When the terrible news came to the Pope, he was struck with horror and dismay, but yet strove to rally the other members of the Government around him and preserve the State from anarchy.  But his efforts were miserably seconded; one person after another declined taking office or continuing in it; and even when the presidents of the two Councils were summoned, they had little advice to give.  On the morrow the tidings came that a mob was on its way toward the Quirinal, some of the carbineers having fraternized with them, to enforce the appointment of a democratic ministry, and a declaration in favor of a constituent assembly for all Italy.  Only a few Swiss, the ordinary guard of honor, were on duty; but they shut the gates of the palace, and nobly declared that their own bodies should be piled up behind them before the rioters should enter.  Galletti, the former minister of police, acted as spokesman of the mob, and when admitted to an audience he stated their demands.  The Pope indignantly declared that he would not yield to violence, but must deliberate in freedom.  This answer only inspired the insurgents with fresh fury, so that they pressed forward to the gates, set one of them on fire, and, mounting upon the roofs of the neighboring houses, opened a fire upon the walls and windows of the Quirinal.  The few Swiss fired in return; and then the cry ran through the city that the Pope’s guards were butchering the people, and already there were many slain.  Within the palace many advised Pius to yield, a few still spoke of resistance, and the foreign ministers, who were collected there, had no scheme to offer.  “The scuffle continues; the worthy prelate, Monsignor Palma, falls dead by the window of his own apartment; balls reach the ante-chamber of the Pope.”  At last Pius turned to the diplomatic body who stood around him, and said:  “There is no further hope in resistance.  Already a prelate is slain in my very palace, shots are aimed at it, artillery levelled.  To avoid fruitless bloodshed and increased enormities, we give way; but it is, as you see, only to force.  Therefore we protest; let the courts, let your governments, know it.  We give way to violence alone, and all we concede is null and void.”

Galletti was then asked to propose his list of ministers, from which the Pope indignantly struck out the name of the Neapolitan Salicetti, but admitted without a word the names of Sterbini, Lunati, and Galletti.  Their appointment was signed on the spot, and the news being told to the insurgents “they fired muskets in token of joy, and went off with hymns for Italy and cheers for the Italian Constituent Assembly and the democratic Ministry.”