ent of
the Holy Father could have no stability, and it was his aim so to form it
that it should be able to keep its ground without the aid of foreign arms.
The state of Italy, the peculiar position of the Pontifical States, the
character of modern civilization, the spirit of the age--all conspired to
produce new wants, and, at the same time, made it a matter of the greatest
difficulty to meet them. "This difficulty," writes the Spanish Sage,
Balmes, "it was impossible to surmount by chanting patriotic hymns any
more than by having recourse to Austrian bayonets."

By none was this better understood than by Pius IX. The study of State
affairs was not new to him. He had considered and lamented the condition
of things which so often brought upon his country foreign invasion, the
horrors of war, and punishments without end, inflicted on his
fellow-citizens. It is related even that he prepared and presented to
Gregory XVI. a programme of reforms, which he believed would bring the
necessary remedy. Now that he was at the head of the State, he believed
that the responsibility devolved on him of introducing such reforms as
were called for by the exigency of the time, and by which alone he was
persuaded the evils which oppressed the country could be brought to an
end. It was not possible, as yet, to inaugurate any general measure of
reform. In the meantime, however, the rule of the Pontiff was
characterized by wise, just, humane and liberal acts, which could not fail
to pave the way for the greater improvements which he meditated. Among
these lesser, but by no means unimportant, reforms may be mentioned the
abolition of an odious law which had long disgraced the legislation of so
many Christian nations. The punishment by imprisonment for petty debts
was, in the estimation of Pius IX., as unjust as it was cruel and hateful.
It answered no better purpose, for the most part, than the gratification
of private spite. By a generous contribution from his own funds, the Pope
threw open the prisons of the Capitol. He set a great example, which could
not fail to promote the cause of virtue whilst it relieved the indigent,
by distributing twelve thousand Roman _ecus_, in the form of dowries,
among the young women of poor families, whose poverty rendered an
honorable settlement extremely difficult. He also encouraged collections
in favor of such of the amnestied parties as were in need. His financial
reforms were more important. And by these