The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-21
HIS GUARDS AND THE RHEUMATISM
No Alarm in the Circles Best Informed
Of the Pope's Condition.
Spending New York Money in Rome Which
Night be Better Used in the Five Points.
LATEST VATICAN REPORTS.

ROME April 25, 1873.
II seems to be the nature or some men and some
newspapers to distort facIs whenever distortion
seems TO serve their purpose; or, indeed, when
there is NO purpose at all to be served. 1t is un-
fortunate that many both OF the clerical and liberal
journals Of Rome have to be placed in this guilty
category. During the recent illness OF the Pope.
however, the latter must be blamed for many, if
mot all, of the startling reports the subject that
have emanated nom this city. There is especially
one paper here, the ultra-liberal CGpttdle, which
has striven each day 10 exceed in personal abuse
Of the suffering Pontir what it uttered the day
before. 1t has declared him to be dead more than
ence; has prophesied only o few hours
Of life almost daily, and has duly named
the next occupant OF the Papai throne-all
this for the ediication Of the lower classes, to
whose interests the paper Is especially devoted.
Now this paper seems to have been an inexhausti-
BILE fountain, from which telegraphic agents and
French newspaper correspondents derived their
alarming information respecting the Popes health.
Even the English ~ newspapers, published in
Rome, the nationality Of whose editors to judge
rom their typographical and photographed errors
h very difcult to decide. contributed their share
towards spreading the alarm. One such journal
said, only day or two ago,
'THR POPE HEARS MASS
ut On improvlsed altar, in his sick chamber,
with q Guarda Mobile In full uniform, stand
Ing at each side with drawn sword. Beyond
his chamber vigorous measures are being taken
nor the election OF his Special couriers
have been sent from the Vatican to Germany to
Shose prelates who have adhered to the edlcts
Of the last Ecumenical Councils" The editor be.
comes very pathetic in his closing sentence, plead
Ing that"every Engishman who loves perhaps some
peaceful village church, however int0lerably he may
nave been bored therein when boy to look to 1t
and to hearth and home.n Evidently this editor
belongs to some religious persuasion which con-
Biders the Pope "the beast" OF Revelations. But
suppose His Holiness is used to being insulted in
his own capital.
The finest display OF over-Zealousness, however,
that has come to my notice is sermon by one Of
our young American ministers OF the Gospel whe
q few sundays ago, taking hts text from st. Paul.
seemed to compare himself TO the old martyr
preaching in the stronghold OF paganism, and made
seme edifying comparisons on pagan Rome and the
modern Vatican he considering the latter as o
cesspool OF corruption and vice. federation, one
OF the virtues OF Professionalism, has no place in the
creed OF such men, They ceme to Rome with the
conviction that Rome needs them and is ready to
become Protestant, and they begin to hurl their
weakly sermons at the Vatican in terrible earnest
formances. They say, as the story goes Of Pres-
aent Lincoln, when some persons tried to annoy
him, 'Oh, let them 60 on; it pleases them and does
not hurt u.s."
CONVERTING THE ROMANS.
There is one man here from New York who, after
establishing school some years ago. telegraphed
home, as soon as he had induced score OF boys to
attend, Twenty souls saved.n We know what fu-
r0r such a telegram would cause among the rich
OLD ladies wanting to purchase heavenly man
sion through their good deeds, at missionary meet
Ings, and well understand how 1t comes to pass
that 80 many thousands Of dollars are sent annu-
ally from America to Rome for the purpose OF evan
gcllzing the .pagans" OF this city. little COM
mon sense and better knowledge OF humanity
would show the promoters OF these missions that
their money could be far better spent in evangeiz-
ing the people at home.
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM.
After this DEPRESSION will return to the subject
Of the Vatican. rumor has been spread abroad
that all the Cardinals had been called to Rome. 1t
s needless to say that such is not the case. They
have been told to be in readiness for emergencies,
yet so little fear was entertained among the Italian
dignitaries OF fatal Issue from the Pepe's illness
shat Archbishop De Angeles, OF Termo, the Presi-
dent OF the Conclave, left his diocese. pald
visits yesterday three eminent prelates OF Rome,
Holiness and from them I gathered reliable infor-
nation as to the health OF the Pope. They did not
aeny that an illness must always have serious
character with man OF eighty years. The
Pope had indeed suffered acutey from lumbago,
yet he had never lost mis- cheerluness for single
day.
NY CONVERSATION WITH MoNsIGNoRE g.,
who spent two hours with the Pope on the 22d,
may prove OF Sufficient interest TO be quoted :-sn
Romc,u he said, 1--WE never considered that there
was any real danger II is true that the extreme
age Of His Holiness made people little anxious, the
more 80 because prudence dictated that he should
remain in bed for few days. 1t was simply an
attack OF rheumatism. was with him two hours
yesterday. He is not in the least altered. He re-
ceives good many people every day In the large
library, next to his sitting room. He Is perfectly
cheerful. He talked all the time we were there.
He takes great interest in the newspapers, and
10 az well posted on general matters a. any man
IN Italy. lie laughs very much at the exaggerated
accounts published by the papers OF his Illness"
A distinguished American, closely connected
with the Vatican spoke in confirmation OF the
AOnEgnore's account. He told me that the Pope
suffers only when ne attempts to walk, but is free
from anything like feverish state A few DAYS
ago the doctors decided that the Holy Father
should take an airing in the Vatican garden on the
following day; but the rains OF the past few DAYS
have, OF course, prevented this. They will permit
public receptions in the beginning ofMay.
Ny latest adyices from the vatcan-the sub
stance Of which have already informed you by
telegraph-show a constant Improvement in the
PATENTS condition. The suppuraton in the
limbs goes on regularly, and this is
safeguard. The Holy Father has su1ercd
for years past with these issues. Int
danger would be II they were to stop
II 10 an unfortunate policy think, on the part d
the Vatican authorities to withhold the ofcial buI
Jetins OF the doctors rom the pnblic. Cardinal An
foneln receives one every evening, and dispatches
them 10 those most specially interested Some o
the embassies accredited to tbe paDal Court .pcn