The taxes are not a national assessment, but an official foray for the profit of certain ecclesiastics.

Examine all the departments of the public administration: you will everywhere find the clerical element at war with the nation, and of course everywhere victorious.
In this state of things it is idle to say to the Pope, "Fill your principal offices with laymen." You might as well say to Austria, "Place your fortresses under the guard of the Piedmontese." The Roman administration is what it must be.

It will remain what it is as long as there is a Pope on the throne.
Besides, although the lay population still complains of being systematically excluded from power, matters have reached such a point, that an honest man of the middle class would think himself dishonoured by accepting a high post.

It would be said that he had deserted the nation to serve the enemy..