Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/654

 644 U^- Miller lican liberty on Monte Titano. Two Sammarinesi, in opposition for personal reasons with the government, started an agitation for the abolition of the law, passed in the previous century, for the restric- tion of the number of councillors to forty-five. They complained of the aristocratic tendencies of this Venetian oligarchy, and demanded the restoration of the ancient Arrengo of all heads of families, threatening to throw the councillors out of window if their de- mands were not granted. The two ring-leaders were arrested and put in prison, but their confederates appealed to the famous cardinal Alberoni, at that time legate of the Romagna, on the ground that one of the prisoners had been seized in a church, and that the other possessed a privilege from the holy house of Loreto which ex- empted him from any other jurisdiction. Alberoni was glad of an excuse for intervention ; he wrote to Pope Clement XII., de- picting San Marino as a nest of tyrants and miscreants, stating that some of its inhabitants desired annexation to the Papal States, and pointing out that if so strong a position were allowed to fall into the hands of a powerful prince it might be a source of danger to the Holy Father. At the same time, he arrested two leading Sam- marinesi, who were on papal territory, and forbade the importation of provisions into the republic. The Pope replied that Alberoni was to go near the Republican frontier, and there await the petition of the majority and more intelligent part of the inhabitants for an- nexation ; should they, however, not desire it, he was to return home and leave them in peace. Accordingly, on October 17, 1739, Alberoni occupied first Serravalle, and then the Borgo. Giangi, one of the captains, at once gave the order to close both of the gates of the city ; but the appearance of a number of suspicious- looking countrymen and the persuasions of his colleague induced him to allow the cardinal to enter. Alberoni and the traitors in league with him introduced his soldiers, and in the evening the city was in their power, and the fortress besieged. One of the most in- trepid Republicans cried aloud : Viva la Repubblica, as he was dragged off to prison. The cardinal raised the members of the council to sixty, naming fifteen new Councillors among his parti- sans, substituted a Gonfaloniere and two Conso-vatori for the two captains, and ordered the Councillors to meet in the principal church on the 25th, in order to take the oath to the Pope. On the appointed day the cardinal took his seat on the throne of the cap- tains, and called upon the Gonfaloniere to take the oath first. He did so, but the heroic Giangi, whose turn it was next, refused to swear. " On the first of October," ' he said, " I swore fidelity to ' It is on October I and April I that the captains come into office.