matters of this nature, however, it is more easy to make fine
speeches than to act. The popular Tribune was no sooner elevated to the
ministry than he came to experience this difficulty. So it was convenient
to forget the grand lessons which he had labored so vehemently to impress
upon the people. He still, however, insisted, or appeared to insist, on
the Austrian war. It may have been necessary for the new minister, in
order to maintain his influence over the masses, to announce a war policy.
Such policy, nevertheless, was chimerical. It was decidedly opposed by the
legitimately-constituted powers of the State--the Sovereign on the one
hand, who, by his name, his character, his virtues, his office, was still
powerful; and on the other, the representative body. Accordingly, when
this body came together in the beginning of June, there was an end to the
government of the streets. But there arose new difficulties, and these
difficulties the government of the Holy Father diligently studied to
overcome. Cardinal Altieri delivered, on the part of the Sovereign
Pontiff, an energetic and moving exhortation in support of unity and
concord.

At the same time, he expressed his earnest hope that the newly-elected
deputies would show their good will by concurring with the ministry in
rendering the new adaptation of the constitution compatible with the
Pontifical government.

This address, however ineffectual, possessed the merit of being thoroughly
constitutional. The same praise cannot be awarded to Count Mamiani's
inaugural oration. Next day, which was the 9th of June, he ascended the
Tribune, and there enunciated ideas which belonged more to the ministry in
their individual capacity, than as the representatives of their Sovereign.
This was supremely unconstitutional, and could only be the result of
inexperience. What knowledge could those men have had of a free and
national constitution? They ought, at least, to have been guided by the
laws of honesty and honor. Who will say that they were so, when they gave
out that the opinion which they expressed in favor of war was also that of
the Pontiff? They endeavored thus to extend the sanction of a venerated
name to designs that were subversive of Pontifical rule. Neither
inexperience nor ignorance of constitutions presents any valid excuse, or
even palliation of such a proceeding. No doubt they called it policy. It
was the basest trickery.

In the hands of honest and judicious mini