The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-11-12
THE FACTS ABOUT CARDINAL INTO
EELLTS WEALTH.

The New York Sun, OF the Alb inst pnblishe
the following communication:
| To the Editor OF the Sun:
Sr-In n paragraph of this mornings issu
OF the Sun, purporting to give a biographies
| informant, among other inaccuracies, says
Although receiving, with other Cardinals,
salary of 81 900 per snnum, be is provided wit
30 many wealthy bone fces that he has accumu
| lated an immense fortune" am certain thai
| like all true hearted Americans who are lover
OF the truth for its own sake, you would no
willingly and knowingly utter q word tba
| could iDjure the good name of the lowlies
member of the community-especially if b.
were on his death bed. Now, Giacomo Auto
| pelli-perhaps at this moment before the judi
Dent,sea of Him who shall weigh the merit
and dement's of US sll-is most dear TO thu
! hearts Of two hundred millions of Catholics
six millions of whom are American citizens
HIS good name is dear to US Catholics, if for NJ
other reason, because he has been the life lopl
and honored servant of the Holy See, and hs.
| olupg to the fortunes of the illustrious Pins TX
| with constanoy that no weight or succession
of calamities could shake, and with a courage
| proof alike against the threats of the assassin
| and the ISLANDERS of hostile press.
You, Rir are not one who would learn history
| from Nicolni, Gavszzi, an Edmund About
! or Legge; you would not condemn, still less
hang, o dog on their testimony. Yet such are
the sonroes-esoh lying voice re-eohoipg the
utterance of its professionalism which our
popular press have received the now widespread
opinion that Cardinal Antonelli has aocu Du-
lated an immense fortune" from the benefices
bestowed upon him by the Pope, or his clever
manipulation of the Papal finances.
What is the truth about Cardinal Autonellis
fortuneF He is the sou of an Italian noblemau,
noted throughout Italy for his great wealth and
talent as tinancier. The family is not new
one; there were Antoneli's members of the
College of Cardinals ia the last century, and at
the eginning of the present, when the cele
brated statesman was bat babe; even then
tho family was neither obscure or impover-
ished. Giacomo Antouelli Inherited, like his
brothers, a splendid fortune from his father
with his fathers aptitude for business When
he entered the service of the church he brought
his princely wealth with him, and used it,, ms
those bestacq ted with the facts can testify,
in q princely spirit. Even vera he poor man,
disposed to grow rich on the revenues OF his
offices or benefces, the times on which he fell,
the gradual impoverishment and final suppress
sion of all such benefoes, would have loft Car
dine Antonelli but few opportunities of enrich
ing himself or his family. As it was, even be-
fore the Piedmontese Gauls possessed them
selves of Rome, the yearly salary of 81, 900
allotted to each Cardinal from the revenues of
his church, with the additional salary of 81 400
enjoyed by the Secretary of State, cannot strike
any of Your first-ciass Protestant pastors of
neither the Pope nor Cardinal Antoneli. nor
indeed any one of the high officers of the Papsl
Court, ever accepted one dollar of salary from
the usurping royal government. The heroic
Secretary of State may have fulfilled the duties
attached to other onerous offices, with the alb.
negation displayed in discharging his own but
these additional labors, while increasing his
ward in another world, obtained him in this
only such Misrepresentation az that into which
your informant was led incautiously. T..
Shall tell you how such men as Cardinal
Autonelli and the late Arch bishop De Nerode
employed the princely patrimony they brought
with them to the service of the Holy See in its
darkest and most needy hourf There are still,
in spite Of ruthless impressions and con6sca-
VNnlI mat tint nn ~ hnr nRonVr
and learning in Rome, in the Papal States and
throughout Italy, which were the recipients of
contipual munifceut aid from both of these
high mi nded prelAtes. There are among the
students that have issued from tbe Propag and \,
and it's sister colleges in Rome many devoted
priest and bishop, even here in our America,
who could thrill your own, and all American
hearts, naturally 80 generous with numbeElese
instances of tho most delicate and bouatiful
charity on the part of the great Sonninese
Statesman, as we'll as on that of his old asso
ciate in the pontifoal ministry.
To be sure, Cardinal AutonelH d~elt in q
historical palace painted and furnished By
italian genius so did De Merode; and 30 does
the Pope himself, for that matter. Bot you
sir, whose superior kno Wedge aud Travelled
experience have enabled you to see behind
splendid surroundings the nude realities, you
| cannot but be aware that there is not a mar
! on the editorial staff of the Sun at this moment
| whose habits are not more lux1rious or expen
| Bive than the siuple-hearted old Pontiff and
his proverba!iy aOstemious minister. Anton
ellis life WAS devoted to Plus TX , aud for THU
We Catholics honor and re7ere his name; his
presence was ever accessible to the injured, and
| his purse "nened to the needy, and for this ouI
comm, Humanity will bless him. 1t were
well Tor us, at the beginning of orr second
century of national life, if those who aspire to
| serve the State could bring to it n fortune that
| should place them above dependence tempta
tion aud corruption. Let wait aud see
whether or not the dying Cardinal will not
have given to the peeds of his aged master and
| the service of the Universal Church the rem.
nants of the fortune received from his father
should apologize for taking up 80 much OF
| your valuable space; we're it not that / feel
for thus allowing me to viDdtcate the honor
of one SO high and 80 deservedly dear.
HIERos
TaREE TuOUsASD IMMIGRANTS A MONTH