Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-02-13
Mode Of Electing q Pope.

The death of Pope Plus TX. having been
officially announced, it becomes question
of general interest concerning the method of
choosing a successor. The cyclopedias in
form us that there are four methods-by
inspiration" by compromise" by" scrut
my" and by access"
An election by inspiration is effected by
several OF the cardinals calling aloud, as il
by sudden impulse, the name of the per.
son they desire elected but this method
have failed
1t is called an election by compromise
when, the cardinals not being able to agree,
they determine to abide the choice of one or
more of their own body selected for that
purpose. II was thus that John XXlI.,
after having obtained the solemn assent OF
the college to abide his decision, assumed to
himself the pontifcate. This act led to an
understanding or rule eifectually preventing
the recurrence of such an event in the future.
In elccting Pope by scrutiny the cardi-
nails each write their own name with that Of
their candidate upon ticket, which, with
many ceremonies aud genufectious, is depos.
tied in chalice on the altar OF the chapel
in which they are assembled. When all
have voted, one of their number removes
the tickets carefully compares the number
with that of the persons present; after
which, if it appears that anyone has two
thirds Of the votes in his favor, he is de-
clared to be economically elected Pope. When,
however, after repeated trials no choice has
been effected, an election by "access is
resorted to, in which any cardinal may ac-
cede to the vote of another by an alteration
of his ticket in prescribed form. When a
choice has been made the ballots are burned
Between the death of the Pope and the
election of his successor the principal per-
sonage connected with the church il Rome
used to be the Cardinal Camarlengo, the
papal chamberlain. His functions have long
ceased to be more than purely ceremonial.
The powers of the cardinals during the in
terregnum have been confined between the
loNtot nuilNo ny q otlicN w liklh
scriptions framed 10y successive pontiffs.
From 1900 to the last election, in 1916,
the elections were held in the Quirnal, the
favorte summer residence of the Popes, now
the palace of the King of Italy. The new
election will be in the Vatican, and probably
in the Sistine chapel.
The moment Pope is elected he receives
what is denominated the " first alteration -
of the cardinals in the chapel, and then is
proclaimed to the public as the choice Of
the Conclave. His second and third ador-
ations," as he is seated on the High Altar
of st. Peters, follow. His coronation with
the triple tiara, also at St. Peters, is gener-
ally on the next Sunday, when he also takes
possession of the Basilica of st. John Lat
eran, the Metropolitan Church (urbis ei orJis)
of the city aud the world.
The present system, with few changes, has
been in existence more than eight hundred
years. In the year 1859 Nicholas II. issued
a bull confirming the elective franchise to the
College of Cardinals, leaving to the clergy
and the people of Rome, VINO had previously
shared the right with them, the ratification
of their choice. A century later Alexander
III. decreed that majority of at least two
thirds of the cardinals voting was necessary
to valid election. Under George X, in
1874, the Second Council of Lyons ordered
that ten days after the death of Pope-tc
allow time for the arrival of absentees-th,
cardinals should enter into conclave in the
palace in which he breathed his last. anc
that, with limited number Of attendants
they should be immured until the election
was completed. These three DEGREES hav,
formed to this day the rule for the papa
election.