, Protestants even,
such, at least, as were earnest Christians, and practised what they
believed, forgot their divisions. The bishops were the first who spoke
out. Mgr. de Parisis, who had so nobly contended for the liberties of the
church in the reign of Louis Philippe, gave the keynote, and all took part
with him and their venerable colleagues of Italy and Germany, of Ireland
and Spain, of England and America. To say all in a word, the note of alarm
was sounded throughout the whole extent of Christendom.

In this magnificent concert was heard the courageous language of Mgr.
Dupanloup, the learned and illustrious Bishop of Orleans. On the 30th of
September, 1859, this prelate wrote, no less boldly than eloquently:

"People say that to touch the sovereign is not to touch the Pontiff.
Certainly his temporal power is not a divine institution; who does not
know this? But it is a providential institution, and who is ignorant of
the fact? Doubtless, during three centuries, the Popes only possessed
independence enough to die martyrs; but they assuredly had a right to
another sort of independence; and providence, which does not always use
miracles for its purpose, ended by founding on the most lawful sovereignty
in Europe the freedom and the independence necessary to the church.
History proves it beyond the possibility of doubt; all eminent intellects
have confessed it; all true statesmen know it. Yes, that the church may be
free, the Pope must be free and independent. That independence must be
sovereign. The Pope must be free, and he must be evidently so. The Pope
must be free in his own interior as well as in his exterior government.
This must be so, for the sake of his own dignity in the government of the
church as well as for the security of our own consciences. This must be
so, in order to secure to the common parent of all the faithful that
neutrality which is indispensable to him amid the frequent wars between
Christian Powers. The Pope must not only be free in his own conscience, in
his own interior, but it must be evident to all that he is so; he must
show himself to be so, in order that all may know and believe it, and that
no doubt or suspicion be possible on this subject. But, say the Italian
revolutionists, we do not propose to do away with the Papal sovereignty;
we merely wish to limit and restrain it. And why so, I ask you in my turn,
if thereby you also diminish and debase the honor of the Catholic
religion, it