(M1) The revolutionists now resolved themselves into a kind of permanent
club. This club set about making a great demonstration, and required that
both the civic guard and the army should join them. When all was ready for
this purpose, a mob which had for some time been in course of organization
marched to the Quirinal Palace, where the Pope resided, and pointed cannon
against the gates. They also caused muskets to be discharged from the
neighboring houses. Monsignore Palma fell, mortally wounded, and
expired(1) at the feet of the Holy Father. They next set fire to one of
the gates. But the Swiss Guards succeeded in extinguishing the flames. The
rebels now threatened to put to death all the inmates of the palace, with
the exception of Pius IX. himself, unless he consented to their
unreasonable demands. Even he would not have been spared, as was but too
well shown by the balls which fell in his apartments. Until this moment
the Holy Father had resolutely refused to accept a ministry, to press
which upon him was an insult. Now, but only in order to save the lives of
the people around him, he submitted to this indignity. Mamiani, with his
former programme, supported by the constituent assembly, which consisted
of the representatives of all Italy, together with Dr. Sterbini, Garetti,
and four other persons equally unacceptable, constituted this Socialist
ministry.
They desired also to include in the sinister list the celebrated Abbate
Rosmini. But this gifted and eminent divine refused to take part with
them, or lend any countenance to their proceedings. On the 17th November
several members of the representative chamber proposed that a deputation
should be sent to Pius IX., in order to express to him their devotedness
and gratitude. They were not wholly lost to all sense of propriety. But
the Prince de Canino, true to his antecedents, succeeded in preventing so
laudable a purpose from being carried into effect. He declared that such a
step would be imprudent, and that they might have cause to repent it.
“Citizen Bonaparte,” such was the appellation he gloried in, further said
that the Italian people were undeniably the masters now, and that they
well understood how to humble all parliaments, ministers and thrones that
should oppose their energetic impulses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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