l the measures adopted by the Pontifical administration bear marks
of wisdom, reason and progress; that they have already produced happy
results; in short, that there is not a single detail of interest to the
well-being, either moral or material, of the population, which has escaped
the attention of the government, or which has not been treated in a
favorable manner. In truth, when certain persons say to the Pontifical
government, 'form an administration which may have for its aim the good of
the people,' the government might reply, 'look at our acts, and condemn us
if you dare.' The government might ask, 'not only which of its acts is a
subject of legitimate blame, but in which of its duties it has failed?'
Are we, then, to be told that the Pontifical government is a model--that it
has no weakness or imperfections? Certainly not; but its weakness and
imperfections are of the same kind as are met with in all governments, and
even in all men, with very few exceptions. I am perpetually interrogating
those who come to me to denounce what they call the abuses of the Papal
government. The expression, it must be remembered, is now consecrated, and
is above criticism or objection. It is held as Gospel. Now, in what do the
abuses consist? I have never yet been able to discover. At least, the
facts which go by that name are such as are elsewhere traceable to the
imperfection of human nature, and we need not load the government with the
direct responsibility of the irregularities committed by some of its
subordinate agents. The imperfections of the judiciary system are often
cited. I have examined it closely, and have found it impossible to
discover any serious cause of complaint. Those who lose their causes
complain more loudly and more continuously than is the custom in other
places, but without any more reason. Most of the important civil cases are
decided in the tribunal of the Rota. Now, in spite of the habitual license
of Italian criticism, no one has dared to express a doubt of the profound
knowledge and the exalted integrity of the tribunal of the Rota. If the
lawyers are incredibly fertile in raising objections and exceptions--if
they lengthen out lawsuits--to what is this fault to be attributed if not
to the peculiarity of the national genius? Lastly, civil law is well
administered. I do not know a single sentence the justice of which would
not be recognized by the best tribunal in Europe. Criminal justice is
administered