The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-11-10
Facts about AntO1tetlt.
THE FORTUNE AND FAMILY OF THE DYING
CARDINAL-DEvOTED LIFE.

| the Sun saws writer in that paper, pur-
| porting to give biographical sketch OF the
| diving Cardinal Antoneili your informant,
among other Inaccuracies, says AL
| though receiving, with other Cardinals.
| salary of 81, 600 per anuum, he is provided
| with SO many wealthy benefices that be has
! accumulated an immense fortune" l am
certain that, like all true-hearted Ameri-
| cans who are lovers Of the truth for it's own
sake, you would not willingly and know
ingly utter word that could iDjure the
good name of the lowliest member of the
community-especiall if he were on his
death bed. Now, Giacomo An.oneHi-
perhaps at this moment before the judg-
ment seat of Him who shall weigh the
merits and dement's Of us all--is most dear
to the hearts Of two hundred millions OF
Catholics, six millions of whom are Amer
ican citizens. His good name is Dear to us
Catholics, if for no other reason, because
he has been the long and honored ser
want of the Holy See, and has cluDg to the
fortunes OF the illustrious Plus IX. with a
constaucy that no weight or succession of
calamities could shake, and with courage
proof alike against the threats of the as
Aassin and the ISLANDERS of a hostile press
You. sir, are not one who would learn
history from a Nicolina, a Gavazzi, an
Edmund About, or a Legge !; you would
not condemn, still less hang, a dog on their
testimony. Yet, such are the sources
each lying voice re echoing the utterance
Of it's predecessor--from which our popular
press have received the now widespread
opinion that Cardinal Antonelli "has accu-
mulated an immense fortune" from the
benefices bestowed upon him by the Pope,
or his clever manipulation of the Papal fl
nances. .-. -,.. o. p. -.
What is the truth about Cardinal An
tonelli's fortune? He is the son of an
italian nobleman, noted throughout Italy
for his great wealth and talent as a fnau-
cier. Tie family is not new one there
were Antonelli members Of the College of
Cardinals i'm the last century, and at the
beginning of the present, when the cele-
brated statesman was but babe; even
then the family was neither obscure nor
impoverished. Giacomo Antonelli Inherit
ed, like his brothers, a splendid fortune
from his father, with his fathers aptitude
for business. When he entered tile service
of the church he brought his priuceiy wealth
with him, ana used it as those best ac
quainted with the facts can testify, in a
princely spirit. Even were he poor man.
disposed to grow rich on tho revenues Of
his Office or benefices, the times on which
lie fell, the gradual impovcrishment and
final suppression Of all such benefices would
have left Cardinal Antonelli but few op-
family. AS it was, even before the Pied
montese Gauls possessed themselves Of
Rome, the yearly salary of g, 600 allotted
to each Cardinal from the revenues Of his
church, with the additional salary of 81 400
enjoyed by the Secretary of Ssate, cannot
strike any of your first class Protestant
pastors of New York as exhorbiant.-
Moreover, since 1870, neither the Pope nor
Cardinal Antonelii, nor indeed any one of
the high officers of the Papal Court, ever
accepted one dollar of salary from .he
usurpng royal government. The heroic
Secretary Of State may have filled the duties
attached to other onerous offices, with the
abnepation displayed in uischarging his
own but these additional labors, while in
creasing his rewards in another world, OBJ
tanned him IN this only such misrepresent-
ations as that into which your informant
was led incautiously.
Shall l tell you how such men as Cardi-
nal Antonelli and the late Archbishop DE
Merode employed the princely patrimony
they brought with them to the service of
the Holy See in it's darkest aud most needy
hour? There are still, in spite of ruthless
suppressions and coufscations, many noble
institutions of benificeuce and learning in
Rome, in the Papai States, and throughout
Italy, which were the recipients of cuntin-
ual munificent aid from both of these high
minded prelates. There are among the
studants that have issued from the Propa-
gan6a, and it's sister colleges in Rome,
many a devoted priest and bishop, even
here in our America, who could thrill your
own, aud all American hearts, naturally so
generous, with numberless instances of the
most delicate and bountiful charity on the
part of the great Sonuinese statesman, as
we'll as on that of his old associate in the
pontifcal ministry.
TO be sure, Cardinal Antoneili dwelt in
an historical palace painted and furnished
by Italian genius; so did De Merode and
so does the Pope himself, for that matter.
But You, sir, whose superior knowledge
and travelled experience have enabled you
to see behind splendid surroundings the
nude realities, you cannot but be aware
that there is not a man Oh the editorial
staff of the sun at this momeut whose
habits are not more luxurious or expensive
than the simple-hearted old Pontif, and
his proverbially a5stemious minister. An
tonelli's life was devoted TO Plus TX. and
for this we Catholics honor and revere his
name; his presence was ever accessible to
the injured. and his purse opened to the
needy, an6 for this our common humanity
will bless ID iui. 1t were well for us, at the
beginning of our second century Of nation
al life, if those who aspire TO serve the
State could bring to it a fortune that should
place them above dependence, temptation
and corruption. Let us wait and see
whether or not the dying Cardinal will not
have given to the needs of his aged m aster
and the service of the universal church the
remnants Of the fortuue received from his
father.
When the bandits made their recent
raid in Minnesota on the Mortified Bank
they captured near Maukato an inoffensive
German named Dunning. After he had
pilotcd them to a roadway which they
wished to find, they calmly debated the
question whether they should permit him
to go on his way or kin him on the spot
After the question had been discussed quite
freely ballot was taken, and the Germans s
life was saved by the vote Of Charley Pitts,
the robbeT, who was subsequently killed
near Madelia. Dunning was compelled to
take au oath that he would never speak of
his experience to a human being Never