The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-16
Creation or the New Csrdinals-Ths
Pops's Auocution.

We must not measure the proceedings at
Rome yesterday by any such petty scale as
the accidental interest which they happen to
excite in this country by the novel circum-
stance that among the cardinals created on
this occasion one is an American. The lively
interest of our large Catholic population in
the elevation of Archbishop McCloskey to the
cardinalate is legitimate and natural, and we
can appreciate their sentiment of grateful
recognition of the considerate treatment they
receive from the head of their Church But
the occasion has larger aspects and relations.
We sincerely congratulate Cardinal McClos-
key and the Catholics of the United States on
this high honor which His Holiness has be-
slowed upon him and upon them, and they
must not regard it as an exhibition Of churlsh
feeling if we express our opinion that
the American aspect Of the proceed
ipgs at Rome yesterday is of slight
consequence as compared with its Euro
pean aspects. The Pope looks, as his
responsible position requires him to look,
only to the general interests of the Church,
and he is above the weakness OF paying
mere compliment, however grateful it may
be to the recipients. He doubtless loves and
cherishes every part of his extensive flock
but in the exercise of his high prerogative OF
dispensing ecclesiastical honors duty is his
guiding principle, and complaisance has no
place except SO far as it may conduce to the
great ends of his administration.
The creation of an American cardinal at
this jupcture is as wise and polite as it is
gracious and pleasing Since the occupation
of Rome by the Italian government, in 1870,
the Papacy has been in q state of depression
and humiliation. In stripping the Pope of
his temporal dominons King Victor Emmanuel
deprived him of his ordinary sources of
revenue and forced him to rely on the con-
tributions of the faithful in all parts of the
world for maintaining the dignity of his
Office. 1t is true, indeed, that the Italian gov
eminent offered him an annual stipend equal
in amount to the average revenue of the
States of the Church; but the Pope scorned
to compromise his rights and weaken his posi-
ton by accepting it or any part of it Accord
ing to present appearances and prospects the
Papacy will have to depend for long time to
(
on pecuniary aid freely sent to it from all
parts of the world by Catholics on whom it
has no authority to levy a tax. The Papal
treasury and finances are therefore in pecu-
liar condition, and in the long struggle
which Pope Plus and his successors are likely
to maintain in asserting the former claims of
the Roman See to civil jurisdiction claims
which there is no intention ever to relin-
quish-it is of Importance to cultivate the zeal
and affection of every branch of the Church.
There is no part of it which has contributed
SO literally as the American Catholics have
done since the Pope was deprived of his terri
torial revenues. When this country shall have
recovered from the effects of the re-
cent panic there is no part of the
world in which the body of Catholic
communicates will have so much abil-
ity to strengthen the Papal treasury in
proportion to their number. The wages of
labor are higher here than in any other part
of the globe, and the race which forms ma
Jority of the American Catholics is perhaps
the most free-hearted and open-handed in the
world in any cause which enlists their sympa-
thies The generous iberality of the Amer
lean Catholics did not depend at all on the
bestowal Of this recent honor, but it will
strengthen their loving attachment and de-
voted loyalty and is therefore as wise and
polite as it is just and appreciative. 1t will
infuse new zeal into the strong moral support
which the Pope has received in his troubles
from the faithful Catholics Of the United
States, and, as an Incidental consequence, it
will quicken their sense of his fiscal necessities
in his great and persistent struggle for his
ancient prerogatives.
But the merely American view includes but
a small and very subordinate part of the in
teress to be affected by the interesting eccle-
siasticel transaction yesterday, which is SO
fully reported in our cable dispatches from
Rome. The creation of new cardinals at this
iuncture is an event which may largely infu-
ence the future politics of Europe. SO far as
regards the Papacy, everything is staked on
the election of "A successor to Pope Plus TX.
who will continue and carry out his unyield-
ing policy. The six new cardinals whom he
created and publicly announced yesterday,
and the five others in petto (Which means that
he keeps their names a personal secreO will
be entitled to participate in the choice Of his
successor. He has, of course, satisfied him.
self that every one of the eleven will be infex-
IDLY true to the policy which he has deiber-
ately adopted as Indispensable to the interests
of the Church. This is a sagacious provision
against the probable intrigues Of two or three
European governments to control the choice
of his successor. There are two govern
ments-that of Germany and that of Italy
that will leave no stone unturned to prevent
the election of new Pope who will inherit
the uncompromising policy of Plus IN.
KiDo Victor Emmanuel yants n pope