posture. It may be that a portion, though only a small portion, of
those who failed to attend, stayed away from that motive. But the view
proscribed at Rome was not largely represented in the episcopate; and it
was doubtful whether it would be manifested at all. The opposition did
not spring from it, but maintained itself by reducing to the utmost the
distance that separated it from the strictly Roman opinions, and
striving to prevent the open conflict of principles. It was composed of
ultramontanes in the mask of liberals, and of liberals in the mask of
ultramontanes. Therefore the victory or defeat of the minority was not
the supreme issue of the Council. Besides and above the definition of
infallibility arose the question how far the experience of the actual
encounter would open the eyes and search the hearts of the reluctant
bishops, and how far their language and their attitude would contribute
to the impulse of future reform. There was a point of view from which
the failure of all attempts to avert the result by false issues and
foreign intrusion, and the success of the measures which repelled
conciliation and brought on an open struggle and an overwhelming
triumph, were means to another and a more importunate end.

Two events occurred in the autumn which portended trouble for the
winter. On the 6th of September nineteen German bishops, assembled at
Fulda, published a pastoral letter in which they affirmed that the whole
episcopate was perfectly unanimous, that the Council would neither
introduce new dogmas nor invade the civil province, and that the Pope
intended its deliberations to be free. The patent and direct meaning of
this declaration was that the bishops repudiated the design announced by
the _Civilta_ and the _alleging Zeitung_, and it was received at Rome
with indignation. But it soon appeared that it was worded with studied
ambiguity, to be signed by men of opposite opinions, and to conceal the
truth. The Bishop of Mentz read a paper, written by a professor of
Wuerzburg, against the wisdom of raising the question, but expressed his
own belief in the dogma of papal infallibility; and when another bishop
stated his disbelief in it, the Bishop of Paderborn assured him that
Rome would soon strip him of his heretical skin. The majority wished to
prevent the definition, if possible, without disputing the doctrine; and
they wrote a private letter to the Pope warning him of the danger, and
entreating him to des