Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-09-28
The College OF Cardinals.


The College OF Cardinals, when complete,
consists of seventy members. representing
perhaps in about equal proportions the three
orders of the priesthood, although, IN con-
clave, bishops, priests and deacons all rank
alike, and all possess equal privileges. Ma
zarin, for instance, was deacon Rlchelleu
WAS priest But the sacred college recog-
nizes none OF these distinctions OF the hier-
arch, and, except that one cardinal may ben
cardinal IN pstto. and another II cardinal whose
name has been published to the world, OF, as
it is called, promulgated, all cardinals are
equal. There is, believe, no limit to the
number of cardinals that the Pope can create
in Jetto, and Plus IX. is said to have eXer-
cised his privilege freely but 20 IL with the
cardinals the perfect number, and these 10
must be announced to the world before they
can take their seats IN conclave. Cardinals
IN lettO have several times put IN II claim to
vote but that claim has never been recogni-
zed, and it WAS disalowed II few years ago,
even in n case where the Pope had explained
TO the college the reasons which rendered 1t
nexpedient for him TO publish tho names,
and the principle thus emphatically estab-
lished that II creation to be recognized must
be made public The creation OF II cardinal
IL, however, with the Pope. II mere net of
mental yolition. He creates cardinals 10y
thought or by Il stroke of his pen. Perhaps
many men are cardinals to-day without pos
sessing the slightest knowledge OF their own
greatness for all that the Pope has to do ls
| 10 put down their names and to announce
| the fact to themselves or to the dean Of the
| college, or. without doing either OF these
things to place the list in the plgeon-hOles
of his desk to be found after his death by the
| chamberlin Of the palace. These men are
cardinals in petto. Their creation is complete,
| Lnt ttI tbatr hs nnhgultI
names published, they are not canonically III
| IA position to enter Il conclaye. Till the
| eleventh century the college contained only
| twenty eight cardinals but the bull of Sin
| tus V. fixes the number ut seventy, and these
seventy now legally constitute the consistory.
! But 1t is not necessary that all the seventy
| should be present to constitute conclhye. In
| 1876 the college had no more than slxty-twO
names upon its roll. although Gregory had III
| his lifetime created NJ many as se'ehty-hHe
cardinals, the greatest number probably ever
| created by u Pope, and OF these hlxiy-:-c
only thirty were IN Rome when the great bell
OF St Peter announced tnat the Holy City
was without II head, and fifty cardinals only
| took part ia the cunclAye which placed the
| keys of st. Peter IN the keeping oi Plus IN.
| That however, or any less number, is suth-
| cient to constitute conclave, II ten days
shall have elapsed from the announcer mcnt of
the Popes death, and If Ia the conclnvc the
| Pope-elect secures u vote representing ma
| lority Of two-thrds OF the cardinals prcson ut.
| "You have not seen Rome. 1t used to be
said, ''if you have not seen 1t during u vaca-
ton of the See and 1t was III the spirit OF
this observation that Fra BncIo answered the
| question of Pope Paul (Which do you
| think the finest festival III Rome" That
which il held whenH Pope dies and new
one III being made" All police IN the Holy
City ut once collapsed The army disband
ed itself and generally took to plllnge. the
courts of law were closed, the mobiles armed
their retaners. drew chains across the streets
and kept watch and ward for themselves
Neither court, tribunal nor chancery was
held Procurntor, advocate and cursors all
alike stood with their hands IN their lIrdlcs
All the prisons except that IN the Castle of
st. Angelo were thrown open. and the conse.
duence was that rot run wild till Rome again
found herself IN the hands OF II ruler. The
middle classes amused themselves according
to their bent III assassination or speculation
upon the result OF the cOnclnve. The ban
chi Vecchi and Nuovi were turned into an
exchange and probably us much money
changed hands upon the chances %. this or
that man coming ont of the cunclave Pope
as changes hands with us upon the Derby ur
the Oaks. Ii IL illegal now to make II bet
upon papal election, and the police ot We
tor Emmanuel will | suppoHe, reduce the
delights of the intorregnum" to such in
trigues M the representatives. OF France, Italy
and Germany may he able to carry ON with
the cardinals before they are shut up. and to
such plots and surprises as the cardinals
themselves may be able TO accomplish when
shut up IN tho Vatican or the Culrlnal like Hil
English Jury in Westminster hall 10 find a
| verdict.