The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-23 00:00:00

THE CONCLAVE FOR THE ELECTION
OF THE POPE.

The Correspondent of The Times, writing from Rome on
Feb. 19, gives the following particulars as to the mode of
electing the Pope :

The Papal Election beginning this day is held in
the Sixtine Chapel, on the first-floor of the Vatican
Palace. There is one morning and one afternoon
ballot. The Cardinals' seats are surmounted by
canopies—violet for Cardinals created by the late
Pope, green for those (now four only) of an
earlier date. Upon a Pope being elected all the
canopies are lowered, that of the new Pope alone
being left standing. A writing table is before each
Cardinal, besides six more in the middle. The
senior Cardinal - Bishop, Amat (who is attending,
notwithstanding his great age and infirmity), occu-
pies a seat on the Gospel side of the main altar. The
senior Cardinal-Deacon, Caterni, who is also very old,
sits on the opposite or Epistle side. Other Cardinals,
Bishops, Priests, and Deacons are arranged around in
the order of their date of creation. Cardinals in their
places, or at any of the six additional tables, fill their
schede, or voting papers, folding down and sealing the
top end of ths paper, where the voter's name is written,
and the bottom end, where each writes some Scriptural
motto which becomes his distinctive mark, and which
he uses through the election. In the middle of the
paper between the two sealed folds, each elector writes
the name of the candidate for whom he votes, that
name alone being unsealed and open. On the main
altar at the Communion Table stands a large chalice,
covered by a pix. When all are ready each Gardinal
in turn steps up to the altar, swears aloud that his
vote is given upon conscientious conviction, then lays
his paper on the pix, and raises and tilts the pix,
letting his paper slide into the chalice. When all have
voted the scrutineers examine the papers, read and
tell the candidates names, breaking no seals. Should
none of the candidates obtain the legal number of votes
(two-thirds of the votes, with one additional), the after-
noon or access it ballot becomes necessary. Each voter
is then allowed to change his mind, to forsake his
morning candidate, whom he may consider hopeless,
and " accede " or join his vote to that of any other
candidate who has already secured votes in the morn-
ing and may have a better chance. In this case the
voter writes in his paper " accedo " before the name of
his new candidate. If he wishes to abide by his morn-
ing vote, he writes " accedo nemini," thus confirming
his morning vote. The scrutineers again read and
tell the votes, unsealing the bottom end of the
voting papers to establish the identity of the morn-
ing and evening vote of each elector by the
Scriptural motto distinguishing him, without,
however, breaking' the seal at the top end,
where the voter's name is written, which
remains a secret. If neither at the morning nor even-
ing ballot any of the candidates has obtained the legal
number of votes the papers are burnt with damp straw,
emitting a dense smoke, and this sf umata, arising from
the well-known chimney, informs the outer world that
no Pope has been made, and that a new election has
become necessary. Should any candidate obtain pre-
cisely two-thirds of the votes his own voting paper
must be singled out, and the seal concealing his name
broken to make sure that he has not voted for himself.
If he has not done so his election is valid.

The Daily News of Wednesday says :—"We learn
from Rome that yesterday afternoon smoke was seen
issuing from the stove in the Vatican in which the
voting papers of the Conclave are burnt, indicating
thus that no Cardinal had obtained the necessary
majority in the election for Pope."