New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-04
American Car rdinnls.


A special dispach from Rome. dated No
ve,nber q, to the New York ReYutNc, says:
Well informed circles here are agitated
with the question of the appointment of
two American Cardinals. Though an un-
precedented event, IL js believed 20 be an
eniincntly wise enc. and calculated 70
streng, then the influence Of the Holy See in
quarter which ha. been thoroughly loyal
and too much neglected. IL Is thought his
holiness will make the appointments at an
early date, and the hats will be conferred,
with his beued!c.ior. on Archbishop Nc.
C!eskey. OF New York. and II shop Dome
nee. Of Pittsburg. Pennsylvania.
Commenting upon this the New York
Uera'd. of the tweut, ,.s;x;h. says:
A cable dispatch printed in the Republic
OF Yesterday morning announces that his
holiness the Pope has reso..et 20 elevate
two Of tie Roman Catholic priests to the
rank of cardinal. 1: is said that thy. honor,
the first ever conferred upO1 an American
prelate. will be given to Archbishop Nc.
Closkey, Of New York, and the Bishop o.
Pittsburg. Some European cardinals will
also be created. notably Archbishop Man.
ming. whose valian. defense OF the papacy
against Mr.. Gladstone has given hum a new
claim to the affections Of the Holy See. 1t
has long been felt that the Catholic Church
in America. by virtue Q! its loyalty. pa.
tience and fidelity, has deserved some spe.
ciai recognition from Rome. The Pope has
been gracious enough TO say on many oc.
casions that in no country is the Catholic
Church SO free as IN the United States. The
only objection to tho appointment Of an
American cardinal is the Gear :nas the
church in this country is not ripe enough to
sustain the dignity; that creating as it does
an Office With the rank and courtesies Of q
prince, such an office would be Incompatible
with repub!icanism. and that tL: church is
also more o! u missionary church than
other wise and does not need this supreme
honor. But. on the other hand. i. is held by
wise and independent Catholic thinkers that
il there ~ any need Of the Office Of cardinal it
is as necessary TO America as to Italy.
Furthermore. ]. is unfair to America as
great power and ranking politically with
the greatest OF powers, that she should be
considered as a simple missionary field like
Patagonia or New Zealand. There IS also
the fear that the government of the Holy
See is passing into the hands of a ring OF
foreign prelates. mainly Italians. who give
church honors !avishly to their own cOun.
trymen and ignore great nations like Eng
land and America. An illustration of this
is seen in the appointment Of a young menu
ber Of the Napoleon family--the present
Cardinal Bonaparte-when young. intel.
lectually indifferent and obscure priest.
simply to please his cousin. the Emperor of
the French. II this great honor could be
given to crafty an Emperor i. could also
be given to crafty nation.
The Pope seems 70 have arrived at this
conclusion. New York will rejoice to see
the dignity Of cardinal bestowed upon the
Archbishop of New York. The end may be
Yankee Pope. With one OF our wide
awake Yankee priests in the chair of st.
Peter the controversy between the Holy
Sea and Bismarck would take another turn.