New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-11
THE COMING CONCLATE.

The COnclave OF Cardinals, Wnlcn VIII DC
held in the Vatican Immediately after the last
honors have been paid to the remains of Pope
Plus X, may prove TO be one OF the mor
important in the history of the Roman Church.
Although some Of the exciting elements, which
were so apparent during, and for consider
able time after, the Ucumenical Council, have
en- partially subducd. the original principles
remain, and will assert themselves now. he
submission of nearly all Of the prelatcs who
conec;cntiousy opposed the doctrine OF Papal
Iufallblity, was countcrbalanced by the con
flicts which arose III Germany, Switzerland,
Italy, and quite recently i'll France; many OF
tha most Jealous TeactlOnlstS in the Church
have been forced to pause and seriously con-
slider the strength of the governing forces of
modern civilization; and there is less DISPOSE
tioh TO press an open warfare upon the world
than there seemed to be six or seven years
ago. The great age of Plus TX, the personal
tenderness with which he was regarded, and Il
natural if somewhat sentimental sympathy
with his grief over the loss Of his temporal
power has undoubtedly restrained the action
of the two parties into which the Churci-lIkc
all other Churches--s, and cannot but be, d.
vidcd.
Bnt. no scorer is TIE Pope dead than the
Liberal and UltramOntanC tendencies Of the
Cardinals come clearly and sharply into hight
The truce is over, and the are distinct signs
Of a struggle for the infailibe HeadShip OF
the Church, which is nov miehtier power
than ever, since every or cGthedrd definition Of
faith must be accepted periorce, without pro-
test and even without discussion. The prclim-
mary conferences of the Cardinals, like the
proceedings of the COnclavc, are meant to be
covered by an inipenetrable veil but the tex
ture thereof is sure to be worn thin here and
there and Swing eyes are able to detect GER
tain movements of the mysterious company.
The first question, concerning the place of
holding the Conclave, appears to be settled.
For long time it has been held in the Natl-
can. EXCEPT in the case of Leo NIL, III 1923,
when the Cardinals met in the Qulrlnal. The
Ultramontanes, headed. it Is rumorcd, by Car
iinal Manning, have now proposed that the
Conclave should be transferred To the island
of Malta-evidontlv for the purpose of dimln-
,shng the weight of Italian influence III the
choice of the next Pope. Considering that the
head of the Roman Church, since Adrian W.
of Utrecht, in Holland, who was elected III
1922. has invariably been an Italian. the for
cign Cardinals would naturally incline toward
u variation in the nationality of the Pope. But
the Liberal party, III conjunction with the
Italian element in the College of Cardinals,
has carried the day.
The next Pope is almost certain to be an
Italian Indeed, the only names how proIni-
nently mcnti ned as caudidates-Cardmais Bilio
and Panebianco on the UltramOntane, and Car
dinals Di PietrO and Fenieri, on the Liberal
Side-indicate us much. The sealed message
which Plus IX. left behind him may very
likely include his preference in the matter o.
a successor, but it is not of binding force.
Crave, silent and august as the COnclavc may
I've il It's forms, 1t cannot escape the Keen IN
tcrests ihe cautious diplomacy, the influences
and intrigues, of any other nominating con-
ycntion. As in one Of the latter, also, the can
didatcs first put forward are most frequently
those who are tOlerably certain not to he
chosen The approaching vote in the Vatican
will he decided less by the personal popularity
OF this or that Cardinal, than by the all-impor
tant subject of the future policy of the Church
1t is no secret that many influential prelatcs
are weary of the present struggle with the
secular powers, and would be satisfied with
any tolcrable mOluS riceadi, III its stead. We
cannot measure the extent OF this feeling, but
we should not be surprised if the temporary
freedom of the Cardinals should develop much
more of it than has been c0njcctured.
This is the only result OF the election which
concerns the Protestant world. In matters of
faith and worship we have reached reciprocal
tolerance, nearly everywhere; and the entire
separation of ecclesiastical and temporal rule
is an inevitable sequence. IT is simply impos-
sible, now, to restore that political influence
which the Church o. Rome possessed III the
Middle Ages,--neither dare any other Church
seek to acquire it. Wisdom dictates, there
fore, that all possible conflict should be avoided.