Page:On papal conclaves (IA a549801700cartuoft).djvu/114

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98
ON THE CONSTITUTION

impending eventualities; and this paper was taken to Florence for the Pope's inspection by an ecclesiastic, brother to Cardinal Sala. There was then in Florence Monsignor Emmanuel Di Gregorio, a Prelate of considerable resoluteness, who strongly sympathized with those who strove to get the Pope to issue a modifying Bull, and had been a channel of communication for Cardinal Antonelli, whom he had gone to visit several times in his retreat in the Maremma. To Monsignor Di Gregorio the emissary from Rome addressed himself, and received from him pressing advice not to say a word to the Pope about his errand until he had obtained the opinions of the Cardinals in Venetia on the paper he had brought. This counsel was followed; the Roman emissary proceeded to Venetia, consulted the Cardinals on the instrument he had in charge, and brought back to Monsignor Di Gregorio the assurance of their willingness to agree to the same. Thereupon Di Gregorio addressed Cardinal Antonelli, stating the opposition advanced to his draft, and the concurrence expressed in the other, and finally persuaded him, although hardly with good grace, to acquiesce in the general view. With this