on, in which the words _traitor_
and _imbecile_ were associated with the name that had been so dear to
his people. This again yielded to a settled grief: they felt that he
was betrayed, but no traitor; timid and weak, but still a sovereign
whom they had adored, and a man who had brought them much good, which
could not be quite destroyed by his wishing to disown it. Even of
this fact they had no time to stop and think; the necessity was too
imminent of obviating the worst consequences of this ill; and the
first thought was to prevent the news leaving Rome, to dishearten the
provinces and army, before they had tried to persuade the Pontiff to
wiser resolves, or, if this could not be, to supersede his power.

I cannot repress my admiration at the gentleness, clearness, and good
sense with which the Roman people acted under these most difficult
circumstances. It was astonishing to see the clear understanding which
animated the crowd, as one man, and the decision with which they acted
to effect their purpose. Wonderfully has this people been developed
within a year!

The Pope, besieged by deputations, who mildly but firmly showed him
that, if he persisted, the temporal power must be placed in other
hands, his ears filled with reports of Cardinals, "such venerable
persons," as he pathetically styles them, would not yield in spirit,
though compelled to in act. After two days' struggle, he was obliged
to place the power in the hands of the persons most opposed to him,
and nominally acquiesce in their proceedings, while in his second
proclamation, very touching from the sweetness of its tone, he shows a
fixed misunderstanding of the cause at issue, which leaves no hope of
his ever again being more than a name or an effigy in their affairs.

His people were much affected, and entirely laid aside their anger,
but they would not be blinded as to the truth. While gladly returning
to their accustomed habits of affectionate homage toward the Pontiff,
their unanimous sense and resolve is thus expressed in an able
pamphlet of the day, such as in every respect would have been deemed
impossible to the Rome of 1847:--

"From the last allocution of Pius result two facts of extreme
gravity;--the entire separation between the spiritual and temporal
power, and the express refusal of the Pontiff to be chief of an
Italian Republic. But far from drawing hence reason for discouragement
and grief, who looks well at the destiny of Italy may bles