The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-02-15
DEATH OF POPE Plus TX.
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1Ounu emotions OF sorrow of the death
of that great and good prince of the
church, Plus TX. In recording his
death we of the South, of all creeds and
factions, reverentiy bow the head and
pay our tribute OF devotion to one OF
the brightest and purest intellects tha,
ever graced the Pontifical throne.
Alone of all the Princes of Earth he re-
cognized the Southern people in the
hour of our forlorn struggle. For this
we are grateful and Protestants though
we be, we lay upon his coffin the
tribute OF our admiration for his holy
life and love for his tranScendant per-
sonal virtues .saEat.....sE .ty -
Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti, who
for thirty-one years has filled the chair
of st. Peter as Pope Plus TX, was the
scion of a noble Italian family, and
born at Sinigaglia May 13, 1872. He
was originally intended for the military
profession, and went to Rome TO enter
the Papai guard, but showing signs OF
an epileptic tendency he changed his
purpose and became a student of theol-
ogy. After completing his studies and
receiving holy orders, he remained
some time in Rome and took an active
part in the various important works
of charity, which gave him a high
reputation for intelligence and energy.
This reputation led to his selection by
Plus VII to fill a mission to the govern
ment of Chilli, South America, where
he acted as stauditor" to Monsignor
Muge, the Vicar Apostolic of that
republic. Equally faithful and sue
cessful in this position, he was, on his
return, made domestic .prelate of Leo
XII, and President of the Osipzoi of
San Michele. In 1929 he was made
Archbishop of Spoleto, and in 1886
was sent as Apostolic Nuncio to Naples,
where he distinguished himself by his
efforts to mitigate the ravages ofthe
cholera, then raging there. The Nea.
politans still retain grateful recol-
lection of his self-sacrificing services
in their behalf in those terrible days.
In 1910 he was created Cardinal Arch
bishop of Imola, where much political
disatfection existed but he displayed
such wisdom and skill in reconciling
differences and healing dissensions.
coupled with such liberality of senti-
ment, that peace and prosperity We're
speedily restored to the district.
Pope Gregory XVI died Tune L, 1916,
and on the 10th of the same month
Cardinal Ferretti was elected by ac-
clamation as his successor. AS soon as
practicable after his conservation Plus
TX set about the introduction of certain
reforms in the administration of affairs
which experience and observation had
convinced him were necessary as well
as desirable. His intention was to es-
tablish the Papal Government on u
firm, and yet at the same time, popular
basis +; and during the brief period that
events permitted him to follow this
programme, he not only accomplished
many highly valuable results, but en-
deared himself greatly to the people.
But the French revolution of 1S4S gave
such a tremendous impetus to Repub-
Iicanism throughout Italy, that the
Pope felt compelled to adopt more
conservative course, which naturally
diminished his popularity at once. The
reactionary policy precipitated the In
evitabIe crisis. On the 18th of Novem-
ber, 1S4S, Count Rossi, the Papal min
lister and adviser, was asSasSinated
in Rome, and few days later the
Pontif was obliged to take refuge
in the Quirinal palace from whence
he left the city and established his
court at Gaeta, the first town in Nea-
politan territory. From Gaeta he sent,
November %, an ordonnance to Rome,
declaring void all the acts of the new
Government. He also addressed Il
formal remonstrance to the Catholic
sovereigns of Europe, but neither or
dominance nor remonstrance procured
immediate practical fruit. In April,
1S49, however, the fruit came. A
French force landing at Civita Vecchia
under command of Gen. Oudinot, ad-
vanced on Rome, then held by native
troops led by Garibaldi; and after 1,
siege of thirty days captured the city
and placed within it an army of occu-
patton. The PapaI Government was
reinstated, but the Pope did not re-
enter Rome until April II, 1850. For
some years his rule met with no serious
distractions, but in 1859 and 1860
changes in European politics tended to
materially weaken the temporal power
of the Holy See, and in September,
1860, the Sandman troops entered the
Papal territory and took possession OF
I Pesaro, Fano, Urbina, Perugia and
Spoleto. On the 2Sth of the month
named, Ancona surrendered which
left of the States of the Church only
Rome, Civita Vecchia and some dis.
friotS oooupiad bv the French army