GENERAL HISTORY. 



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tion of re-instating them, as far as 

 was in his power, in their ancient 

 consequence ; and Cardinal Pacca, 

 on August 15th, issued an edict, 

 declaratory of his Holiness's views 

 on this subject. After representing 

 as one of the greatest calamities of 

 the time, the almost total annihi- 

 lation of these religious societies, 

 and stating the Holy Father's ear- 

 nest wishes to repair the mischief, 

 the edict proceeded to mention the 

 many obstacles which at present 

 opposed his designs, and the means 

 he had in view to overcome them. 

 A commission had been appointed 

 for investigating every thing con- 

 nected with the re-establishment 

 of the regular orders, which had 

 presented their plan to his Holi- 

 ness ; but as circumstances would, 

 not permit their renewal in all the 

 pontifical states, it was proposed 

 to makea commencement at Rome, 

 where all the disposable convents 

 were to be given them, in which 

 the superiors might be lodged, and 

 " the greatest possible number of 

 monks assembled." A hope was 

 also expressed, that from the reli- 

 gion of the governments, and the 

 zeal of the bishops, of the catholic 

 world, they would patronize the 

 establishment of these asylums of 

 christian piety and evangelical per- 

 fection. 



Nothing more of importance 

 was reported from Rome during 

 the present year ; and it does not 

 appear that the Pope's monastic 

 policy has met with much counte- 

 nance from the principal Catholic 

 Powers. We do not learn that 

 any of them have concurred in the 

 plan of recalling the Jesuits to their 

 dominions ; and it is not probable 

 that in the present general derange- 

 ment of finances, any of them will 



be led by their zeal to undertake 

 the arduous task of re-establishing 

 the other religious orders in their 

 alienated possessions. The bishop 

 of Rome is securely re-seated on 

 his pontifical throne, and will pro- 

 bably recover the greatest part of 

 his temporalities ; but neither-his 

 character, nor the spirit of the 

 times, are likely to restore the pa- 

 pal see to much influence over the 

 affairs of Europe. 



Among the restitutions defini- 

 tively agreed upon previously to 

 the meeting of the grand Congress, 

 was that of the Italian territories 

 formerly possessed b3'the sovereign 

 house of Sardinia. The Austrian 

 Lieutenant-General Count Bubna, 

 published at Turin a declaration in 

 thenaraeof the Allied Powers, dated 

 Paris, Apirl 25, and addressed to 

 the subjects ofthe continental States 

 of the King of Sardinia, in which 

 they are informed that they are 

 aboiit to return under the domi- 

 nion of that august family ; and 

 that, in virtue of a convention con- 

 cluded with France, the Austrian 

 troops are to take possession of 

 the country in the name of Victor 

 Emanuel ; and till the arrival of 

 his Sardinian Majesty, his States 

 will be administered by a military 

 governor charged with their de- 

 fence, and by a civil governor, 

 assisted by a council of regency. 

 In the same declaration Count 

 Bubna was nominated to the for- 

 mer post, and the Count de St. 

 Marsan to the latter. The King 

 of Sardinia arrived at Genoa on 

 May 12, whence he issued a pro- 

 clamation to his Italian subjects, 

 announcing the recovery of his 

 rights, and assuring to them every 

 attention on his part to restore 

 the country to a prosperous state. 



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