THE KING’S LETTER TO THE POPE, I

loved, to make peace before it was too late. Nothing could be further from his desire than to embitter his old âge ; he was ready to abdicate if that would spare him pain, but his successor would be constrained to act as he was doing ; the national aspirations must be satisfied.

It is said that the Pope was moved by this letter ; but if so the impression was transitory — as was that which the words of the Conte di San Martino had produced on him at Gaeta. The same Conte di San Martino was now the bearer of an official letter from the King of Italy to the Holy Father,

Victor Emmanuel to Plus IX.

Most Blessed Father, — With the affection of a son, with the faith of a Catholic, with the soûl of an Italian, I address myself now, as on former occasions, to the heart of your holiness.

A flood of dangers threatens Europe. Profîting by the war which désolâtes the centre of the Continent, the cosmopolitan revolutionary party increases in boldness and audacity, and is planning, espccially in that part of Italy ruled by your holiness, the direst offences against the monarchy and the papacy.

I know that the greatness of your soûl will not be less than the greatness of events ; but I, being a Catholic king and Italian, and, as such, guardian by the disposition of Providence and the national will of the destinies of ail the Italians, I feel it my duty to take,

in the face of Europe and Catholicity, the responsîbility of maintaining order in the peninsula and the safety of the Holy See.

At the présent moment, Holy Father, the State of mind of the Roman populations, and the presence among them of foreign troops corne from different countries with divers intentions, foments the agitation and the danger. A boiling over of the passions may lead to the effusion of blood, and this blood is mine.

Your duty is to avoid and prevent this ; and I see the immédiate necessity for the safety of Italy and the Holy See that my troops, now placed near the frontier, shall occupy certain positions for the security of your holiness and the maintenance of order. Your holiness will not see in this précaution an act of hostility. My government and my forces will restrain themselves absolutely within the conservative limits of maintaining and guarding the rights of the Roman people, easily reconciled with the inviolability of the Suprême Pontiff, his spiritual authority, and the independence of the Holy See.

If your holiness, which I do not doubt — as your sacred character and the benignity of your soûl gives me the right to hope — feels the same desire as I do to avoid a conflict and fly the dangers of violence, you can with the Count San Martino, who bears this letter, take counsel conceming the matter now under the considération of government

Permit me, your holiness, again to say that the présent moment is a solemn one for Italy and the

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