The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-09-08

balls, designating thus by lot the three Car
dinals who are to act as tcllers. In the same
manner are designated the ballots Of such
Cardinals as are unable, through illness or in
trinity, 10 leave their cells. These officers
are thus designated by lot every day, if the
election is protracted hey ond one day.
The tellers then take their places at the ia
BILE of the ballot, on which is placed casket
with an opening in the cover, destined for
the ballots of the sick or infirm Cardinals.
The tellers open the casket, turn 1t upside
down TO show that il is empty, lock IL and
place it in the hands of the visitors.
The ballots are slips Of paper about eight
inches long and four wide, and are divided by
parallel lines into spaces or partitions, each
Of which has its particular use. The voter
writes in the first space, Ego Cardinals
with his name; then he makes fold, so as
10 cover this writing, and seals 1t; in an
other space he writes Ego in summam Pom
tificem,' with the name OF the Cardinal for
whom he votes, and in like manner covers
this with sealed fold; then, in another
space, he puts number or a motto, or any
device which he may select, to designate his
ballot. Care is taken that the writing under
the fold cannot be seen through the paper or
otherwise. The blank ballots are contained
in two silver vases, placed on the table.
The Oldest member of the Sacred College
is the first to vote. He takes ballot from
one of the vases, seats himself at desk so
arranged that all can see him. but none can
see what he writes, and fills the spaces in the
manner described. Each Cardinal does the
same. The voter then takes his folded bal
lot between his thumb and finger, holds it
aloft so that all may see it, ard thus proceeds
10 the altar. There he kneels and repeats
the oath inscribed in large letters on the tab
let before the altar,-'Testor Domnum qu
me Indicator est. me eligere quem, secun-
dunn Deum judico eligi debere, ct quod
item in accessu pretas bo > THAT is. | take
God, who is to be my judge to witness that
choose him who before God ! think ought to
be chosen, and that will do the same &C
cession.)
On the altar is placed a laige silver chal
ice, covered with patine on which is en-
bossed representation of the Holy Spirit.
The voter places his ballot on the patiue and
raises the letter so that the ballot may slide
into the chalice. Then he returns TO his
seat.
The Cardinals vote in order Of seniority
and in herarchica order-Bishops, priests,
deacons. If one is so infim as to he unable
to leave his seat, his ballot is taken TO the
altar by one Of the telers.
For The Cardinals who cannot leave their
cells, the casket before spoken of is taken to
them by the visitors, the key being left upon
| the altar; the visitors also carry one Of the
cases, containing as many blank ballots as
| there are Cardinals thus detained from the
chapel. lfany one ofthese is too feeble TO
write, his ballot is filled up, under his dicta-
ion, by an amanuensis, who is sworn 10 Sc
| crecy. The casket, when brought TO the
chapel, is opened by one of the tellers. who
first ascertains that the number of ballots in
il corresponds with that Of The absent Cardi
nails, aud then transfers to the chalice on the
altar.
When all the ballots are deposited, the
| first teller shakes them together. and the Sec
ond counts them, one by one, from the chal
ice, and placing them in another. If the
number IS greater than thai of all the Cardi-
nails, they are all burned atonce. and the
whole ceremony is repeated If the number
| is right, the three teers standing with theil
backs TO the altar, proceed as follows:
The first takes ballot, opensit merely so
that he can see the name Of the elected,
which he does not pronounce and passes
| he passes il to the third, and it is only by
him that the name is declared. All the Car
dinals mark the name on printed lists which
they have before them. The operation is re-
peated with every ballot. When all are n
nounced, the third teller perces the ballots,
one by one. with large needle, and strings
them on silken CT ord, Of v ch he ties the
ends together and places the file thus made
Il L.. -
the required number of votes-two thirds Of
the whole, excluding his own-he is immedi-
ately declared Pope.
Ifthis result has not been attained, the
conciave proceeds TO the accession. Each
Cardinal takes second blank ballot and
writes on it 'Accedo reverendissimo meo
Cardinali-;' that is, Il accede 10 the
most reverend my lord the Cardinal -,
The voter cannot give his accession 10 the
Cardinal for whom he has already voted, or
10 one who had not at least one vote in the
first ballot. If he desires to abide by his
| first choice or give no vote, he writes 'Acce'
do nomini'-1 accedc 10 no name
If the accession, added TO the original
votes. present the requisite number for any
Cardinal. the new Pope is canonically
elected lfnot, all the ballots are burned in
brazer placed dind the altar. the smoke
from which is conducted to the outer air by
a pipe which can be seen from the Plaza Of
the QuirinaL Here the people assemble to
watch the pipe. lfthey see smoke, they
know that the balloting has 10 be repeated
if they do no., then they know that they
have Pope.
AS soon as Pope is chosen, the Senior
Cardinal, by ringing bell, summons the
master of ceremonies and secretary of the
Sacred College. The chiefs of the several
orders place themselves standing before the
Pope elect, and the senior asks him ]: he ac-
cepts; and on his reply in the affirmative, he
is called on 10 declare the name which he
will assume for the Pontifcate. As soon as
he has accepted, the little canopies over the
seats ofthe Cardinals are made TO fall, by
means of cords, except that Ovtr his seat
and the Cardinal on either side of him re-
moves 10 distance, in ;sle Of respect. AS
soon as the 'act Of nomination has been
drawn up, the two oldest Cardinal deacons
conduct the new Pope behind the altar, and
put on him the Pontificial habits, which he
is henceforth IN wear.