FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   872   873   874   875   876   877   878   879   880   881   882   883   884   885   886   887   888   889   890   891   892   893   894   895   896  
897   898   899   900   901   902   903   904   905   906   907   908   909   910   911   912   913   914   915   916   917   918   919   920   921   >>   >|  
cy the Cardinal made some observations to him on his (Bonaparte's) conduct to the Holy Father, upon which Napoleon flew into a passion, and said that the Pope and he were two old fools. "As for the Pope," said he, "he is too obstinate to listen to anything. No, I am determined he shall never have Rome again. . . . He will not remain at Savona, and where does he wish I should send him?"--"To Heaven, perhaps," replied the Cardinal. The truth is, the Emperor was violently irritated against Pius VII. Observing with uneasiness the differences and difficulties to which all these dissensions gave rise, he was anxious to put a stop to them. As the Pope would not listen to any propositions that were made to him, Napoleon convoked a Council, which assembled in Paris, and at which several Italian Bishops were present. The Pope insisted that the temporal and spiritual interests should be discussed together; and, however disposed a certain number of prelates, particularly the Italians, might be to separate these two points of discussion, yet the influence of the Church and well-contrived intrigues gradually gave preponderance to the wishes of the Pope. The Emperor, having discovered that a secret correspondence was carried on by several of the Bishops and Archbishops who had seats in the Council, determined to get rid of some of them, and the Bishops of Ghent, Troyes, Tournay, and Toulouse were arrested and sent to Vincennes. They were superseded by others. He wished to dissolve the Council, which he saw was making no advance towards the object he had in view, and, fearing that it might adopt some act at variance with his supreme wish, every member of the Council was individually required to make a declaration that the proposed changes were conformable to the laws of the Church. It was said at the time that they were unanimous in this individual declaration, though it is certain that in the sittings of the Council opinions were divided. I know not what His Holiness thought of these written opinions compared with the verbal opinions that had been delivered, but certain it is though still a captive at Savona, he refused to adhere to the concessions granted in the secret declarations. The conflicts which took place in Spain during the year 1811 were unattended by any decisive results. Some brilliant events, indeed, attested the courage of our troops and the skill of our generals. Such were the battle of Albufera and the taking of Ta
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   872   873   874   875   876   877   878   879   880   881   882   883   884   885   886   887   888   889   890   891   892   893   894   895   896  
897   898   899   900   901   902   903   904   905   906   907   908   909   910   911   912   913   914   915   916   917   918   919   920   921   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Council

 

opinions

 
Bishops
 

Savona

 

determined

 

Church

 

Emperor

 
declaration
 

Napoleon

 

Cardinal


secret

 

listen

 

proposed

 

conformable

 
member
 

required

 

individually

 

advance

 

superseded

 

wished


dissolve

 

Vincennes

 
Troyes
 
Tournay
 
Toulouse
 

arrested

 
making
 

variance

 
supreme
 
fearing

object
 

decisive

 
unattended
 
results
 

brilliant

 

events

 
battle
 
Albufera
 

taking

 
generals

attested

 

courage

 

troops

 

conflicts

 

declarations

 

Holiness

 
thought
 

divided

 
unanimous
 

individual