Page:On papal conclaves (IA a549801700cartuoft).djvu/113

 not intended to advise that nothing should be done against a manifestly threatening contingency. The feeling prevalent was in favour of some special measure to put the Church in a condition to deal effectively with its unprecedented situation; and for the Pope not to act at all in this sense, simply because the radical proposals of Cardinal Antonelli had been deemed excessive, was contrary to the general desire. Accordingly, a second forthcoming draft for a Bull to meet the needs of the case came to be taken into consideration. This one was due to the inspiration of a Prelate—who had shown himself all along a fervent advocate for taking steps to obviate the dangers of a protracted, or, still worse, a disputed Papal election—Monsignor Michele Di Pietro, then resident in Rome as the Apostolical Delegate of his expelled master. It is not clear whether he knew what had occurred on the subject—communications with the Pope and Cardinals being in those days difficult; or whether it was a spontaneous composition made by him suggestively, and in ignorance of Cardinal Antonelli's draft. Anyhow, he drew up an outline of what he considered requisite to provide for the safety of the Church under