The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-02-12
The Election of q POpe.

For moment the attention of the world
is turned from the new to the old Rome,
from speculations as to the fate of the success
sor of the Prophet to speculations as to the
name of the successor of st. Peter. The
primacy of the Catholic world is vacant, and
the Sacred College is convened in the eternal
city to choose an occupant of the holy apos-
tolic see. The constitution of the electoral
body which chooses the spiritual head OF two
hundred millions of Christians is very simple.
That body may consist Of seventy cardinals.
But it is rarely full, and now embraces only
sixty-two members. Since the days of Mich
las II the sacred college has met in Rome
Immediately after the death of Pope and
has remained in session until his successor
was chosen. A century later Alexander III
decreed that two-thirds vote of those pres
ent was necessary to an election. That de-
cree is in force to-day. There are three
methods of election. The first by "inspira-
tion," when the Cardinals at once and unani-
mousy agree upon name; the second by
''compromise,'' when they delegate their
powers to committee; the third by "ballot-
ing," when vote is taken twice day until a
result is reached. As there is no Cardinal so
preeminent that he can command the votes
of all his associates, and as there are several
candidates for the succession, the method by
ballot will doubtless be resorted to. At the
last election the voting took place in the Pau
line Chapel. The ballot box was placed in
front OF the altar, and after each inconclusve
ballot the votes were burned. The smoke
issuing from the fue indicated to those with
out that no choice had been made-that the
ballot in fact had ended in smoke. When
the college goes into conclave each Cardinal
goes into his cell, and is there shut up until
choice has been made. No communication
with those without is permitted. Until an
election is effected the Cardinal Cameriengo
(chamberlain) exercises the offices of the
Papacy. When Pope is elected he receives
what is called the "frst adoration'' of the
Cardinals, in the chapel, and then IS pro-
claimed to the world as the choice of the
Conclave. His second and third "adora'
tons" take place in public, and his corona
ton with the tiara is generally on the next
Sunday at St. Peters. The Italian occupa
ton of Rome will very likely lead to some
change in the public ceremonies.
The new Pope will doubtless be an Italian
OF the two hundred and fifty-two Roman
Pontiffs but fifty-four have been foreigners.
and the last Pope of foreign birth, Adrian VI
was chosen in 1922. The Italians, too, hold
a preponderance in the college, having thirty
six of the sixty-two Cardinals. OF greater
interest is the question as to the views of the
new Pope, whether he will be ultramontane
or moderate. The strong probability is that
an ultramontane will be chosen, for the ma
iority of the college is believed to be ex
tremely absolutist in its views. OF the mod
crate members the most prominent are the
Cardna[Prnces Hohenlohe and Schwarzen
berg of Germany and Austria, Cardinal
Smor the Primate of Hungary, and Cardi
nal Simeoni, the papal Secretary of State
The seven French Cardinals, the four Span
ish, and the three British, Cullen, Manning,
and Howard, as we'll as vast majority o
the Italian are ultramontane. Strangely
enough, the American Cardinal (who takes
palt in a conclave for the first time) Nc
Closkey, is reckoned among the ultramon
tanes.
No coDjectures can be formed in regard tt
the choice. The men most prominently
mentioned are the Cardinal Vicar Monaco
La Valetta, and Cardinal Bilio, both Italians
1t is quite probable, however. that the choice
will! fall upon some man not yet mentioned
and that---as we say in American politics =
the dark horse will win.