The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-08
Cardinal Anfouef1f.


and Eastport.
................=
Cardinal Antonelli.
The death Of Cardinal Antonelli removes
from the world very remarkable man
one who must take prominent place in
any truthful history OF European politics
during the past quarter Of century, and
who, il he had been entirely politician
and not churchman, might have become
even more influential than he was. Anto-
nelli was not very old man. He was born
in 1906, and was fourteen years the junior
Of the venerable Pontiff with whom
be has been so closely associated. and
who survives him; but OF late years
he has been a confirmed invalid, and has
rarely been seen outside Of the Vatican.
He had the peculiar gifts necessary to
what we might call an ecclesiastical poll
tician, and his preferment in both the
Church and the Court Of the Popes was
very rapid. He was 4 very young man
when the late Pope Gregory XVI. selected
him for positions Of honor and trust, and
the present Pope Plus TX. had not occupied
the throne a year before, in 1917, he ele-
waited Antonelli to the dignity OF the Cardi-
nalate. 1t was not long afterward before
he became the chief adviser OF the Papal
throne, occupying the various offices OF
Secretary of State to the Pope, President OF
the Council Of Ministers, Prefect OF the
Sacred Apostolic Palaces and Of the Sacred
Congregation of Loretto and Of the Con-
sulta. He was virtually the Prime Minister
Of the Pope. controlling all formal and Off
eial transactions and directing all matters
relating to the diplomatic intercourse OF
the Papal Court with the rest OF the world.
Antonelli's day Of power and glory was
previous to 1859, when the patriotism and
the ambition Of Count Cavour and the in
terests OF Louis Napoleon provoked the
war that freed Italy from the iron tyranny
OF Austria, laid the foundations for the
union of the nation, and undermined the
temporal dominion of the Pope. The de-
feat of the AuStrians at Montebello, Pales-
tro, Magenta, and Solferino, their expulsion
from Lombardy, the driving out OF the
princes from Naples, Tuscany, Parma, and
Modena, and the consequent establishment
of Victor Emmanuel as King of Italy, were
but steps IN the programme which was sig
nalized in 1870 by the King entering
Rome and declaring it the capital
OF the Kingdom; whereupon the Pa
pal Court, deprived OF its secular au-
thoritv. retreated into the Vatican, and has
since confined itself within those walls.
Cardinal Antonelli faithfully shared both
the fortunes and miSfOrtuneS OF Pope Plus.
He accompanied the Pope to Gaeta when
the Court took refuge there from the Italian
patriots who drove it out OF Rome IN lS4S,
and ne returned with him in 1850, when the
French arms carried the Pope back in tri-
umph to the Eternal City. Ten years after
wards came the rebellion in the Legations,
the entry OF the Sandman troops into the
dominions OF the Holy. See and the seizure
by Sardinia of all the States OF the Church
except Rome, Civita Vecchia, and certain
districts that were occupied by the French
army, Differences arose between the Holy See
and the French Government, and i'll 1864
the famous September Convention was con-
cluded between Italy and France, the latter
power engaging to withdraw all her troops
from the Political States within the space OF
two wears, while Italy engaged not to attack
the territory of the Pope, and to prevent
even by force every aggression upon thaC
territory from without. But the force OF
events broke down the treaty as hur-
ricane would sweep away house built
OF cards aid the aspirations OF united
Italy for setting up the capital at
Rome inspired GaribaldTs campaign
in 1866. BY the aid OF the French
troops he was repulsed from Rome,
but four years later the war with Germany
compelled Louis Napoleon to withdraw his
army OF occupation from Italian SOIL; linen
occurred the opportunity of the Italian pa
triots. Victor Emmanuel marched with bis
soldiers and Court into Rome, the Pope
Withdrew to the Vatican, and there he re-
mains. Of the policy Of the seclusion and
voluntary martyrdom which he has since
observed all the world is aware, and no ad-
vice has more strongly tended towards it
than that of Antonelli.
The dead Cardinal and Prime Minister
was thoroughly mysteries character. out
side OF the precincts Of the Papal Court
and the Sacred College no one knew him.
He has furnished topic of discussion for
almost innumerable articles in the European
magazines and newspapers; and in every
instance the writers have confessed that
they were dealing in speculations and theo-
ries which might or might not be correct.
Nothing could more easily indicate the mys-
tery. which shrowded Antonelli than that
few wears back London magazine grayely
presented him as an infdel, and argued tne
point with much persistence ana force; III
insisted that only 8 love OF power ana N
trigue had taken him In the Roman Cathoilc
Church that while he enjoyed the lnnuence
his position, as Prime Minister OF the Pope
conferred upon him, he cared nothing 1or
the Church, and was simply politician IN
sacerdotal garments. Extravant and un-
belieyabIe as such q theory may seem,
the fact that it was put forward
shows how little! the world knew OF
Antonelli. It is, at least, not doubtful
that the deprivation Of the Pope OF ms
temporal power was o dcath-blow to Anto-
nelli. It robbed him .,of his authority as
the Papal Minister Of State, nnd rele.
gated him to the list Of simple eccleslas.
tics. After the entry OF Victor Emmanuei y
into Rome he was no more the dlplomatlse
with a voice in the affairs OF Europe ana o
hearing at the Cabinet councils OF vienna,
Berlin, Paris, London, and st. Petersburgh.
To the restless and scheming mind OF An
tonelli Imprisonment in the superb solitude
OF the Vatican must have been torture, and
the wonder is that he managed to survive 1t
for six wears. His biographer will haYera
curious and little-understood character to
INQUIRE into, but il his life is, ever fully
written up, nothing in the history OF the
century will be more NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
more american. ~,
The association in, Ireland for the adyo-
cacy OF the Sunday-closing Of public houses
has opened its winter campaign with undl-
minished vigor. At the annual meeting
which was held in the first part OF october
letters OF approval were read from the Arch
bishop OF Dublin, Cardinal Cullen, Lord
O'Hagan, Mr.. Lowe, NJ. F., Mr. Gladstone,
and many other prominent persons. In re-
yS sr,T TviSh