njust,
nevertheless, to deny them the credit of having imparted new vigor, if not
its first impulse, to the cause of reform in Italy. They were not, like so
many others, rash and inconsiderate. They desired not to hurry on
recklessly to the wished-for goal. They thought it was unwise to aspire,
all at once, to the greatest degree of liberty that might be attained. The
end in view could be best reached, they conceived, by judicious and
well-timed measures of reform, and by such institutions as might be
developed at a later period, when the Italian people, unaccustomed as yet
to a constitutional _regime_, should be capable of a greater degree of
freedom. Nothing more wise can be supposed than this view of educating the
people for liberty before bestowing on them the precious boon. Their idea
of commencing the work of reform by waging war on Austria does not appear
to be so commendable. It was not, surely, the part of prudence, when on
the eve of a great and arduous undertaking, to stir up enemies on every
side. And this was really what they sought to do by provoking Austrian
hostility. The government at Vienna was not inclined to be hostile. It had
joined with other powers in recommending reform to the late Pope. And now
it would rather have been an ally than an enemy. But the "barbarian"
Germans were entirely odious to the Italian people. The power of education
ought to have been brought to bear on this same people, if only in order
to disabuse their minds of this one noxious prejudice. It had become
necessary at length to extend to them the benefits of a political
education. And surely the eradication of illiberal ideas would have formed
a profitable branch of study.

Pius IX., as has been already shown, was a practical reformer, and he had
zealously undertaken the work of reform. Austria was not inclined to throw
any impediments in the way of his patriotic labors. Only on one occasion
did that powerful empire show a disposition to interfere. It was when Rome
and the Sovereign Pontiff were threatened by popular commotions. Then,
even on the representation of the Holy Father, Austria laid down her arms.
With these constitutional reformers, if we except their insane idea of
waging a needless war, very little fault can be found as politicians. So
lately as the early part of the year 1848, their opinions were generally
accepted throughout Italy. They were, at that time, also the most powerful
party. Their numbers, authority