The New York herald., 1869-09-11
ROME.

The Papal Thrope-A Commemorntion
! Column.
ROME, August 81, 1860.
In corroboration Of the opinion expressed in my
first letter the Ecumenical Council, dated July 2s
that the Court OF Rome continues to entertain not
able to hold the Council and open at the appointed
| time, can assure your readers that both material
moral preparations for the coming event are being
pushed forward with the greatest activity and that
| masons smiths carpenters, upholsterers and
painters are advancing with their work rapidly,
| and perhaps more so. than the secret committees
| OF cardinals and preates with knotty questions Of
| doctrine or discipline Count Vespignan the gov
ernment architect and author OF the newly adopted
| plan for the Council Hail. is evidently the man In
| fashion at present, for not only European, but
| Egyptian triumphs await him, an the travelled
vicerOy OF that country has commissioned the Count
to be present at the festivities accompanying the
inauguration OF the Suez Canal and to design and
superntend the execution Of fireworks equal to the
| celebrated Easter otrandoa in Rome, for which
Coun. vespgnani generally furnishes fresh archi
| tectural design every year.
| This gentleman's kind permission has enabled me
to visit ana examine In detail the works now in
progress at st. PETERS, The right transept ana the
side chapeis OF ST. Michael and the Annunziata,
opening into IT, will form the Council enclosure taula
conctlti. To separate from the remainder OF the
church this space, which without eyaggeration n
would be capable OF containing 5000 persons all its
issues are being closed with panels Of painted WOOD
furnished with doors. The two chapels will be de-
Tendencies Of the principal hall. and in them will
be organ Zed service OF refreshments aud inds-
pensabIe conveniences for bishops exhausted with
oratoral exertions or wearied with proracted de-.
bates. The passages from the duld ndIinla into
these side apartments will remain ree but the upper
part Of the open arches will he occupied on one side
by the stenographc reporters gallery named in the
plan Tfbuna tdchygadphorttn, and on the other by
that OF the bishops the0logans.
The Aboe Marchesl, formerly shorthand writer in
the Pedmontese Parliament has acted as instructor
to twenty-three young men, selected from the Ro
man Seminary and from some OF the foreign semi
nares IN Rome, so that at least two three OF them
in reporting may be able to follow the different pro-
nunciations Of Latin, which IS the language to be
used by the principal orators Correct reports may
thus be hoped for; but 1t does not follow that the
speeches will be all understood by the prelaes OF
various nations composing the Council. The Anglo.
Saxon pronunciation Of Latin is quite conventional,
and therefore American or English bishops when
speaking the language as they nave been taught IN
their colleges at home, not as they would have
learned 1t IN Rome viii hardly be inteligibe to
Italians pouring out the same language with the
broad pronunciation OK their ancestors While
the accents used in the ParisIan universi.
ears But itmay be asked how will the Conscrpt IA.
thers be able 10 debate II they are unable TO under
stand each other. That Is their affair ana not ours
and the Inspiration which is said to preside over the
whole Council VIII doubtless lead them to correct
interpretations OF each otner's sentiments. One OF
the reporters gave specimen or his aptitude the
other day IN the presence OF merous audience
by taking down In shorthand Clceros FIRST Grafton
against Catiline, powerfully and rapidly declaimed
by German bishop The trial was very successful
and the bishops VIII not afford the reporters any
auch severe ones, as their extempore speeches VIII
be naturally slower in delivery, and many, who are
more accustomed to read Latin than to speak it,
will make very lame orators indeed.
As to the Oriental bishops, OF whom few are ex-
pected, they generally are quite ignorant OF Latin,
and wiil therefore only grace the assembly by their
presence aud coniirm It's decisions with their
The minority, who have some acquaintance with the
language VIII pronounce 1t IN the manner custom
The pOpe's stage or raised platform occupies the
apse OF the ransept and is ascended by eight steps,
throne, which viii be covered by a crimson velvet
baldaquin. On the right and left OF the throne Will
be be- placed l. arm chairs M for the two iegales who
important slttings. Around the curve OF
the apse or extreme END of the transept
platform. These are AS yet in PLAIN woodwork, but
are TO be covered with serge ana carpets which
presented TO the Pope four or i've months ago and
Professionally approved by his Holiness Indicated
but the representation OF soverelgns and govern.
ments ~ the Council has become very doubtful OF
late and Coune vesplgnanl takes no notice OF them
IN his plan The seats OF such special ENJOYS could
only be placed, In accordance with etiquette, be-
tween those OF the Sacred College and the Papa
throne; but, according TO the plan now in execu.
ton, there woulo really not be sufficient space for
them.
TWO ampbitheatres win extend RIGHT and left from
| the Papal platform, consisting OF seven rows or
stalls for the bishops, with space Or an eighth row.
to be added II necessary. About 750 bishops will
find accommodation In these sixteen rows OF seats
and 1t Is not expected that the prelates who claim
admission to the Council VIII pass that number.
the seats are judged to be rather narrow in dmen-
sions, SO that stout bishops Will find themselves
rather inconvenienced. These seats Will be lined
VIZ WIN serge ana furnished with a desk n front of
| the occupant and spistoon underneath, serving
when closed as fo0tstOol and prfedieu. Ranged
round the base OF the episcopal amphltheatres Will
be seats fOr The P0pes theologians. The space be.
! tween the two anpnitheatres Will be occupied by
the orators tribune or rostrum, and the altar on
which the holy sacrament Will be constantly exposed
To remind the assembled bishops that they consti.
| tute not mere profane parliament but universal
council OF the Church.
AZ soon az these constructions are completed the
Pope VIII proceed to bless them according to the
| The amphitneatres are still unfinished: they and
the platform have TO be cdrpeted; the tribune and
the altar have TO be erected Ia the central space the
galleries Tor the seuographers and blshops' theOlo
glans have TO be constructed and the enclosures of
te transept nave to be painted and decorated with
mentioned in my preceding letter. and now re-
peat as proof OF the Popes full determination TO
enect ms plan OF council, IN spite OF sinister ra.
mors That the idea has been deferred and Will poasi-
bly, be dismissed altogether, that his Holiness had
selected an ancient column OF African marble
among those found at the Emporium to form IL
monument commemorative OF so gteat an event.
The foundations for the monument are being dug
on the Janiculum, the Traditional spot which 1t.
Peter was cruciiied. The column is now being re-
dueed TO just proportions and polished, under
shed near the spot on which it Is to be erected.
THIS quality OF marble varied with black, white red
and green spots and veins, IS extremely eHectlve
and beautiful, but 1t is more suitable for the inside
OF church or palace than TO the exposed situation
IN question: as " is liable to be corrodea by atmos.
pherie changes and the action Of the elements. |
a9ona PEDESTAL det6raied With tlat'is. 1eI,ieseng
the five parts Of the Eobs, a.u 10 be crowned BY
bronze glt statue OF ST. Peter. on one SIDE of ine
PEDESTAL Will be the commemorative Inscription, OF
which drafts have already been sent TO his Holiness
Dy some or the most learned epigraphsts IN Rome
| at the Pontif's own request. The one which viii
most likely 90 selected runs lhus:-
| sedente Pho TX. POntIhcc, Maximo.
1mperante In Galliis, Napoieone