His orders he
stated were solely to suppress any actual riot, but nothing further. Some
400 of the students then proceeded to the residences of Cardinal
Antonelli, of General Goyon, and the Duc de Gramont, and presented an
address, a copy of which they requested might be forwarded to the
Emperor. These were the words of the address;
"Your Excellency--Some of our comrades have been removed from us.
United to them in our studies, united, too, in our sentiments, we
protest against a punishment so unjust and so partial. When adulation
and servility suggested to some amongst us the utterance of a
falsehood which insulted the Pontiff, while it did no service to the
Sovereign, we all rose in union to denounce those who, without our
consent, constituted themselves the interpreters of our wishes. This
act was not the caprice of a section. It was the vast majority
amongst us who thus spoke out the truth. The punishment, if
punishment there is to be for speaking the truth, should not fall upon
a few alone.
"We confess it openly, the act was the act of all; the measure of our
conduct was the same for all. We therefore demand from your
Excellency that the expelled students should be allowed to return, or
else that we should all be united with them in one common punishment,
as we are proud of being united with them in a common love of truth
and of our country.
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