Pius Papa IX. Nelle istituzioni di cui finora dotammo i Nostri sudditi fu Nostra intenzione di riprodurre alcune istituzione antiche...: Statuto Fondamentale Pel Governo Temporale Degli Stati Di S. Chiesa D. Roma.

Roma 1848 Nella Tipografia della Rev. Cam. Apostl. Fundamental statute for secular government of the states of the church; key document in Italian liberty. Constitution proclaimed by Pius IX in response to agitation for constitutional government in the Papal domain. There were to be two chambers: the first, the alto consiglio, members nominated for life by the Pope and the second, 100 elected deputies. Laws adopted by these two chambers had to be scrutinized by the College of Cardinals, then submitted to the Pope for assent or rejection. Ecclesiastical affairs were exempt. This constitution's utility was never tested; demand for an extension of civil rights was eclipsed by the nationalist uprising against Austria that began in Milan on 18 March, four days after this was issued, which swept through Italy. This so-called "liberal constitution," while it addressed complaints that had built for decades and been ignored by the papacy, was hardly satisfactory for reformers and Pius IX, during his long reign as political reactionary, reacted by withdrawing even these modest concessions and destroying most copies of the Statuto Fondamentale. This copy belonged to Nicholas Brown (1792-1859), American Minister to Rome, whose sympathies toward nationalists resulted in the papacy's requesting his removal. Hard Cover. Folio; 16 pages; caption title. Leather spine; marbled-paper boards. Dated (page 16) 14 March 1848. Stock#NS0051.