New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-14

see"es in Rome On t&e Death sf Pope
How Gregory XVI. Passed Away-The A.
Proaohins roatiac>l E,sosssa.
K"ME, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 1872.
The excitement atteadsnt upon the cee
bratioh Of the anniversary Of the euuaaci
patton OF Italy had scarcely passed aYay
when an apparently trivia! occurrence Cause
all the quidnuRcs Of the Eternal City one
more to shake their wise heads, and to r,,i
IN great rtiury from the Piacian to the A yea
tine, aud ttcU the palace Of Antoaeih To ts.,
Embassy OF France. Marvellous rulaogs
spread from the Vatican across the brids,
into the denSeiy populated quarters Of t,,c
| city, making t1leia swarm like troubled bee
hives, and cautious whispers exchanged al
! the flazza de COlonaa ended in loud excia.
nations at the Porta del Popoie. What hat,
really happened was aaly this Tuesday
iaorhng being Cue, aud ,srOtaisiug q. watH
day, the Pope expressed wish to taxa 4
snort walk ia the fae garden behind the
| Vatican; the usual attendants were at once
notified. but whea they sailed forth they
noticed that the Holy Father was little
nervous, his hand, holding the stat On which
he ia obliged to lean nowadays, trembling
| yisibly, and his eyes, which have sadly
changed OF late searching Bith anxious
easeTness all the avenues that opened before
him. Nor was it less unusual to see Plus
TX. venture forth upon walk Che had not
lett the rooms and corridors Of the Vatican
ios raontis) without being accompanied by
the Cardinal SecEe baTy, the faithful and all.
powerful Antonsli Hut still greater wae
the astonishu,ent Of all " hp surrounded hira
when OF sudden, at turn ia the garden
a nobie-lsokiug prelate appeared IL sight,
who ne sooner heheld the Holy Father, than
ne saluted him, according to the stliet Csre-
iaonia! OF tOIlaer days, hut with we'll -feieaed
signs OF asteaiShne1t. A few sentences,
uttered With Intentional emphasis, spoke of
the accidental meeting, the happy chance
which bad thus brought the Pope and TIE
clerical representative Of France, Cardinal
BonnechOae, face to face. The rumor spread
With that rapidity which characterizes Roman
eagerness Tor aews, ard ere mary minutes
had passed, eager priests aud anxious Law.
men were seen hanging around all the en-
frances and gateways, to catch a glimpse Of
the Preach prelate, who had n6t beeh seen
at the Pope's Court for many month. Aad
when it gradually became known that the
interview had lasted for more than an hour,
and that at the ieave-taking Plus dX. had
spoken most anectionateiy of the people of
France, all Rome was astr, and dispatches
were sent OH to all parts Of the world.
Nor was ii mere idle curiosity which thus
stirred up the Eternal City, hut a deep and
solemn feeling that found ready echo al
every court Of Europe, in every nation on
earth. 1t IS well known At isalue that the
days OF poor Plus TX, are numbered. and
every minister has Ion. since begun to send
daily bulletins to his master al home. The
bent shoulders, the dropping head, the feeble
gait, and above all the failing memory of the
good old man, speak but too eloquently of
the approach OF the day on which he is to he
freed Of his burden. Nor does he hatter him
Selt-as he used to DO till quite receutly-anX
longer with visions of long years of life, of
great deeds yet to be done, and of thorough
changes to he accomplished. His brothers
recent death has made deep IMPRESSION
upon his mind, and the spirit that once held
up and strengthened the decayin frame, j.
no longer there. lie knows his end ia com
ing, and he shares with all his faithful ones
the great anxiety to know who is to be his
successor on the throne Of ST. Peter. 1t il
even said that the dread Of the last hour is
weighing heavily sa his mind.
He will not be blamed for this terror hy
those who know the nature Of the last scene
which Is enacted at the Vatican when Pope
leaves this world. As soon az all hope is
given up by the attending physician and
good care IS taken to ascertain the precise
moIaent-all ties OF respect or affection are
broken IN an instant, and the lowest passions
are unclaimed without shame or reserve.
Prelates and priests rush away to gather
around their patrons, and tn worship the
rising sun. Officers Of the Noble Guard
State officers OF every rank, aud all the en-
pioyes at the palace collect in haste their
property to secure it against new corners,
and carry away many a costly souvenir FROM
the deserted apartments. The very servants,
| 3he i;or
in the kitchen, join the general sayce 9uj 9e,S,
bat only after having loaded themselves with
all the asOney, jewels, or other valuable
thlags Ga which they can lay hands. such
was the case Ia l346, When, Gregory XVI,
was abandoned b. all his friends and follow
ers. A poor under gardener, who haa often
received a kind word OF a modest gift from the
Pope when wandering in his garden, heard nj
bis illness, and felt prompted in his hears ts
see him once more IN life. He fDiiud the. outer
door OF thu palace open aot u person i'll tbs.
halls, on the stairs, in the. passages. He
knocked at u door, aud. as ne oae answered,
openedt the room was empty he Yeatnred
into second and third mot a soul was to be
| seen. AT last he enters q dfnly Lighted
magnificent apartment, and to his AMAZE
Inent, sees there bed, Oa which huge PIE
OF pillows and holsters is raised on one end,
while the Pope himself lies ~ one side of it,
his head hanging down and looking deep pEr.
! pie, The POoy gardener Iashes up to his
! benefactsr; with tender, trenabling hands he
places him on bis bed, and then sinks reyer.
entity on his knees, asking the Holy Father;
| blessing. As he receives no answer, Ii
starts Up ia terror, TOUCHES tie NoIy, and
| finds it eoid,, Oace more he lnseh down
| saying u De- Psrfaadt' Ter the deceased, aat
is thus found by a servant, who enters withs
pile Of garments and gowns On his arm, ant
threatens hin, with dire punishme1at il ever 8
word escapes him as to Y9at 'ia has seen
! Not even when death has thus taken pit.
On the abandoned suaeicr, is rest at once
granted the poor bods. The Cardinal Cham
berlan, having been officially informed If th'
death OF the Pope, appears with other pre-
lates al the bedside and cs.ils til. deeease,
: three times hy name; Receiving 40 answer
he takes from Il. silver siiseF, offered him b
a high official, silver hammer with NOR
handle, and with this snstsr,ulent knocks tire
times against the forehead OF the deceased
OBly then is the Pope officially dead; tn
SENATE Of Ro,ne takes iorinat possession G
the palace, the fisher', Eing il Soie,nniy bro
) ken and the bell set ringing, which is onl
heard at the Death CT the Pone. aaa-th
beginning of carnival.
Then begins that MOst exciting OF all scene
which Christeadom knows uI,Da carth--th
conclaye Of the Cardinals for the purpose {
electing a new Pope. What fearful passions