The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

;500 SHAM REFORM AND REAL RE-ACTION.government, and theintroduction of the representative andconstitutional element in the form of chambers. It was toprevent such demands ever being made that Pius IX. hadplaced himself at the head of the movement.* As astute anupholder of the infallibility and supremacy as any pope whoever flourished in the dark ages, Pius IX. resolved not toyield ;and, after a short space spent in shuffling, he openlybroke with the movement, and cast himself into the arms ofthe absolutist and re-actionary powers. He commenced hisreforming career with an amnesty which set loose from prisonthieves, robbers, and even worse criminals; and he closedit with an amnesty which consigned to a dungeon, or droveinto exile, the most virtuous and patriotic citizens of Home.And thus the spell by which Pius had hoped to charm intopeace the furies of the Revolution broke utterly in his hands.Driven from this high ground, the Papacy has renewedthe struggle in a much less advantageous position. Havingbeen obliged to drop the mask of reform, it advances againstChristianity and liberty under its own form, and with itsold weapons,—coercion and the sword. This so far is well.One plan, organized by the Jesuits, and worked by them, isat this moment inoperation in all the countries of Europeand when we trace its workings, so far as we have access toknow them, we exhibit the present state and tactics of Popery.Popery, then, has gone back to its ancient and natural allies,from whom it had been parted for a brief space ; and thetwo, having manifestly one interest, will probably remainunited, till both sink into one common perdition. Mattershave come to this pass, that nothing but the sword of thestate can save the spiritual power, and nothing but the policyof the Church can wield the sword of the state. This* The Pope evidently calculated upon the principle enunciated by SirJ. Macintosh :— " A slender reform amuses and lulls the people, the populareiithusiasin subsides, and the moment of eft'cctual reform is ii-retrievalilylost." (Vindiciic Gallicte, p. lOG ; Loud. 1791.) It is so in ordinarycases ; but in the present instance the movement was much too deep to•be Arrested by reforms so very slender as those of Pius IX.