Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-02-09

HOW A SUCCESSOR TO Plus IN WILL. BE
CHosEN-vARIoUs METHODS OF ELECTION
SOME HISTORICAL "REMINISCENCES.
According TO yesterdays dispatches from
Rome, cOnclave of cardinals has been sum
moned to the Vatican TO elect successor To
Rus lA. In some quarters il is predicted
thai the choice will be delayed for long time,
owing to a lack of unanimity among the elect
OFFS and the prominence of the Italian nation
allty over others whose present representation
Is regarded as disproportionate to their i'm
however, the spirit of Cancellation pervadeS
the conclaye, it may be that the Pope will be
chosen from among the cardinals who have
reached a very old age, in the hope that his
death, which is not likely to be long DELAYED.
will find the church i'm state more approach
ing unanimity. Plus IN, who was born on
the 18th of May, 1872, leaves behind him none
OF the highest dignitaries of an equal age.
Those who come nearest are Cardinals Reg
nler of France, born i'm 1874; Bonnet OF
France, born in 1875; Caterini of Italy. born i'm
liSo, ana Announcer OF Italy, born in 1873.
MODE OF ELECTION.
of course. the process of electing a new
Pope is surrounded with all manner of protec-
I'VE agencies, intended to diminish the posi-
were made lawful by a bull of Gregory Nv,
namely, election by inspiration or acclama.
tl0n, ELECTION by compromise and election by
b baliot m me nISt and second OF these methods
channel opened by them for claptrap and
guile. For example, there is tradition con
corning the election of st. Fabian, TO the effect
that dove alighted on his head during the
c0nclaVe, and the other cardinals. seeing in
this dove visible form of the Holy GnoSt
with one accord declared Fabian Pope. Again,
When The cOnclayeS succeeding the death of
Clement V. had failed to agree, and the papal
chair had remained vacant two years, five
months and seventeen days, compromise
was effected by whose terms Cardinal Jauues
ID Fuse was requested to name a Pope. He
promptly cried out, " Ego sum Papa" &" am
rope. and assembled the throne under the
name John xxi.
The process of balloting begins on the tenth
day after the death of a Pope, and is contin-
ued twice daily. not excepting even the great
1eastS, till an election is reached. The ballot
used is divided into three sections. In the
top section the cardinal writes his name. i'm
the middle section the name of his candidate
and in the bottom section Roman numeral
an "a motto by which the ballot can be dis,
llhgulShed without disclosing his personal
Identity. When the blanks are filled out i'm
disguised handwriting, the top and bottom
sections are folded over upon themselves and
sealed, SO as to protect the writing on each
from view and the stamp used for sealing
must be such as TO be recognized only by the
cardinal using it,: The ballot is then folded
date, but is not sealed this time. Three Off
GERS, chosen by lot, and known as ScrutatorS,
sit in full view of their brother cardinals to
count and record the votes when cast Each
cardinal advances as his name is called, and
casts ms ballot into covered chalice, first
taking the following oath: ''TestOr ChriStum
bolhinuul, qul me 1uQlcaturuS est, me ellgere,
quem secundum deum judice eligi debere, Ell
quod IN acceSso pr9Stabo." ri call to wit
ness, Christ our Lord, who shall be my Judge
that am electlng him who before God think
ought to be elected."l
When all the votes are cast, the chalice is
vigorously shaken for the purpose of mixing
the ballots, and the latter are then taken out
and counted. If the number corresponds
with the number of electors, they are opened.
one by one, by the first ScrutatOr the names of
the candidates are announced in order, and
the ballots are passed to the second ScrutatOr,
who makes the same announcement and
passes them on to the third. The third scru-
tator announces the names, records them, and
puts the ballots carefully on file. III Pope is
not elected at the first ballot, similar form is
gOnethrOugh with, save that the list of candi-
dates is limited to those named i'm the first in
stance. When an election is reached, by a
twothirds majority for one candidate, the BAL
lots are opened at the lower section, and the
motto. mineral and seal of each is announced,
so that every cardinal can see that his ballot
has been counted. The ballot cast by the sue
cessful cardinal is next picked out and exam
ined, to see that he did not vote for himself in
violation of the law. All the ballots are then
burned in the presence of the Conclave, and
the cardinals unite i'm saying; The will of the
HOly Ghost he dOnet''