triumph;
we must either rest assured that with the tenacious, the disciplined,
and the resolute only the tenacious, disciplined, and resolute can cope,
and must therefore leave off despising the Austrians, and imitate them
in their steadiness and their attention to the military spirit; or else
we must be doomed to the disgrace of seeing them masters of our country.
A stern truth; but the only one that an Italian freeman can utter to
Italians free in mind. He who wants compliments and adulation may fling
these warning words from him."

The Ministry at Rome, driven onward by the popular clamor, represented
to the Pope in strong terms the necessity of sending orders to his army
to take an active part in the war; for they had not yet commenced
hostilities with the Austrians. A consistory of the cardinals was to be
held on April 29th; and it was feared that Pius would take that occasion
for declaring that he was averse to the war, thus pacifying the minds of
the Catholics in Germany. The allocution of the Pope realized these
fears, though it expressed only his wish to remain neutral, "and to
embrace all kindreds, peoples, and nations with equal solicitude of
paternal affection." But the Ministry resigned in consequence, and great
disturbances arose in the city; the populace were not willing themselves
to volunteer for the war, but they were determined that the Pope should
not continue a man of peace. The Civic Guard was placed under arms, but
it was soon found that the soldiers shared the feelings of the people,
and no reliance could be placed upon them. Threats were uttered of
assassinating the cardinals, and others cried out "to make short
work--as they called it--with the government of the priests, those
traitors to Italy, and to place Rome under popular sway." To avert
bloodshed, the Pope consented to a compromise; he gave up the entire
direction of his troops to Charles Albert, and published, of his own
accord, and without the knowledge of his ministers, an affecting
remonstrance to his people.

Pius also wrote an earnest letter to the Emperor of Austria, entreating
him to put a stop to the war by acknowledging the independence of
Venetia and Lombardy. "Let not the generous German nation take it ill,"
he said, "if we invite them to lay resentment aside, and to convert into
the beneficial relations of friendly neighborhood a domination which
could never be prosperous or noble while it depended solely on the
sword." But