy to make fine
speeches than to act. The popular Tribune was no sooner elevated to the
ministry than he came to experience this difficulty. So it was convenient
to forget the grand lessons which he had labored so vehemently to impress
upon the people. He still, however, insisted, or appeared to insist, on
the Austrian war. It may have been necessary for the new minister, in
order to maintain his influence over the masses, to announce a war policy.
Such policy, nevertheless, was chimerical. It was decidedly opposed by the
legitimately-constituted powers of the State—the Sovereign on the one
hand, who, by his name, his character, his virtues, his office, was still
powerful; and on the other, the representative body. Accordingly, when
this body came together in the beginning of June, there was an end to the
government of the streets. But there arose new difficulties, and these
difficulties the government of the Holy Father diligently studied to
overcome. Cardinal Altieri delivered, on the part of the Sovereign
Pontiff, an energetic and moving exhortation in support of unity and
concord.
At the same time, he expressed his earnest hope that the newly-elected
deputies would show their good will by concurring with the ministry in
rendering the new adaptation of the constitution compatible with the
Pontifical government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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