all ecclesiastical authorities, who have accepted it, without, so far as we know, one observation conveying an insinuation of usurpation against this Pope for what he did on this occasion. He dealt with a special emergency, as the Council of Constance did, by the application of measures drawn from the inspiration of the moment, and fashioned without slavish deference for precedent; and in both cases the result proved the wisdom of such bold action. A more recent and far more pointed precedent for an instrument such as Pius IX. has been supposed to have secretly made, is furnished in certain provisions taken by Pius VI. to secure the free election of a successor when he found himself exposed to personal violence at the hands of the French Republicans. The little known history of the Papal measures adopted to meet the threatening exigencies of that serious crisis is full of curious instruction.[1]
- ↑ The authorities are—Baldassari, in his Relazione delle A vversitá e Patimenti del glorioso Papa Pio VI. negli ultimi tre anni del suo Pontificato, Ed. seconda, Modena, 1840; Moroni, in article 'Conclave,' who, however, is very confused and inaccurate on the subject; and Novaes, Storia dei Pontefici, vol. xvi. parte seconùa, p. 131. Besides, we have been favoured with
