The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-22
MODE OF BLBOT1Na THE POPE.

At the present period, when so much Of public
attention, both at home and abroad, is directed
to the probably speedy election Of successor to
Pope Plus TX. the following remarks from tho
pen Of the Paris correspondent of the London
Times VIII he read with interest,"
In the eleventh century Pope Nicholas con-
fered on the cardinals the right Of directing tho
| election Of the Pope; and, in accordance with
! his statutes, the cardinals, who had figured as a
! body since the eighth century, were bound 70
| demand Of tho Roman people and the Roman
clergy the ratification of their choice. To legaize
| the election Il was indispensable that the same
name should obtain two-thifds at least of tho
votes oftEo conclavc, together with the sulTrages
| OF The people and the clergy OF Rome Thk,
! m0ue oi proceeding, however, was found to bo
| nconYcnient. The elections gave rise TO dissen-
| sons, royolts and scandals of the gravest kind :
| foreign intrigue added 20 the confusion and the
| consequence was that both the clergy and the
! the election.
That revolution or reform took place in 1871,
! on the accession of Gregory X Il did not how
! ever, and could not, put an end to intrigue. In
the COnClaYe were cardinals belonging to diOceges
| IN all parts Of the Catholic world, and each had
| his own candidate. The elections were often
prolonged beyond measure, 80 much so that
! pressure was sometimes employed 80 OBTAIN a
| decision Close confinement and short com
mons were tried, and if after three days delibe.
! ration the cardinals did not elect a pope, one
| plate Of meat, or simply broad and vine, were
| served 10 them until they made their choice
| The forms prescribed by the ancient statutes
| were subsequently, modified, and before going
into ConClaye Tho cardinals repeated this oath -
~ take to witness our Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge me, that will elect the person whom
| ought to elect before God"
There were and, believe, still are, four diF-
tcrtnt modes OF cCctiOn--by inspiration by com
promise, by scrutiny, and by access. BY inspira
ton when several Of the cardinals call aloud. as
II on the impulse Of the moment the name of the
person whom they Judge worthy of the supreme
dignity. lt is, however, only afer long and
UultlcsB dcliBCrat on, and when there remains
no chance of agreemcntby merely human means,
that recourse is had TO supernatural aid; and II
has happened that the rest Of the cardinals or n
majority Of them, unwilling to show decided
opposition, or to be the last in giving their assent
at once concur in the choice of inspiration,
The election by compromise is when, after
equally long and equally truitless elaboration
they agree TO lay aside their preferences and to
leave the nomination of the pOntiT to one among
themselves 1t is related that il was in this fashion
John Xxi was chosen. lie gotal the cardinals
10 Pledge themselves to accept the candidate he
should propose, and, to their great surprse Inc
proposed himself. Taught by this example, for
they had never meant to elect him, the cardinals
decided that this power should not again be en-
trusted to any member of the college, except on
conditions which wonld render the recurrence OF
such an event impossible.
When the election of u pontifT is by scrutiny or
ballot, each cardinal writes his own name with
that OF the candidate he proposes on a ticket.
These tickets or bulletins arc deposited with
much sOlemnity I'm the consecrated chaice which
stands on the altar OF the chapel where they sit;
and each one approaching and leaving the altar
kneeis and repeats prayer. After pause tho
tickets are taken from the sacred cup by officers
named ad hoe from their own body the tickets |
arc compared with the number OF cardinals
present, and when it is found that any one Of |
them has two thirds of the votes in his favor he
is declared elected, II no one can show the re. |
quisite number Of votes another proceeding is !
gone through This proceeding is the election by |
aCcoss-sO called because any cardinal has the
right to accede TO the vote OF another by altering
his ticket according to prescribed form. The
moment the election is declared, the tickets are
burned. The present pope was elected by unani-
nifty.
The functions of the cardinals are, then, highly
important and the past shows how necessary it
is that the Pope should be elected with a view 20
peace and conciliation. Every Catholic country
is interested in IT, and the cardinals are naturally
supposed to be mindtu of the interests of their
respective countries. France, Austria, and Spain
claimed, and believe still claim, the privilege of
demanding the exclusion of fone cardinal each from
the pontiiiCal throne, bnt only when the majority
of votes is not yet obtained by any one cardinal;
and these powers are supposed to have friends or
representatives in the cOnClave to maintain that
right in their name.
The cardinals are, as every one knows, princes
OF the Church. In the early ages the cardinals
were the principal priests of the churches in
century they numbered but twenty eight; in
modern times they are as many as seventy.
When assembled they form the Sacred College,
compose the Council of the Pope, preside at spe-
cial and general congregations, and govern the
Church 50 long as the ponttcal throne is vacant.
They got the red hat under Inn. III, during the
Council of Lyons, in i245, aud the purple from
Boniface VIII, in 1894. There are cardinal
dCacons aud cardinal priests. Cardinal Richie
lieu was a priest and MaZarin a deacon. The
great Catholic powers propose certain number
Of prCates to be named by the Pope, and these
are known as cardinals of the crown.
In the present condition OF the Papal Sta'es il
is supposed that the choice of the Sacred College
is already made, and that the future pontiG will
be proclaimed instantly on the death of Plus Xt,
without any meeting in conciaye or the usual
forms of election. This would be contrary to all
previous usage; but were Rome at once invaded
by the troops Of Victor Emmanuel, with or with
ont the permission of France, or were an insur-
rectiOn to occur, the cardinals would not no
bound to assemble in the Vatican; for wherever
they assemble there is the conciaye. II is not at
all improbable that the Emperor of the French
has already fixed on his candidate, but who the
person is the Court OF Rome has never been able
TO discover.