Senator, at their head, also addressed the Romans in terms suited to inspire the belief that the most complete harmony prevailed, and to encourage them in maintaining a bold resistance. In the mean time the work went bravely on; parapets and ramparts were raised, and loopholes made in the walls; in every rione* of the city, a deputy of the Assembly and a captain of the people were appointed to take command of the multitude, and summon them to arms when the bells of the Capitol and Monte Citorio should sound the alarm; a committee of barricades, consisting of the three deputies, Cernuschi, Caldesi, and Cattabene, were charged to take care that the ground within the city should be disputed inch by inch; the orators of the Assembly were directed to place pulpits in the squares, and by their harangues to animate the people to the combat; shops, houses, and palaces were to be kept constantly open for the use of the combatants. Demands were made for horses and arms. The Covered Way leading from the Vatican to the Castle of Sant' Angelo was destroyed; the pay of the soldiers was raised, and pensions secured to the families of those who should lose their lives in defence of Rome. Padre Gavazzi invited priests and monks to aid the combatants with their spiritual services; some ladies, with the Princess Belgioioso at their head, went about preparing succour for the wounded; nuns were requested by Saffi to make ready linen bandages, and to pray to the God of armies. The government of the police was committed to the Minister of War, and he consigned the charge

*Districts into which Rome is divided.-TR.

to Captain Galvagni, who prohibited both inhabitants and strangers from passing out or in at the gates of the city, without his express permission. An attempt was also made at this time to forbid a rise of prices, and the buying up of provisions, and new paper money of small amount was issued. Desperate expedients these, but the only ones which the Genius of revolutions has the skill to devise, to supply the want of credit, and combat that mistrust which is fatal.

The Triumvirs made other arrangements, not so much with the hope of speedily replenishing the treasury, as with the certainty of gratifying the insurrectionists, and flattering the tastes of the people. Ecclesiastical property, which had already been confiscated by the decree of the Assembly, was still administered by the clergy and the religious Congregations. It was impossible at such a time to estimate its value, to determine the revenues, or draw upon them in aid of the exchequer, and this was well known to the Government itself; but wishing to make a show of promptitude, it had given out that the ministers of religion "should receive their salaries monthly, and in advance, from the very day in which the public lands should begin to pay into the treasury, all the revenues of the ecclesiastical body." Now this was nothing but a triumph for friends and an insult to enemies, without any present advantage; and inasmuch as an insult offered to the clergy is one of those which need not fear revenge, the measure was ill-advised as well as useless. The salaries were fixed with a sparing hand; 1000 scudi* to *About £210.-TR.

bishops, 180 scudi to parish priests, 144 scudi to the titulars of collegiate churches and cathedrals, 100 scudi to simple priests, and 72 scudi to regulars who should remain in societies. All the church fees of

the white and the black Stole, abolished, under pain of the

*

as they are called, were

forfeiture of stipend for

the time. The ecclesiastical estates were to be divided amongst the poor, in lots such as a pair of oxen could till, or 20,000 square metres each; the tenure being a free lease in perpetuity, subject only to a chief rent to the State, which the lessee might at any time redeem.

These decrees were followed up by a law, which enacted that the certificates of consolidated stock allotted to the religious corporations should be cancelled, and that a charge should be created upon the public revenue to the amount of 627,950 scudi, by new ones running from the 1st of January; namely, 328,185 scudi, payable, according to the usual form, to bearer, and the remaining 299,765 to belong to the Treasury. The obligations in respect of the old certificates allotted to the religious corporations, were to be charged upon the latter; with the collateral security of a general mortgage on the secularised ecclesiastical estates. The stock represented by all the new certificates was to be sold by auction, and payment made four-fifths in treasury or bank bonds, the other fifth in coin. The price of salt was also lowered to a halfpenny per pound, and it was arranged that the people

* i. e. for Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials.-TR.

should be sheltered in the spacious convents from annoyance and danger.

In the revolutionised city, clubs, tribunes, and soldiers of fortune had the upper hand. There was a hurrying to and fro, and a continual bustle everywhere. The republicans of Italy had taken heart when France improvised a republic, and by degrees had been inspired with courage to make experiments, relying on the example set them by their brethren of France. So that when the French came to attack and not to aid Rome, those who found themselves deceived in their cherished hopes, were not deterred, by the blame they threw on the French Government, from inventing a new species of delusion, giving out that such treachery would not be pardoned by the French people. Thus, the deception was continued under which Italy has groaned for so long a time, and which has led it to place its trust, now in the French Government, now in the people, and now in the army, whilst all the while it is trampled on and abused by all. But the populace of Rome, who are not particularly fond of any foreigners whatever, could not enter into such subtle distinctions, and with a more sagacious instinct, they cursed both the Government and the nation, and formed plans of savage vengeance. Yet being as docile as they are proud, when confidence is placed in them, and their clemency and honour are invoked, they abstained from any violence against the French, as soon as it was represented to them how unworthy it would be of the Roman people to trample on the rights of nations, and to abuse the duties of hospitality;

and how noble and dignified it would be to constitute themselves protectors of all their foreign guests, and especially of the French, as the Triumvirs had advised.

As soon as the Governors of Rome had decided not to come to terms with General Oudinot, and to listen to no other schemes by which the State might be preserved, their only aim was, how best to kindle the enthusiasm of the people, and to inspire them with hopes of a sure and easy victory. The committee of barricades exerted themselves to good purpose, and Enrico Cernuschi, of Milan, who had signalised himself in the insurrection of his native city, and in the republican tumults both there and in other parts of Italy, and who had gained an empire over the minds of the Roman people by his daring, issued proclamations, which are a curiosity in their way.

"People! all goes well," he said on the 29th of April, "we are working everywhere with the same assiduity, with the same alacrity. We have diligently inspected the whole circuit of our city. The gates are all made sure. The enemy cannot enter anywhere. Having seen to the fortification of the walls, we now proceed to that of the streets. Let the people go on as they have begun. The science of barricades is like that of Liberty. Every one is master of it. Defence is not difficult; offence, if the enemy dare to penetrate within our walls, more easy still. Tiles, stones, windows, chairs, are projectiles feared by every invader.

"In short, it is settled. Away with priestly government! The French would attempt to force it on us, let them keep it for themselves. Maintain that order which they call anarchy, and the Republic has conquered."

Whilst these preparations were taking place in Rome, General Oudinot was desirous to make an immediate