Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-02-28
THE NEW POPE.
History OF His Career ~ Delegate, Q Nuncio, .
Bishop, an Archbishop ana Cardinal.


Giovacchino Pecci-now Pope Leo
XIlI.-was born on the I'd of March,
1910, at Carpeneto, near Anagni, Of
an old patrician family. He was in
favor with Pope Gregory XVI, in
whose household he was for some time
as prelate and private referendary.
and who employed him as his dele
gate, first at Benevento, then at Spo-
leto and Perugia, where he did work
in Kidding some of those districts of
the prevailing scourge of brigandage
Pecci was subsequently sent as Nun.
clio to Brussels, created Archbishop of
Perugia, and was one of the candi.
dates for whom the old Pope reserved
the honor of the purple when he died
in 1916. Pecci remained, however,
Cardinal in petto in spite of the
good offices of the King of the Bel
gians, who solicited the new Pope,
Plus TX, to fulfil the benevolent in
tentions of his predecessor.
Seven years elapsed before Plus TX.
came to the resolution to do Justice to
the candidate of Gregory's choice,
and this delay was owing to the ill
will of this Cardinal Antoneili, who
dreaded the influence of an able man
over the Pope's mind. At last, on
the 10Th of December, 1853, Pecci
received the hat, but for many years
he wac left in the cold at his see of
Perugia, the Notwithstanding OF
State standing in the way of any pre-
ferment which might bring dreaded
rival too near the Vatican.
In 1874, we are told, upon the death
OF Cardinal Barnabo, Project of the
Propaganda, an English prelate sug-
gested Pecci to the Pope as a man
competent to fill the vacancy. sPecci,'
pleaded the Englishman, els so learned
a man, and SO good Bishop" "Just
So" broke in the Pope, "an excellent
Bishop, and we will leave him to take
care of his diocese" More recently
another opening occurred. Upon the
office of Pro Datario becoming vacant
by the death of Cardinal Vannicell.
Casoni, Pecci relied upon his appoint
ment, and, leaving Perugia. he took
up his quarters in Rome, in the Fal-
conieri palace; but he was again un-
successful, the place being given to
Cardinal Sacconi; and it is only now,
since the removal of Antonelli by
death. that Pecci obtained free access
to the Pope, who had chosen him as
Cardinal Camerlengo.
The following is an extract from a
letter from Rome, published in the
London Times last September: "The
telegraph has already made you ac-
quainted with the result of FRIDAYS
Consistory. The Pope had some time
since expressed wish to fill up the
place of Camerlengo, vacant in conse-
quence of the death of Cardinal de
Angels, by appointing Cardinal Pecci
to the office, which the Pope's death
might at any time invest with supreme
Importance. 1t was, however, under.
stood that Pecci had declined the in
tended honor, pleading reasons which
seem to have been satisfactory to His
Holiness. Subsequently the Pope's
choice was supposed to have fallen on
Cardinal Panebianco, but it is not un.
likely that objections arose on the
part OF this prelate also, inasmuch as
it was well known that he was not
without hope of obtaining the highest
rank in the hierarchy at the next Pa
pal election, and there are but rare
instances, md none recent, Of Cam
erlengo-who is looked upon as
Pope maker, and who exercises the
whole authority of the Pope during
the interregnum-ever obtaining the
votes of the Sacred College on his
own behalf. The Pope, therefore.
went back to his former choice, and
overcame Pecci's resistance by that
authority which makes any decision
of his, whether springing up spontane.
ously in his mind, or adopted at the
suggestion of his secret wire-pullers,
a law for all his suhordinates, at least
during his lifetime. Pecci is thus now
the Camerlengo, and the chance of
Panebianco's election to the Pontif-
cate remains what it was"