New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-29
Cardinal B0nnpRrte.

The cable states that Cardiaal Bonaparte
has been called 20 tie high post of Cardinal
Cameriengo of the Holy See. The appoint
ment eau scarcely be regarded anything
less than formal adoption by the Vatican
of tho Bonapartea as the true eldest sons Of
the Church of France. Commenting on
this appointment, the New York World
saws:
This ought to mean that the Church party
in France have made up their minds to deal
with the Prince Imperial as the only mon
archist pretender in France, who ia at all
likely to be brought TO the fr1nt by any
future CONVERSIONS IN the political condition
of that country. All parties in France, ex
cept tks extremists. appear now to have
made up their minds TO bear with the
Marshal President through the remainder
Of his term Of Office; and it is very probable
that if this state OF things continues. and
the Conservative Republicans play their
cards wisely, the republic may get itself
60 strongly fixed before 1850 as to defy
the perils which will then assail it. Still.
'NothiEg happens except the unforeseen"
and the Church party IS no doubt behaving
prudently in preparing itself for the event
uality OF q monarchical restoration. The
Oiieanists never have had any re Il hold on
public opinion in France, and the Legit-
imists have been sacrificed by the obstinacy
OF their chief and the Count OF Chambord.
The counts fidelity to the white flag is
called chiyalrous aud high-souled by his
adherents, but in their hearts the cieverest
OF them no doubt regard it as QnixOtic
and absurd. If the great ancestor of
Henry V. could think paris worth
mass" good believers in the bourbon s.y-
nasty may be forgiven for thinking that his
descendant ought to have considered
France as worth a tricolor. However,
what has been done has been done, and this
young Prince Imperial alone remains really
in the field.
BIZ making his kinsnan, Cardinal Cam,
erlengo, the Vatican puts the most impor
tant Office in the Church after the Papacy
virtually into the hands of the French I'M
perialists. The Cardinal Camerlengo, down
to very recent times, WAS really, even il
the lifetime of Pope, the second person
age in the Papai States. He tradtionally
represents the dignity who, II the earlier
days of the Papacy, was called thu ttestia
rius, and held i'll stewardship the property
of the Church Within his attributes fell
whatever stood even remotely connected
with the interests of the Papal eXcheQuer,
and he had immediate jurisdiction over all
secular cases in the district and in the city
of Rome. Since the GENERALIZATION process
began. which has gradually vested
the official control Of papal affairs in the
Pope and the Cardinal Secretary of State
process mainly pushed forward by Car
dinal Antonelli-the Cardinal Cainerlengo
+. has lost much Of the reality OF his power
during papai reign. Nor is he now, as
once he was, complete dictator or real
king of Rome during the inferregnum
which intervenes between the death of one
pontH and the election Of hi: successor.
From the moment however, that a Pope
breathes his last, the Cardinal Camarengo
will still become the frat man in the Roman
establishment, and, when the conclave is
assembling which is to elect the new Pope,
he will be the direct representative of the
papacy. The ceremonial by which the Car
dinal Camerlengo opens his period of author
iiy is striking part OF the ysl bolical organ
iza'ion of the Church. As soon as the death
of Pope Plus shall be reported. Cardinal
Bonaparte, being the Camerlengo, will
hazton, at the head Of the clerical house
hold to the death chamber, and strike the
door with gilt mallet. calling upon the
Pope by name. On receiving no reply. ha
will enter the chamber, and. going up t.
the corpse, tap it thrice on the forehead
with another mallet Of silver, and then fall
ing on his knees beside the motionless body,
proclaim IN loud voice that the Pope is
indeed no more. He will then notify the
Senate eff Rome that the Pope has passed
away. If the Pope were stll Prince Of
Rome, the Senate would then cause La Pa
teruia, the ola communion bell Of Niterbo
which hangs in the Capitol, to be tolled.
This part OF the ceremony will probably
now DC omitted. The Maestro di Camera
Of tho dead Pope will next hand to
the Cardinal Camerlenge the Popes
81 ring of the fisherman" used in
sealing all papal briefs. to be broken
solemly the next day in the presence of
first general meeting of the Sacred College.
The CameIlengo will then take possession
OF the Vatican, and Remain there while al
inventory is made of all that it contains-a
custom which dates from the old days when
it was an established practice for the Ro-
man mob always to break in and rifle the
Papal palace after the demise of Pope.
The PaDal Gusrdia Noble attend the Car
election of q new Pope. All edcts in this
interval run in bis name, and all coins
struck by the PApal mint bear his private
arms. AS soon as the conclave opens,
three Cardinals called, Capt. d Ordi1e are
chosen for three days term, to be asso-
ciated with the Cardinal Camerlengo as
the supreme executive authority of the
Church. This brief sketch Of the functions
and the position of the Camerlengo will
plainly enough show how great an influence
q clever and ambitious parsonage in that
high otfice can exert; and how significant
therefore, it is that the representative Of
the Honapartes in the Sacred College should
have been called to fill it. When we take
also into consideration the reported fact
that the Buffet government has just thought
it worth while to do the Imperialists in
France the great service Of cashiering four
officers Of the army for attending funeral
service IN honor of the memory of the late
Emperor Napoleon Ill, to whom the Mar.
shalPresident himself owes his military
ted that the events of the last few days
have given the cause Of tho Bonapartes
sudden and serious prominence in the field
Of European politics.