1802.] 
money (cedole) in Rome, was a circum- 
ftance which efcaped the notice of no tra- 
veiler. 
inquiring after the origin and progrefs of 
thefe inconveniences, were alfo informed, 
that they had been gradually and almoft 
unavoidably introduced ever fince the 
reign of the immortal] pontiff, Benedi& 
AIV.; that, much about the fame time, 
.a national-debt had commenced which 
was actually grown to an alarming de- 
gree; that the contributions of foreign 
flates becoming more infignificant from 
day to day, the annual revenue of the Ro- 
man Governnient was moftly derived from 
its territorial poffeffions ; and that thefe 
refources, in latter times, amounting to 
little more than three millions of crowns 
(about fx hundred thoufand pounds fter- 
ling) ‘were not commenfurate to the exi- 
gencies of the ftate eftablifhments which, 
in proportion, had undergone little or no 
reform. T’o this permanent and almoft 
incurable diforder, an additional: weight 
was incidentally given by the very cha- 
racter of the reigning Pope}; as it is unde- 
niable that Pius theVith. notwithftanding 
thofe fuperior abilities and virtues which 
have rendered hitn dear to the whole 
Chriftian world, was fometimes quick. 
and whimfical in his expenditure, and, 
what was worfe, impatient of contradic- 
tion. ; 
It is no compliment to M. Ruffo to fay 
that; in. his capacity of Treafurer, he 
proved equa] to his times, and difplayed 
confiderable a&tivity and fagacity. = By 
his ftrenuous exertions the public credit 
was maintained, the ftate expenditure was 
kept in order, and the Pope felt no defi- 
ciencies for any extraordinary difburfe- 
‘ment, occafioned by his favourite paffion 
—the embellifhment of his metropolis, 
ind the improvement of his ftate. It was 
tertainly remarked by every intelligent 
jerfon that, in order to do juftice to his 
énployment, the Treafurer muft iffue 
fane new cedole, and confequently in- 
crafe the national-debt. But it was 
ageed, on all fides, that. he could not 
hed it; nor was it poffible to do other- 
wil, 
‘fter being eleven ‘years at the head of 
the inancial department, M. Ruffo, like 
his pedeceflors, was to be rewarded by 
the foman purple. Accordingly, on the 
auf ¢ February, 1794, he was promoted 
to tha eminent dignity. 
ed, atthe time, that it had been an unfa- 
vourabe circumflance for him to be ap- 
pointed a Cardinal in the fimultaneous 
prefermat of eight other candidates of 
Biographical Memoirs of Cardinal Ruffa: 
Thofe who felt the curiofity of 
8514 
no great ref{pectability in the literary or 
political line; and the circumitance itfelf 
did not'efcape .the malignant obfervation 
of fome Romans. They indulged, there. 
fore, on the occafion, their favourite cha- 
racteriftical paffion for pafquinades. A 
ludicrqus drama was written to}turn the 
promotion into ridicule, and to appro- 
priate to each of the feveral candidates his 
fuitable part. We caanot help finiling, 
when we recollect that to M. Roverella, 
noted for mildnefs and credulity, they 
gave the character of the old woman, and 
to M. Ruffo, owing to the pliablenefs of 
his mind and to the gaiety of his temper, 
they gave that of pulcinella. The Abbé 
Maury himfelf, who was one of thems 
had already difgufted the whole clergy or 
Rome, by his infolent and dogmatic tone, 
and by his Gafcon and bombattic title— 
The defender of the throne and of the altar! 
We are now approaching to that period 
of the Cardinal’s life which is the moft re- 
markable, and which muf have occafioned 
him the deepeft mortification. His fuc- 
ceffor in the Treafury was M. Laporta, 
a prelate of good fenfe, of excellent in- 
tention, and capable of filling the place 
with honour, if the circumftances had 
been lefs difadvantageous. As, however, 
tire gangrene had been long preying in the 
bofom of the finances, as the whole fabric 
of the ftate economy had beem gradually 
fapped and undermined, and as a violent 
crifis was unavoidably impending, M. 
Laporta had the undeferved misfortune of 
beholding this calamitous event, in the 
very firft year of his adminiftration. The 
paper-money foon was at feven or eight 
per cent. difcount, the neceflaries of life 
rofe to an intolerable price, and a malig- 
nant report was fpread of a total national 
bankruptcy. It was natural for him to 
exculpate himfelf with the public, on this 
unhappy affair, and to fhew that the evil! 
was prepared long before, and finally 
“come to an explofion, without any culpa- 
bility of the perfons actually concerned in 
the treafury. Nothing more was requifite 
with the generality of the people, to mak: 
them direé& their animofity againft his im- 
mediate predeceflor, and to expofe the 
Cardinal to the moft bitter philippics from 
the Romans. He was publicly accufed of 
being appointed Treafurer by the in- 
trigues of the family of Brafchi—of hav- 
_ing devotedly gratified -what they called 
It was remark- , 
the wanity and the prodigality of the 
Pope—of having iffued cedole ‘manifeftly 
deftitute of national mortgage—and of 
having increafed the public debt beyond 
any poffibility of a difcharge.. In this 
lu ZL la(t 
