was, paragraph by paragraph, discussed, corrected, and approved.

In the meanwhile, the news of the victory gained by the Romans on the 30th of April, reached Bologna, and re-awakened national exultation and republican hopes. Advantage was taken of this occasion to decorate with medals those among the citizens and people, who had been wounded on the 8th of August, in the victorious engagement with the Austrians, and to obtain from the National Guard pledges of fidelity to the Republic. There was at that time at Bologna a Lombard refugee, Brescianini by name, a theatrical politician, with other Italian refugees; some of them of good, others of bad character, but all of them of extreme opinions. These men, depending on the mob, which now began to raise its head again, not only determined to provoke by their vain boasts, the Austrians, who were making demonstrations on the confines, but to menace and insult the rich citizens, and every man who was, or was supposed to be, inclined to temperate opinions, and to prudent measures. Owing to this cause the city, which had hitherto preserved the 8th of August in dear and honoured memory, preserved it now in fear of the rapine and bloodshed, by which, on the succeeding days, it was contaminated, and it knew not whether most to fear the vengeance of the Austrians, or the outrages of thieves. Thus onehalf of the city lived in licence, and the other half in terror. In this state of things the Municipal magistrates summoned a meeting, at which the President and the Commanders of the small military force were

present. In it a resolution was passed, that if the Government decided on resisting the Austrians, no arms should be given either to the populace or the refugees. But the latter broke into the armoury, and took from it those arms which they afterwards used, more to the apprehension and terror of the citizens, than to the damage of the enemy; of which more will be said hereafter.

In the other provinces of Romagna were Republicans, after the fashion of those at Rome; Constitutionalists, after the example of those at Bologna; Factions, according to established custom. Nor can I find anything worthy of particular mention, unless it be that in Ravenna, the Cardinal Archbishop Falconieri, a man of holy life and distinguished piety, who had been threatened by a few amongst the turbulent, was defended by the honest citizens, and by the public authorities, and, for the love of peace, retired from his See. The town of Pesaro was disturbed by the tumults of the people, who would not permit grain to be sent from the port to Venice; and Senegallia was a prey to the factions, who insulted the Bishop, Father Giusto, of Camerino, and committed many murders with impunity. Ancona, after the cut-throats which had ravaged it were cast into prison, by the exertions of the Commissary Orsini, had at last attained to tranquillity. In the quiet towns of the Marches faction was at a low ebb, yet Iesi was alarmed by murders, and Osimo by attempts at insurrection. Macerata and Perugia, those beautiful cities, maintained quiet and exemption from disgrace, under the firm rule of a wise Government,

administered, in the former, by Zanoni; in the latter, by Rota; there was licence at Foligno, and quiet at Spoleto and Camerino, at least as far as the times would permit. At Fermo, the Cardinal Archbishop de Angelis was arrested, and conducted to the fortress of Ancona, by order of the Roman Government, for having, so they said, held intercourse with Gaeta-a crime which deserves, I hardly know what blame or punishment; and for having given advice and encouragement to the insurgents on the confines of Naples (amongst whom he had a relation), which, if true, was not the office of a pastor of souls.

The province of Fermo was, indeed, tormented by the plots of these insurgents, and by the incursions which they made into the province of Ascoli. I have already described the earlier conflicts, and how, after the skirmish at Capo di Rigo, being pursued by Roselli, they took flight first to Arquata, and then to Regno, where Savelli, their principal commander, assembled them together, and prepared for new enterprises. When first the Republican soldiers abandoned those places to march to the succour of Rome, and there was no longer any doubt of the foreign invasions, it was Monsignor Savelli who set these men on. This fact is proved by his own letters, in which he congratulates a Major Palomba, praises a Brigadier Alboni, and says, "I should wish to profit by the good disposition of your worthy peasants, in spreading as much as possible the Pontifical Government, and humbling the sacrilegious Republicans." He ordered that the Commanders should remove from office such

VOL. IV.

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municipal magistrates as were suspected, and advised them to stir up the well-disposed of the province of Fermo by means of the understanding which the priest Taliani, and Piccione kept up with old friends; that is to say, with those who had borne arms against the French at the time of the Consulate and the Empire. He then desired that "the administrators of the Exchequer and the Communes should be warned to pay no more money to the Republic, under penalty of having to pay twice." Thus, these brigands, as they are called, not only devastated the land which they had first infested, and attempted Amandola, but scoured Ascoli. The President Calindri, fearing that the brigands would be followed by the Neapolitan troops, who were collecting on the frontiers, left the city and betook himself to San Benedetto. But the city, which did not admire Monsignor Savelli's bravoes, determined to repulse them; encouraged not only by the Gonfaloniere Sgarilia, but also by the Bishop Zelli, who well knew that the priests of Taliani's band did not bring either benedictions or indulgences.

The Savellians accordingly went to the attack, and posted themselves within some houses in a suburb, from which the citizens dislodged them with great bravery, and thus freed themselves from that nuisance. Orsini, the same who had delivered Ancona from assassins, proceeded thither soon after with 500 soldiers, and made preparations for securing Ascoli from fresh aggressions. But after a short interval, Serpieri and Caldesi, two other Commissioners of the Assembly, recalled Orsini and the troops, fearing lest they might

be surrounded by the Neapolitans and the Austrians, who were descending from the Apennines. Nevertheless, the people of Ascoli defended themselves bravely, though unassisted. In the other provinces and territories nearer to the capital, no events worthy of mention took place. It is said, that at Orte, in the province of Viterbo, preparations were made for insurrection; the police intercepted some letters there, and arrested Father Secchi, a Jesuit, who, in disguise, and under an assumed name, was living in the house of the Countess Saracinelli.

In the meantime, all the provinces, municipalities, and clubs sent assurances to Rome of adhesion to the Republic, enmity to the government of the clergy, and protests against foreign invasion. Most sincere was the hatred against all clerical government, equally sincere the indignation against the foreigners who were attempting to restore it. The excitement of the times, the example of others, the declamatory speech es, and the docility with which the people learn to make certain shows of deference towards an existing government, dictated for the most part the phrases of reverence towards the Republic. To set great value on them, and to make great boast of them, as the Republicans did, is either puerility or imposture; to deprecate and scorn them, as the clergy did, is folly, since they can show nothing like them.