Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/617

 Unification of Germany and Italy 579 his legitimate possessions, has now taken to himself the 483. Pope title of King of Italy : with which title he has sought to seal Plus IX ' S the sacrilegious usurpations already consummated, — usur- toward the pations which his government has already manifested its unification intention of completing to the detriment of the patrimony ° tey ' of the apostolic see. Although the Holy Father has sol- emnly protested as he saw successive attacks made upon his sovereignty, he is nevertheless under the obligation of issuing a fresh protest against the assumption of a title tending to legitimize the iniquity of so many deeds. It would here be superfluous to recall the sacred charac- ter of the possessions of the Church's patrimony and the right of the supreme pontiff to it, — an incontestable right, recognized at all times and by all governments. Therefore the Holy Father will never be able to recognize the title of King of Italy, arrogated to himself by the king of Sardinia, since it is opposed to justice and to the sacred property of the Church. On the contrary, he makes the most ample and formal protest against such an usurpation. A few words uttered a short time after by the prime minister of Italy, Baron Ricasoli, showed that the pope's apprehensions were by no means ill-founded. During a debate in the parliament, Ricasoli, after repudiating the idea that Italy would ever surrender an inch of Italian land, said : But the king's government sees a territory to defend and a territory to recover. It sees Rome ; it sees Venice ! To the Eternal City and to the Queen of the Adriatic it directs the thoughts, the hopes, and the energies of the nation. The government feels the heavy task that lies before it; with God's help it will fulfill it. Opportunity matured by time will open our way to Venice. In the meantime we think of Rome. Yes, we will go to Rome. Shall Rome, politically severed from the rest of Italy, continue to be the center of intrigue 484. The Italian government looks for- ward to winning both Venice and Rome.