Show me these
ecclesiastics! The Count de Rayneval looked for them, and
could find but ninety-eight; and even of those, the greater
part were not in priests' orders! Be assured we have long
since broken with the clerical _regime_. I myself decreed
the admissibility of laymen to all offices but one. In order
to show my sincerity, for some time I had lay ministers! I
entrusted the finances to a mere accountant, the department
of justice to an obscure little advocate, and that of war to
a man of business who had been intendant to several
Cardinals. I admit that for the moment we have no laymen in
the Ministry; but my subjects may console themselves by
reflecting that the law does not prevent me from appointing
them.
"In the provinces, out of eighteen prefects, I appointed
three laymen. If I afterwards substituted prelates for those
three, it was because the people loudly called for the
change. Is it my fault if the people respect nothing but the
ecclesiastical garb?"
This style of defence may deceive some good easy folk; but I think if
I were Pope, or Secretary of State, or even a simple supporter of the
Pontifical administration, I should prefer telling the plain truth.
That truth is strictly logical, it is in conformity with the principle
of the Government; it emanates from the Constitution. Things are
exactly what they ought to be, if not for the welfare of the people,
at least for the greatness, security, and satisfaction of its temporal
head.
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