Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-02-23
HOW Plus lX WAS CHOSEN.
IMPRESSIVE SCENE.
IN. o. Picayune.]

On the 18th of June, in the Palace of
the Qui,inal, at Rome, the College of
| Cardinals, fifty in number came together
for the election Of a successor TO Grego-
ry. In that gathering occurred a scene,
the mention Of which may not be out of
place in these remarks. Cardinal Lam
| bruschini, the Secretary of Foreign AZ
| fairs of the late POpe-a man of great
powers of intellect and fruitful in all
ally supposed, he the choice of the col
lege. On the day Of the election, two
Cardinals, more ntyorua,, wele appointed
One to take the ballot out of the sacred
chalice, handing it to the other to break
it's seal and read the name. To the latter
duty, Cardinal Mastai FeTetti was as
signed. By the majority of his colleagues
he was scarcely known, save as Il very
pious and learned provincial Cardinal,
whose feet had seldom pressed the streets
of Rome. Hence, the astonishment of
the college when tho name of this hum
ble candidate, who was no candidate,
was on the first ballot read out thirteen
times by his own mouth. Who could
have started this unexpected rival of the
candidate of Austria, ~ho peered in the
impassive faces of those solemn old men
liz Il vain attempt to read the secret of
their spiritual conscience The morning
of the 10th found him standing by the
chalice and reading out the votes, eleven
times for Labr,lschini and twenty y-seven
for himself. No election -; but the ques-
ton was evidently drawing to a close.
The College, in a wondering excitement,
recessed until :, o'clock. Again was Mas
tai ut his post, and with the expiring
tones of the grand hymn, Teni Creator
Spiritus, began the reading of the latest
ballot. Once, he read his name, twice,
thrice, and so Oh to the seventeenth bal
lot without the interposition of any other
name. TremulOus was his hand and
quivering his voice, and when, OH the
handing to him of the eighteenth rallot
by his colleague, he again was compelled
to read his name, he yielded to the enc
tions of the moment and begged the col
lege to relieve him from the duty and
appoint another scrutineer for its per-
fOrmance. Cardinal Masti:,, In the single
ness of his heart, had not considered that
a balloting hus interrupted, might have
vitiated tie proceedings. The conclave,
thinking better, urged him
to take IL seat and compose himself a
while. A Jew moments after, he returned |
to his post, accompanied by two Cardi- |
nails, and hen the last rame had been |
that name was his, for the !
thirty-sevcnth time. when the college, as
one man, rose mp and. with one voice, ac-
claimed him as the successor of Peter |
Sinking to his knees and with head bent
in silent communion with his God. his |
brothers ask him whether he accepts the
trust. Raising TO Heaven eyes. brimful
with tears, he finds no ;lnswe + but the as
piraton of the prayer, which his master
has taught TO all "TNy will be done"
They ask him by what name he is thence
forth to head the hierarchy. Meekly,
IRA tetuly perhaps, he declares his ch, sen
name to be P1us tho Ninth Plus the
Ninth! N0mcn ct omen A name which
linking him with Plus the Seventh,
threatened more than the fierce outrayes
IF Napoleon Bonaparte, charging into
5he lawless spoliatinns of Il Victor Eman-
lcl. An omen, sadly prophetic of the
more thar mortal sutie,ings of the pre-
lecessor, unmurmuringly courtc.l and
oorne by the successor!