The New York herald., 1878-02-09


tempered down to the softest sighings Of a
zephyr There is one omission in the pro-
gramme. No premium is offered for the
''best temper" But then, as no just decision
could be reached on that point until oil the
prizes have been given away, probably it
was considered impracticable to bring that
qualification into the competitive list One
thing is certain-whether fair or dark COM
plexions may predominant during the show,
there is almost certain to be an excess OF
black eyes after its close
The Dead and the Coming Pope
The Hsrald'ss Interviews with the
Cardinals.
The cable dispatches from Rome indicate
that the Italian government will wisely
abstain from any interference with the
freedom of the Conclave about to as
semble in the Eternal City for the
election of q successor to Plus TX. King.
Humbert indeed could afford to treat the
result, if it should prove to be continue
ton of the late Pope's isolation and opposi-
ton to accomplished facts. with Indifference
Inasmuch, however, as it is desirable for
the good of all concerned that the
question should be settled in some
way, little courteous recognition of
the sad event which just now oc-
cupies the Catholic world will be as
polite as it will be meet. To the little
band of would-be martyrs and grim recluses
who surrounded the late Pope the cautious
but decided advance toward friendly re-
lations between the Quirinal and the
Vatican will not be welcome. Still
the logic of things is dead against
them. A little persecution would help
enemy sends round polite offers and SYM
pathetic regards in your bereavement when
he marches his soldiers up and down, not
as prison guard, but as guard of
honor, it is a bad season to reopen
old sores. All this will have its weight and
seeks to perpetuate the policy of wordy
opposition to state of things which there
is no hope to remove. The determination
to bury the Pope, with all the solemn pomp
of the Roman ritual, in the great Basilica
of st. Peter indicates how even the most
ardent of the non-compromise cardinals will
be compelled to go with the current of the
times.
OF the deepest interest upon this ques-
ton of the Papal succession will be found
the se1ies of interviews with the men,
bers Of the College of Cardinals,
oL hos
collected with marked industry and pre-
sented with fine skill. Affording as they
do glimpse of the inner life, of the per-
sonal appearance, the peculiarities and in
larger sense the qualities Of these distin-
guished ecclesiastics, they furnish a means
Of information of which all students of the
age we live in will gladly avail themselves.
The stately princes of the Roman Church
in the full flower of their authority, the
humber members Of the Sacred College
living piously in the shadow Of the Holy
See, the young cardinals with their dreams
of the triple crown, pushing its phantom
aside as Caesar did the golden circlet
on the Lupercal, the aged mitred
priests beyond the reach of ambition draw
ing bent bodies toward the grave, the
studious cardinal poring over dusty canon
ical tones, the cardinal monk pacing the
gloomy monastery corridor, the dynastic
cardinals, the Bonaparte and the Hohenlohe
dreaming and plotting without appearing
to plot, all pass in procession before the
eyes of the reader. AS O picture of the
splendors of the Church typified in the per-
sonages who make popes and of whom
popes are made, it will instruct and fas-
cinate.
But who will r-"ceed Pope Plus? Our
correspondent in lat portion of his corre-
spondence published yesterday selected
five names-name1y, Pecci, Bilio, La Val
letta, Simeoni and Franchi. In the
portion published to-day he finally
fixes with certain reserve upon Cardinal
Pecci. From the description of this prelate
we conclude that he is good administrator,
not q pessimist, and moderate. With such
man in the Papal chair the influences of the
age might be allowed some sway. The
favorite of the contemporaries" party
is said to be Cardinal Bilio, young
and ardent priest, Of whom, un-
fortunately, much progress cannot be
hoped, if his past is any guarantee
but within these limitations he would
doubtless make brilliant head oi
the Roman Church. Panebianco, the taci-
turn monk, would, we fear, prove nothing
more than pronounced churchman.
Simeoni and Franchi are of the same
strain as Bilio. We cannot find
much that is encouraging in the
possibilities of Cardinal Ferrieri be-
coming Pope, although he is spoken of by
cable as Liberal" candidate. Cardinal de
Pietro, also SO classified, is seventy-two