Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-09-10

Alexander Ill. took aw.y-t <uf Tie
imperial line the iocus stnndf in pep4l
elections, and a general council later
on. held at the Lateran. decreed that
the ection should .henceforth rest
with the Cardinals alone This
Late an decree was confirmed and de-
veloped at the Council of Lyons. pre-
sided over by Pope Gregory X. and In
all its substantial features the discip- |
line then laid down still obtains in ali |
papal elections
The immediate body or convention |
which chooses the head Of the church |
is called a conciave; the building or
hall in which sucn convention is held |
is also designated by the same name
conc'ave. The election OF Pope |
must begin ten days after the death of
the last incumbent 1t is provided
that the election shall neither be de-
iayed or precipitated; that the electors
should be in no fear of their personal
safety. and that they must not be sub
jected to any external persuasion in
casting their vote. immediately upon
the death OF a Pope one Of the secre-
taries of the Sacred College notifies
each Cardinal of the Pontiffs demise
and summons them to the city in
| which the Pope breathed his last The
election must take place in the same
| city where the death occurs.
The conclave is under the absolute
charge OF two guardians One of these
is a prelate of high standing, previous
~ selected by the Sacred College, and
is called the Governor. The other Is
prominent layman, whose official
appellation is marshal. Each Cardi-
nal is allowed to have two members Of
his resident household in personal at
| tendance upon him. A number OF
other attendants and minor officials
are also there in the common service
of the conclave. including sacrist, a
monk or friar TO hear confessions. two
or three BARRIERS. eight or ten porters
and number of messengers. But one
entrance to the building is allowed to
remain open. and that is in charge of
| prelate officials.
They must exercise q strict sur.
VIGILANCE over every body going in or
out and prevent the entrance OF I'M
authorized persons. They must also
examine the food brought for the
Ca dinals, for the purpose OF prevent
ing outside communication with them
through this channel. Three days
after the commencement of the con-
cave, if no result has been attained,
the supply of food is restricted. The
rule used to prevail that if at the end
of five days no election had been made
the Cardinals were compelled TO SUBJ
sst upon bread, wine and water, but
during the last half century the rigor
of this rule has been much abated and
modified.
Every morning and evening the
Cardinals meet in the chapel, and a
secret scrutiny. by means of voting
papers. is instituted. so as to ascertain
if any candidate has obtained the
required majority of two-thirds.
There are three valid modes of cleo
ton. The first of these, and the
ordinary method. is by scrutiny; the
second. compromise, and the third by
what is known as quasi inspiration.
BY compromise is meant when all the
Cardinals, finding that it is an impos-
sibility for any candidate to be elected
under the method of scrutiny, agree
to intrust the election to a committee
of three or five of their number The
last time that compromise was
resorted to was in 1899. when the
concave, after six months of scrutiny,
appointed a committee of three
Cardinals, who elected Pope Plus VII.
baltimore Sun.