National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-16
4 oURIoVs PLEoE 81 RLsfoRE


DID PRESIDENT LINCOLN SEND. A
SPECIAL. REPRESENTATIVE TO TIE
POPE, ASKING FOR THE APPOINT
MENT OF AMERICAN cARDINALsi
Anne Brewster, writing from Rome to,ths
Philadelphia Bvsaiag BuHain, records the ~
loving piece Of diplomatie history
The Joafsssl de FLORENCE, aelerical jouinsE
or the highes. authority, has made, Isssir, !
curious diplomatic revelation. It wss Dab-
lished 10 the afieolo d goIldo, or leader of oae-
Of the issues q week ago, the 9th Of Angus.
The editor asserts that Preadent LinooIn sent
70 the Pope . charge d'aRairss extrsousinsry.
whose mission was to solicit bis Holiness 70
appoint some American cardinals. FAs
charge d'Afaires was received By Cardinal
AntenslH, to whom he delivered the oficisl ~
guest Of the President Of the Unaed states.
The Cardinal Minister opposed several difHcuI-
ties 70 the REPRESENTATION usskes she
great distance, Whieh interfered with prompt
assembling Of the college for conclaYe, also,
the nature Of the Cardinals College, Which b.
IN fact, permanent council Of the SoYo-ei,-,a.
PontiE
The 1Ameraan diplomat answered thssa.
difficulties one byone. Tradition and usarss,ss
said President Lincoln's envoy, 9 must yisldto
the increased necessities Of the Church !" A.
70 distance, that objection no longer eristsd.-
In past tines q cardinal was three moths
joufneying from Seville OF London 70 Rome.
Tie envoy had made the voyage from America
20 Rome eight times. IN this diplomatic V5T,-
see be had given nine days to the voyage ron.
New York to Southampton, and Eve flom.
Southampton 70 Rome. Cardinals rssidingia
France, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Portugal,
etc., had no more facilities than American
cardinals IN giving their counsel when con
suited BY the Ponfif; and Is 70 conclaYes, tie
instantaneous information conveyed b. tsle-
grams, enabled America 70 be informed Of
events ii Rome as soon IS they arc kuoTuin
Europe Moreover, the increasing Rapidly OF
communication made It very possible that an
American cardinal might reach conolsp8sin
much less time even than the two weeks
not cohvfnced BY the ENJOYS reasons.
hoWaver, and expressed himself opposed
to the granting Of the Presidents re-
quest: but be gave the diplomat 3 cordial
reception, and after their Interview was con
clpdeG be presented the envoy 70 The Holy
Father Plus * received the Official Fiih
great tCouftesy- His Holiness was deeply
touched with President Lincolh's ad7ane5s-
The yots15sal De Floreues says the Pope replied
IN almost these very words: II should Sc rerT
happy to create some American caulinals-
When remember that lam the first men rs
the eheir Of St. Peter who has visited America,
say that God may perhaps permit ne 10
graLt the wish Of President Lincoln. That
wish Is also mine'
,sWe know" ADDS the yoRraal Dc Florssce,
s'that negotiations Wsre opened on this grave
subject, but they were delayed b. she DIM
Guilty Of agreeing upon the persons selected,
and then finally broken o6 BY the assassination
of President Lincoln The editorial gives 3
rssHnse Of the Catholic Hierarchy BY North an1
South America and Oeeanica, II order 10 shoE
Its value, aud concludes thus; We ara con-
vinced that Pope Plus TX. win create Ameri-
can cardinals" The question a great many
Rill ask h America Is "Nho was this char1e
fadaires sent b. President Lincoln % solicit
lalsl'