r was not waited for. Victor Emmanuel made haste to
become the declared enemy of Pius IX. On 11th September, the Pontifical
territory was invaded by his orders at three different
points--Aquapendente, in the north: Orte and Correse, to the east; and on
the south, Ceprano. The invading army amounted to sixty thousand men.
After the withdrawal of the French garrison, there remained only at Rome
the few soldiers who constituted the army of the Pope. A great portion of
these were, to the lasting honor of a remote British dependency,
Canadians. They all deserved well of the Holy Father, and had imperilled
their lives in his service. On occasion of the great difficulty which had
arisen, accordingly, he was pleased to address to them in person special
words of comfort and encouragement.

It was evident that, in the adverse circumstances of the time, the Council
of the Vatican could not long continue its deliberations. Accordingly, the
Holy Father authorized such of the bishops as desired to retire to return
to their dioceses until the feast of St. Martin, 11th November following,
at which date it was intended to resume the labors of the council. It was
not, however, strictly speaking, suspended. Some general congregations
(committees) were still held, and the various deputations continued their
studies. During this time, the bishops of the minority, one after another,
expressed their adhesion. The bishops, on returning to their dioceses,
were received with magnificent proofs of the people's fidelity. Some
parties pretending that the Constitution, _Pastor aeternus_, was not
obligatory, because the council was not terminated, Cardinal Antonelli
addressed to the Papal Nuncio at Brussels a letter under date of 11th
August, which removed all doubt on the subject. The rapid march of events,
however, rendered it necessary to interrupt the labors of the assembled
Fathers. On 20th October, accordingly, Pius IX. published the Bull,
_Postquam Dei Munere_, which suspended them for an indefinite period.

THE WOLF IN THE FOLD.

When all the Pontifical forces had returned from the outposts, on the
approach of the formidable Piedmontese invader, and were concentrated at
Rome, they numbered not more than some ten thousand men. Such an army was
quite inadequate to cope with the superior power of the Florence
government. Pius IX., therefore, in order to prevent an unavailing
conflict, placed an order in the hands of his general-in-chief, to the