drawal from Rome while its Episcopate was assembled would be a declaration of hostility to Catholicism upon which France dared not venture.[1] Accordingly, the political obstruction being now removed, the Presiding Legate informed the Council that many Bishops had petitioned the Pope to forego the consideration of all other subjects, and to proceed at once to the discussion of Papal Infallibility; and to these petitions the Pope had assented.
To realise the situation fully it is now necessary to fix attention on a select and powerful body at work behind the Council—the famous Commission of Suggestions. This was a select Committee of twenty-five, including Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbishops, all appointed by the Pope; their momentous function being to receive and criticise all suggestions of subjects upon which the Council might deliberate. Nothing could enter the Council at all until endorsed by this Commission.
It was pointed out by Infallibilists that the members of the Commission of Suggestions represented all portions of the Catholic world: to which the minority replied that whatever the geographical distribution, all opinions were excluded except one. This was not exactly accurate. But within the chosen twenty-five were such advanced Ultramontanes as Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin; Spalding, Archbishop of Baltimore; Manning, Archbishop of Westminster; Dechamp, Archbishop of Mechlin; Conrad Martin, Bishop of Paderborn; Valerga of Jerusalem; Cardinals de Angelis and Bonnechose; to say nothing of Antonelli.
An important member of the Commission of Suggestions was Guibert, Archbishop of Tours. When consulted by Pius IX. on the desirability of a Council, he had
- ↑ Ollivier, i. p. 391.
