PIUS IX. 



689 



of St. Michael. ITe was raised to the episco- 

 pate in 1827, at the early age of thirty-four, and 

 named Archbishop of Spoleto. By his prudence 

 and firmness, tempered by his natural goodness 

 of heart, he corrected many grievous evils in 

 his diocese. He introduced many important re- 

 forms among the clergy and the religious orders, 

 and exerted himself zealously in promoting the 

 cause of popular education. In 1833 he was 

 transferred to the archiepiscopal see of Imola, 

 in Romagna, a diocese at that time sorely dis- 

 tracted by factions. The people were pro- 

 foundly discontented, and ready to rise in re- 

 volt; but the pacific counsels of their new 

 Bishop prevailed, and soon peace, order, and 

 mutual confidence, had resumed their sway. 

 His extraordinary success in conciliating dis- 

 affected communities won for him the respect 

 of his superiors, and afterward led to his ele- 

 vation to the Papal chair. In 1836 he was sent 

 as Nuncio to Naples. It happened that the 

 cholera was then raging in that city, and he 

 took an active part in all the efforts made for 

 the relief of the destitute sick. In 1840 he was 

 raised to the cardinalate, but still continued to 

 govern the diocese of Imola. On the death of 

 Gregory XVI., June 1, 1846, Cardinal Mas- 

 tai-Ferretti was the first choice of all men of 

 liberal views for his successor. The French 

 Ambassador, Count Rossi, afterward Prime 

 Minister of Pius IX., exerted himself to in- 

 fluence the Cardinals in his favor, pointing out 

 the need of reform in the Government, and 

 conciliation of the disaffected populations, and 

 .the eminent fitness of Cardinal Mastai-Ferretti 

 for. that work. He was elected Pope on the 

 16th of June, on the second ballot, before the 

 arrival in the city of the Austrian Cardinals, 

 who were known to be opposed to his nomina- 

 tion. One of his first acts was to consult with 

 Count Rossi on the reforms most likely to recon- 

 cile the Papal sovereignty with the claims of 

 Italian patriotism. On July 1st, Pius submit- 

 ted to the commission of six cardinals, whom 

 he had charged with the duty of carrying on 

 the Government, sundry projects, among them 

 those of dismissing the Swiss Guard, of granting 

 full amnesty to all political offenders, of adopt- 

 ing effectual means to restore the public credit, 

 and of reforming the entire civil and criminal 

 codes, together with the administration and 

 the judiciary. The majority of the commission 

 were opposed to these changes ; nevertheless, 

 Pius dismissed the mercenary troops, and pro- 

 claimed the general amnesty. The Govern- 

 ments of Austria and of several of the minor 

 states of Italy were irritated by these innova- 

 tions, but the Pope would not listen to their 

 remonstrances. He appointed commissions of 

 jurists to report on the reforms which were 

 needed; he reduced his own household ex- 

 penses, abolished all pensions not granted for 

 great public services, imposed a three years' 

 tax on all the beneficed clergy and all wealthy 

 church corporations, reduced the taxes, char- 

 tered railroad and telegraph companies, estab- 

 VOL. xvin. 44 A 



lished free ports of entry, encouraged the for- 

 mation of agricultural societies, and entertained 

 plans for the improvement of waste lands. 

 With his express approval, reading-rooms and 

 mechanics' clubs were opened, and a normal 

 school was founded for the education of trades- 

 men. He in person made visitations of monas- 

 teries, schools, hospitals, and similar institu- 

 tions, to learn for himself how they were 

 conducted. In a word, he attempted to dis- 

 charge all the duties of a paternal ruler toward 

 his people. His day-dream at this time was 

 of a confederated Italy, but it was by no means 

 his purpose to surrender one jot or tittle of his 

 prerogative as the head of a paternal govern- 

 ment, ruling by divine right. As might have 

 been foreseen, his reforms and concessions were 

 deemed insufficient by the radical leaders, and 

 a system of popular agitation was organized 

 by Mazzini and others, determined to accept 

 nothing short of a republican form of govern- 

 ment. On April 19, 1847, the Pope granted a 

 Consulta or High Council, composed of deputies 

 from each province, whose functions were to 

 be simply advisory. The people clamored for 

 a truly popular assembly and for radical ad- 

 ministrative changes ; they demanded the or- 

 ganization of a civic guard, in view of the 

 threatening attitude of Austria. On July 6th 

 the Pope decreed the formation of this civic 

 guard, in spite of the remonstrances of his 

 official advisers. The Oonsulta met November 

 15th, and immediately demanded a purely secu- 

 lar administration, freedom of the press, eman- 

 cipation of the Jews, and the suppression of 

 the Jesuit Society. In March, 1848, the Roman 

 municipality obtained from the Pope the prom- 

 ise of a liberal Constitution, with elective Cham- 

 bers vested with ordinary parliamentary pow- 

 ers. This new Constitution was promulgated 

 March 14th. The Government was to be con- 

 stituted as follows : First was the College of 

 Cardinals, which was responsible to none but 

 the Pope himself, and which deliberated in 

 secret consistory. Next was a Council of State 

 appointed by the Pope, whose province it was 

 to frame laws and advise the sovereign. Then 

 came the Parliament proper, consisting of an 

 Upper Chamber, composed of life-members 

 named by the Pope, and a Chamber of Depu- 

 ties elected by the people, on the basis of one 

 deputy to a constituency of 30,000 souls. In 

 legislation the initiative belonged to the min- 

 isters, but a bill might be introduced by any 

 deputy on the demand of ten of his colleagues. 

 This -crude attempt at reconciling absolutism 

 with popular government failed of course to 

 satisfy the demands of the political agitators, 

 and the troubles of the Papacy continued to 

 increase. A few days after the promulgation 

 of this Constitution, Piedmont declared war 

 against Austria, and the Pope was urged to 

 espouse the cause of his country and also de- 

 clare war. He refused to assume the offensive, 

 but blessed his army on its departure for the 

 frontier, under explicit instructions to act strict- 



