Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1903-10-17
THE PAPAL CONCLAvE:.
Cardinal Gibbons Describes the
Election of Plus x.
he PLEADED AGAINST PROMOTION

With Tears I'm His Eyes, Cardinal
SartO ImpIored His Colleagues Not
to Choose Him as Successor to Leo
XIEI.-AbsOIute Freedom and Fair
ness Marked the Election.
At a service Of thanksgiving for the
election of the new pontiff, Plus X,
recently held in the cathedral at Bal
timore. Cardinal Gibbons, who preached
for the first time since his return from
Rome. gave an impressive description
of the conclave and of the new pontiff,
says the New York World He said in
part:
'"Ihe conclave marks new and i'm
portant era in the annals of the Amer
! lean Catholic church. This is the first
time in the history Of the Christian
religion that the United States or any
part of this western hemisphere was
ever associated with the other nations
of Christendom in selecting successor
i to the chair of Peter.
81 should not be at all surprised if
in the next conclave the Catholic
church Of the United States will be
represented by several members of the
sacred college, so that the number Of
cardinals from our country may be
commensurate with the population, the
grandeur and the commanding intlu-
ence of the nation, and may be in keep
ing also with the numerical strength
of our hierarchy and laity and the
splendor and progress Of our religious
and charitable institutions.
II was present at the conclave and
took part in it's proceedings, and with
out revealing it's secrets l can most
positively assure you and the Amer1-
can people that the election of the
pope was conducted with absolute free
dom, with the utmost fairness and i'm
partially and with dignity and so
lemnity becoming the august assem-
blage of the sacred college and the mo-
mentous consequences of their. suf-
frages.
81 have witnessed debates in the
British parliament in the French
chambers and in both houses of con-
gress, and l must candidly say that in
sobriety of language and in courteous
department of members toward one
another the college Of cardinals sur
passed them all. And this is the more
noteworthy when we consider that
some twelve different nationalities,
swayed by as many national charac-
teristics. were represented in the as
sembly. On leaving the Sistine chapel
at the conclusion Of the conclave and
contemplating the overruling action of
the Holy Ghost on these heterogeneous
elements | exclaimed. The finger Of
God is here"
1.-THE votes for Cardinal Sarto stead.
lily increased from the first to the sew
enth ballot, on which he was elected.
When the cardinal observed that the
suffrages for him were augmenting. he
was visibly disturbed, and in a fervent
speech he implored his colleagues not
to regard him as candidate. Contrary
to his wishes the votes for him in
creased. He then became Harmed. and
in q second speech in most pathetic lam
to forget his name, as he could not &C
cept a burden too heavy for him to
bear.
"All were moved by the modesty and
transparent sincerity of the man. When
he resumed his seat his cheeks were
suffused with bushes, tears were gush- |
ing from his eyes, and his body trem
101 r 1lx, f4OT
some Of the leading cardinals entreated |
him to withdraw his opposition that he |
finally and reluctantly consented to |
abide by the will of God and accept the
sacrifice. Never did a prisoner make
greater efforts to escape from his con-
finement than did Cardinal Sarto to
escape from the yoke of the papacy. |
With his Divine Master, he exclaimed:
Father if it be possible, let this chalice
pass from me. Nevertheless, not my
will but thine be DONE
'When his election was officially an
nounced, his forid countenance assum-
cd deathly pallor, and restoratives
were applied to save him from faint
ing. So little did Cardinal Sarto expect
to be the choice of his colleagues that
on setting out for Rome he purchased
a return ticket to his home in Venice.
"Pius X is in his sixty-ninth year.
The virtues of humility, sincerity, can
dor and benevolence are stamped on
his features. can characterize him in
one sentence by saying that he is
man of God and man of the people,"