y, and restore the chapter of
St. Denis. All this was done by a brief of 31st March, 1857, and there was
now a thoroughly good understanding between the Pope and the Emperor,
between the latter and the people over whom he ruled. (M55) It was even
said that Napoleon III. desired, like his uncle, to be anointed Emperor by
a Pope; that with a view to this end, he made many advances to Pius IX.,
and went so far even as to propose in confidence the abolition of the
organic articles, and a modification of the Code Napoleon, in so far as
that parties who marry before the church should be exempted from the civil
ceremony. A still less doubtful pledge of the continuance of amicable
relations between Rome and Paris was the baptism of the Prince Imperial.
The Emperor had asked the Pope to do him the favor to act as sponsor for
the child that Providence had deigned to give him, and Pius IX. readily
consented. As he could not be present in person at the ceremony, he caused
himself to be represented by his legate, _a latere_, Cardinal Patrizzi.
This cardinal, at the same time, presented to the Empress the golden rose,
which is blessed every year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, in order to be
sent to the princes, cities and churches on which the Pope desires to
confer special honor. The blessed rose was a small rose-tree in gold,
covered with rose-flowers. The vessel which contained it was of massive
gold. It stood on a pedestal of lapis lazzuli, which bore in Mosaic the
arms of the Pope and the Emperor. On the vase itself were sculptured the
birth of the Blessed Virgin, and the Presentation in the Temple.

It would have been well if all this friendship had been as sincere as it
was warmly expressed. It cannot, however, be forgotten that the government
of the Emperor Napoleon had suppressed the Rayneval report, and Pius IX.
must have thought, although prudence forbade him to say, that there was
reason to doubt the fidelity of his apparently devoted ally. "_Timeo
Danaos et dona ferentes._"

(M56) It may be said that, at this time, the Powers of the world vied with
one another in seeking the favor of the Pope. Isabella II., Queen of
Spain, like Napoleon of France, was anxious that Pius IX. should, through
a representative, stand godfather to her son, who afterwards became
Alphonso XII. Other princes sought the like consideration, and among the
rest, Victor Emmanuel, whose daughter, the Princess Pia, thus became the
godchild of Pius the Po