n at Rome. There is no question
any longer of protecting the liberty of the Pope, but of re-establishing
his authority on a solid and stable basis, and of securing him against
violence. It is well known to you that the Catholic Powers have always had
it at heart to guarantee the sovereignty of the Pope, and assure to him an
independent position. Such position is so important for the Christian
States that it cannot on any account be subjected to the will and pleasure
of so small a portion of the Catholic world as the Roman States. It is the
belief of Spain that the Catholic Powers cannot commit the liberty of the
Pope to the caprice of the city of Rome. Nor can they permit that, whilst
all the Catholic nations are warmly offering to the Holy Father proofs of
their profound respect, a single town of Italy shall dare to outrage his
dignity, and restrict the Pope to a state of independence which could be
so easily abused at any time as a religious power. These considerations
induce the government of her Majesty to invite the other Catholic Powers
to come to an understanding on the means to be employed for averting the
evils which would arise, if matters remained in their present position. In
furtherance of this object, her Majesty has ordered her government to
address the governments of France, Austria, Bavaria, Sardinia, Tuscany and
Naples, in order to invite them to name Plenipotentiaries, and appoint the
place where they shall meet."

The Catholic Powers welcomed cordially this admirable note, which
expressed so clearly the idea which they all entertained. Piedmont alone,
as if already casting a covetous eye on Rome and its territory, refused to
concur. Its refusal was expressed by the pen of the once so highly
esteemed Abbate Gioberti, who was President of the Council. It was not
long till Piedmont reaped its reward. The following year, 1849, on the 22d
of March, it had to lament the disastrous battle of Novara.

Not long after, Cardinal Antonelli, who remained with the Pope, addressed,
on the part of the Holy See, to the governments of France, Austria, Spain
and Naples, a highly important paper. It recapitulated, in a clear and
forcible manner, all that had occurred at Rome from the time of the Pope's
departure till the 18th of February, and then requested, in the most
formal and pressing way possible, the intervention of these four Catholic
Powers. The governments thus appealed to promptly replied by sending
Plenipote