Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-13
LEO XIII.
An Exhaustive Work, Containing all
that the Most Curious Catholic
can Desire to Learn about
the Successor to Pope
PIuskIX.

ses ec,its, is the title of a recent book by the |
Able Vidieu, vicar of st. Roch and MEM
Der of the Academy of Rheims, bearing the
imprint of Plon, the well known Paris pub
Usher. 1t is an intimate and exhaustive
work, containing all that the most curious |
Catholic can desire to learn concerning His
Holiness, and it is written in spirit which Is
all the most devout Catholic can ask. 1t is
dedicated to His Holiness with a reverent |
fervor which only Catholcs will be able
wholly to appreciate, perhaps, but from which
every one will be able to judge at once OF the |
tone of the work. The able begins with
charming description Of the native country |
of the present pope and an account of the |
Pecei family. The early studies of Joachim |
Pecci and his brilliant success at the Roman |
college and at the Academy Of Noble Eccle-
siastics are narrated, and his life is then fol-
lowed from the beginning OF his ministry to |
the present time. Nothing is omitted that IN
any way relates to his career as priest, nunclo |
archbishop, cardinal and camerIengo. Minute
descriptions are given of the ceremonies at
tending his elevation to the papacy. The
concluding chapters deal with the modi6ca-
tons made by him IN the usages and person
mel of the Vatican, his relations to the press,
the kingdom of Italy ami to foreign govern
ments, and general outline of his policy.
1t is, however, Of these portions Of the Able
Vldieu's book which relate to matters not al
ready matters Of history, and recounted so
design to glve-our readers some idea IN
running parapnrase and sumnary-secrets of
the sacred conclave which chose the pope last
year, heretofore not divulged, or only lncor-
rectly given, the writer says, and the intimate
personal life of the pontitf. In the last con-
clave, says the able, the sacred college was
| divided into two parties-the one, more ar
dent in the defense of principles audaciously
attacked in these days, believing that the
| more truth is contested the more I'M
portant it s to ahSfm aad uphold it; that
each pope, working tsr the future as well as
| for the present, should concede nothing, but
| stand firm, prepared to suffer, to die if neces-
sary, before acknowledging defeat, in order
| to accomplish the triumph OF his successors;
| the other equally immovable in its convic
| tons, as firm in its resolves but more moderate
| in its expressions, believing that prudence
should be added to zeal and that patience is
mighty power. The first contained men
who had devoted themselves to the study of
the sciences and of theology, and who had
become more lnflexible as they had acquired
more certainty in their beliefs, The second
comprised those, who, having lived more
among meI, had necessarily more experience.
The former saw men as they should be, the
latter as they are. The fist, called 1.-THE
zealots" by the Romans, were lead by Car
dinal Bilio ;the second, called the moderates,
by Cardinal Pecc. But the difference be-
tween the two leaders was of small impor-
lance The members of the sacred college
were united on points of doctrine and OF dis
cipline, had one common interest and were
divided only on the question of expediency,
which coulo occasion no serious dlscord.
Each cardinal was prepared to renounce his
own preferences for the general good. The
three ballotings as given by the Able Vldleu
1.-THE first one having been thrown out be
cause of Irregularities in forml, are as fol-
/ lows:
First Balot-Cardinal Pecci. II votes
Cardinal Bio. Yates; Cardinal di Lucca,
votes; CARDINAL Ferrieri, votes; Cardinal
Franchi, votes; Cardinal Monaco de la
Valetta, votes; the rest scattering.
Second Ballot-Cardinal Pecci, 50 votes
No other cardinal exceeded six votes. Cardi-
nal MartineIli gained two votes, making
, three for this ballot.
Third BallOt-Cardinal Pecci, A votes
The remaining votes were distributed as fol
lowss IL were given to Cardinal Franchi, I
to Cardinal Mertel, 2 to Cardinal SImeoni,
, TO Cardinal Bonaparte and l to Carolina
, Ledokowski.
