_Rome, July 17, 1870._—All the Bishops of the minority have left Rome,
after presenting a statement of their attitude towards the decrees on the
Papacy. They made a last attempt, immediately before going, to move the
Pope at least not to hurry on the affair but to grant some respite by
proroguing the Council. At twelve o’clock to-day he received a deputation
headed by Darboy and Simor. Darboy, who spoke first, represented to him
the great and manifold dangers the definition would unquestionably give
rise to for the whole Church. Hitherto Pius had met all suggestions of
scruple by appealing to his “I am Tradition”—his already assured
infallibility. This time he did not do so. He fell back on the ground of
its being “too late.” Matters had gone too far, and the whole Christian
world was now too much occupied and too powerfully excited about the
question. Besides, the Council had already passed a decree by a
considerable majority, and he was therefore in no position to put a check
on the Council, which was now in full swing and urgently pressing for a
final decision on this question. The promulgation of the decree of the
majority will accordingly follow to-morrow.
The Orientals have subscribed the declaration of the minority. Two German
Bishops only, Melchers and Ketteler, have withheld their signature and
presented a separate declaration of their own to the Pope. The manifesto
of the minority runs thus:—
“_Beatissime Pater!_
“In Congregatione generali die 13 h. m. habitâ, dedimus suffragia nostra
super schemate primæ Constitutionis dogmaticæ de Ecclesiâ Christi.
“Notum est Sanctitati Vestræ 88 Patres fuisse, qui, conscientiâ urgente et
amore Sanctæ Ecclesiæ permoti, suffragium suum per verba _non placet_
emiserunt; 62 alios, qui suffragati sunt per verba _placet juxta modum_,
denique 70 circiter qui a congregatione abfuerunt atque a suffragio
emittendo abstinuerunt. His accedunt et alii, qui, infirmitatibus aut
aliis gravioribus rationibus ducti, ad suas diœceses reversi sunt.
“Hâc ratione Sanctitati Vestræ et toto mundo suffragia nostra nota atque
manifesta fuere, patuitque quam multis episcopis sententia nostra
probatur, atque hoc modo munus officiumque quod nobis incumbit
persolvimus.
“Ab eo inde tempore nihil prorsus evenit quod sententiam nostram mutaret,
quin imo multa eaque gravissima acciderunt, quæ nos in proposito nostro
confirmaverunt. Atque ideo nostra jam edita suffragia nos renovare ac
confirmare declaramus.
“Confirmantes itaque per hanc scripturam suffragia nostra a Sessione
publicâ die 18 h. m. habendâ abesse constituimus. Pietas enim filialis ac
reverentia quæ missos nostros nuperrime ad pedes Sanctitatis Vestræ
adduxere, non sinunt nos in causâ Sanctitatis Vestræ personam adeo proxime
concernente palam et in facie patris dicere _non placet_.
“Et aliunde suffragia in Solenni Sessione edenda repeterent dumtaxat
suffragia in generali Congregatione deprompta.
“Redimus itaque sine morâ ad greges nostros, quibus post tam longam
absentiam ob belli timores et præsertim summas eorum spirituales
indigentias summopere necessarii sumus; dolentes, quod, ob tristia in
quibus versamur rerum adjuncta etiam conscientiarum pacem et
tranquillitatem turbatam inter fideles nostros reperturi simus.
“Interea Ecclesiam Dei et Sanctitatem Vestram, cui intemeratam fidem et
obedientiam profitemur, D. N. J. C. gratiæ et præsidio toto corde
commendantes sumus Sanctitatis Vestræ
“devotissimi et obedientissimi filii.
“ROMÆ, _17 Jul. 1870_.”