LIO
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Kntui&tions to King Louis XVIII. Consalvi, how- of those who were then pioneen of the greater libertr
ever, who wbh accredited to all the sovereigns tiien at that had become inevitable. Stern attempts were
Paris, strongly resented this mission, which he held to made to purify the Curia and to control the crowd of in-
be a slight to himself. Louis XVIIJ endeavoured to efficient and venal officialt tbat composed its staff.
smooth over matters, but the powerful Secretary of Indifferentiam and the Proteetant proselytism of the
State had his way, and Delia Genga returned to Rome, period were combated; the devotion of the CiUbolic
whence he again retired to Montinelli. Here he re- world wasstimulated by theiubileeof 1825,inapiteof
mained for two years, when Pius VII created him car- the o[>position of timid and reactionary pr«lat«s or
dinalof Santa Maria in Trastevere and appointed him sovereigns; the persecution of the Catholics in the
Bishop of Sinigagtia. But his ill-health necessitated NetherlandB was met and overcome, and the move-
residence in the healthy air of Spoleto and he never ment for the emancipation of the Cathohcs ii "
British isles 1
Bured. Popular discontent with tbe government of the Pa^ States was met by the severitiefl of Cardinal Rivarola.
The legitimist cause in Franee and in Spain, though marked in both countries by the misuse of religion as an instrumeat of po- Utical reaction, was supported, even when (as in the suppression of the Jesuit schools in Fnaet, and the vacancy of Mexican sees owing to the claims of Spain over her former colonies) the repre- sentatives of that cause showed themselves indifferent or opposed to the interests of the Faith. Consalvi was consulted and ad- mired by the pope, who, both in this case and that w the treasurer Cristaldi, ^owed him- self too magnanimous to allow
entered his diocese, which he
signed two years later. In 1820,
his health being improved, he
was made Vicar of Rome, aroh-
priest of the Liberian Basilica and
prefect of several congregations.
Tliree years later, on 20 August,
Pius VII died, and on 2 Sep-
tember the conclave opened at
tbeQuirinal. 1 1 lasted fort wen ty-
sixdays. Atfirstthemost prom-
inent candidates were Cardinal
Severoli, the representative of
the Zclantt, and Cardinal Castig-
lioni (afterwards PiusVIII), the
representative of the moderate
party. Castiglioni was the can-
didate most desired by the great
Catholic powers, but, in spite of
their wishes Severoii's influence
grew daily and by the morning
of 21 September, he Tifld received
asmanyas twenty-six votes. As
this meant that he would probably
be elected at the next scrutiny.
Cardinal Albani, who represented
Austria at the conclave, informed
his colleagues that the election
of Cardinal Severoli would not
be acceptable to the emperor
and pronounced a formal veto.
The Zelanti were furious, but,
at Severoii's suggestion, trans-
ferred their support to Delia
Genga, and before the powers
realized what was happening,
triumphantly elected him by
thirty-four votes on the morning
of 28 September. At first, bow-
ever, the pope-elect was unwil-
ling to accept the office. With
tears he reminded the cardinals
of his ill-health. " You are elect-
ing a dead man ", he said, JDut,
when they insisted that it was
bis duty to accept, he gave way
and gracefully assuring Caniinal Castiglioni that he and recovered only ~ uj » uu.<«,.^ i,...u..6u mo some day was to be Pius VIII, announced his own prayers of the venerable Bishop of Marittima, Vin- intention of taking the style of Leo XII. cenzo Strambi, whose life was rflered to God and
Immediately after his election he appointed Delia accepted in the stead of the pope's. On 5 Feb- Somaglia, an octogenarian. Secretary of State, an act ruary, 1829 after a private audience with Cardinal signiUcact of the policy of the new reign. Leo was Bemetti, who had replaced Somaglia as Secretary of crowned on 5 October. His first measures were some State in 1828, he was suddenly taken ill and seemed notverysuccessfut attempts to repress the brigandage himself to know that his end was near. Ontfaeeighth and license then prevalent in Manttima and the Cam- he asked for and received the Viaticum and waa pagna, and the publication of an ordinance that con- anointed. On the evening of the ninth he lapsed lined again to their Ghettoes the Jews, who had moved into unconsciousness and on the morning of the tentii into the city during the period of the Revolution, he died. He had a noble character, a passion for order These measures are typical of the temper and policy of and efficiency, but he lacked insight into, and sym- l«o XII. There is sometbing pathetic in the con- patby with, the temporal developments of his period, traat between the intelligence and masterly enerm His rale was unpopular in Rome and in the Papal displaye<i b^ him as ruier of the Church and the inefn- States, and by various measures of his reign be ciency of his policy as ruler of the Papal States. In diminished greatly for his successors their chances face of the new social and political order, he undertook of solving the new problems that confronte<l them. the defence of ancient custom and accepted institu- AstArn de Mo.'sroii Hitioirt du Papt Uon Xlt (Piris. " I- I- J ...... ■ isight into the hopes and visions i843>; CkateVubriand, JW/moiVt. rfoinir-ianift* li {Bnaesh,
against the appreciation oj
but the cardinal's death ii
prevented the contribution erf his wisdom to the councils of the Holy See. The CoUegio Romano was restoredto the efficient hands of the Jesuite in 1824; the Free- masons and other secret societies were condemned in 1825; the Vatican printing press was re- stored and the Vatican tjbraiy enriched ; scholars like Zuria, Martucci, and Champollion were encouraged: much was done to- wards the rebuilding of St. Paij's and the restoration of the seemli- nesa of worship. But Leo's health was too frail to support his un- remitting devotion to the affaire of the Church. Even in Decem- 1323, he had nearly died, by a miracle, through the
tions; he had little ii
