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public, so that the authority of the Church shall be observed in
private, and spurned in public. For this would be to join together
things honest and disgraceful, and to make a man fight a battle with
himself, when, on the contrary, he ought always to be consistent with
himself, and never, in any the least thing or manner of living, decline
from Christian virtue. But, if inquiry is made about principles, merely
political, concerning the best form of government, of civil regulations
of one kind or another, concerning these things, of course, there is
room for disagreement without harm. Those whose piety, therefore, is
known on other accounts, and whose minds are ready to accept the decrees
of the Apostolic See, justice will not allow accounted evil because they
differ on these subjects; and much greater is the injury if they are
charged with the crime of having violated the Catholic faith, or are
suspected, a thing we deplore done, not once only. And let all hold this
precept absolutely, who are wont to commit their thoughts to writing,
especially the editors of newspapers. In this contention about the
highest things, nothing is to be left to intestine conflicts, or the
greed of parties, but let all, uniting together, seek the common object
of all, to preserve religion and the State.

If, therefore, there have been dissensions, it is right to obliterate
them in a certain voluntary forgetfulness; if there has been anything
rash, anything injurious, to whomsoever this fault belongs let
compensation be made by mutual charity, and especially in obedience to
the Apostolic See. In this way Catholics will obtain two things most
excellent; one that they will make themselves helps to the Church in
preserving and propagating Christian knowledge; the other that they will
benefit civil society; of which the safety is gravely compromised by
reason of evil doctrines and inordinate desires.

These things, therefore, Venerable Brethren, concerning the Christian
constitution of States and the duties of individual citizens, we have
dwelt upon; we shall transmit them to all the nations of the Catholic
world.

But it behooves us to implore, with most earnest prayers, the heavenly
protection, and to beg of Almighty God these things which we desire and
strive after for His glory and the salvation of the human race, whose
alone it is to illumine the minds and to quicken the wills of men and
Himself to lead on to the wished for end. As a p