At the end Of this ballot Cardinals Franch
and Bilio rose, and with their adherent
\ knelt before the camerlengo. Every one fol
lowed this example, aud Cardinal Pecci hav
2 ing already received two votes beyond tn
I necessary majority, was UNANIMOUSLY elected
= pope. From the day of HIS coronation, aDG
t even from the day of his election, the new
/ pontif has given numerous audiences, boil
public and private, to the clergy, to the faith
: full, and to all those who wish 10 testify thei
t--l--l cl:-l i-----try- Err-t0rItcu-
Cardinal MAC Closq1ey,' of New York
r The illustrious American appeared pro
foundly touched BIZ the marks of kindnes
e and distinction given him by Leo KILL" say
:. the able. The new bishop of Rome is tai
/ and spare, with grand patrician air. H
e has magnificent head crowned with whit
hair, strongly marked features the aspect O
$ of an ascetlc, with something marble-like il
, the general appearance Of the figure. Hi
E face IS lighted by piercing look, and hi
8 amlable and paternal smile goes straight h
the heart of those whom he addresses
His voice is sonorous and very pleasing
though less mellow and more powerfl
than that of Plus IA. Pope Leo has 9Th
, double eloquence OF the head and of tn
heart" Though he is moderate, he by n,
, means lacks frmness. The able tells tn
} trait of his character: The day after b.
} election, why, asked a cardinal whom W
r could name OF the new pope-'Why have yoI
{ taken the name OF Leo?' Because, answered
? he, Leo XII was the benefactor of my family
! but also because Leo signifies lion, and tn
t virtue which seems to me the most necessar,
of all is the force of the lion The Roman
people are we'll aware of the meaning which
3 the holy father attaches to the name that h
l has taken. A sturdy Trasteverian was hearC
8 to cry In an energetic and somewhat menac
ing voice: The liberals ask what will be til,
programme of the new pope. He calls him
self Leo; that tells them all. Like Leo XII
he will be lion, and he will have sharl
claws and a powerful jaw. Another stor,
= illustrating the same characteristic is told a
: follows: "a rich American amateur. de
string to possess the bust of Leo NH
engaged the services of the celebrated
Z sculptor Tadolinl. The latter, not con
) tent wHa simple portrait o
| the holy father, went to the Vatican an,
asked permission of Leo XIII to reproduc
his features from the original. The pop
.. consented. The work finished, Leo XII
i congratulated the artist, who asked him t.
have the goodness to trace "a word on the still
{ fresh clay. His holiness took the BURN tina
the sculptor handed him and wrote with ;
smile: Leo de tribn Juda!'" Leo MI
rises very early, and after his devotions anC
the celebration of mass, he gives himself VI
to study till the hour set for audiences or tn
{ assembling of the congregations over which
he presldes. Although in delicate health, h
works hard and makes his household work
, Like the majority of Italians of southern
Italy the pope has but one regular repast
day, about one o'clock. He is an enemy Il
the delicacies of the table, and his menu il
much more meagerly composed than that o
many curates. He eats boiled mush, which
takes the place of soup, a little boiled o.
|
of goats milk, and drinks ordinarily only
the wine of VeIletri. Even on the day OF
his election to the papacy he sent back the
: roast beef that was given him and asked in
its place a second plate of soup. It was said
on this occasion by those intimate at the pom.
tifcal court that Signor X, the chef of the
vatican. would have to buy no more wines
81 have never eaten so badly as at his table, u
said well-known Perugan, the able re-
lates; che offered you for breakfast tough
mutton-chop and a miserable pike, with an
occasional glass of a white wine from the
borders of Lake Thrasymene, followed by a
cup of black coffee. 1t is true that the
worthy man himself drank only water and
ate his boiled meat left from the night before,
made over into salad. But no one COM
planned of his frugal table; on the contrary,
every one was delighted to sit at it. All
Perugia knew where the revenues of the pre-
late went. The poor especially were not
ignorant on that point" Between four and
FIVE o'clock in the afternoon the pope takes
his walk. At this time no one unconnected
with the court is admitted to the gardens
of the Vatican. An eyewitness, however,
who had the good fortune to make friends
with the gardener, Salvatore, was placed by
him so as to be able to see the pope on one
of his daily rambles. Leo XIII advanced
| with lono strides his imnosino houra no.