The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1903-07-23

bishop could oe obtained. and this was
given as soon as asked for. Before going
to Perugia Mgr Pecci visited England,
Ireland and France. He arrived in Rome
when Gregory XVI was lying at deaths
door, and the letter which Leopold had
written could not be read by the pontiff
In that letter the king of the Belgians had
urged the pope to make Mgr. Pecci car
dinal and had spoken very strongly of his
services as diplomat
The archbishop, bishop of Perugia, en-
tered the old city on July 26, 1916 Here he
was destined to remain for 81 years direct
ing his diocese, fighting the influence of the
secret societies, encouraging education in
every possible way and becoming, through
his letters, the defender of the papacy
among the Italian bishops Diplomacy.
his chosen field, was deprived of his serv
ices for long period. 1t is, however, a ques-
tion whether Mgr Pecci did not do more
for the church from the quiet of his library
by the famous letters he found time TO
write than be could had he served as an EN-
bassador
On the Goth OF February. 1854, Perugia
celebrated the elevation of her bishop to
the cardinalate, in WEIGH celebration all
ranks and orders of society joined, for Car
dinal Pecci was most popular even among
men who did not belong to the church.
and all delighted to do him personal honor.
There was similar tribute paid on the
18th of January, 1871, when the cardinal
celebrated his silver jubilee.
Elected Pope.
Pope Plus TX appointed Cardinal Pecci
camerlingo in 1877. This Office gives its oc-
cupant charge of the temporalities of the
church during any vacancy of the papal
chair, and with it came Cardinal Pecci's
residence in Rome The jubilee of Plus TX
had brought throngs of pilgrims to Rome,
and the opposition of the government of
Victor Emanuel to the papacy had thereby
been much increased In January, 1878,
Plus TX died, shortly after Victor Emanuel,
and with King Umberto there was to be a
new pope The question whether the ftal-
ian government would allow a free election
was warmly debated. and many thought il
would not.
As camerlingo it was Cardinal Pecci's
duty to make arrangements for the con
clave in which the new pope was to be
elected. No opposition came from the gov
ernment, and the preparations in the Vati
can went rapidly forward. On Feb. IS. 1878,
the 81 cardinals present In Rome entered
Chigi, hereditary marshal of the church and
guardian Of the conclave, locked the door
outside, and the cardinal camerlingo locked
it within. Mgr. Ricci Parracciani, gov
ernor of the conclave, examined the inclo-
sure so as to be sure there was no method Of
communication with the outside world
The conclave assembled In the Sistine
chapel, in which ca seats. each shadowed
by a canopy emblematic Of sovereignty.
bad been erected
The places taken by the four cardinals
created by Gregory XVI were marked with
green hangings, all the others being purple.
In front of each cardinal was a small writ
ing table. and to each was given aschedulla,
or ballot. in the center of which be was to
write the name of his choice. full two
thirds vote was necessary for an election.
On the altar stood large chalice with its
paten, and one by one the cardinals ad
vanced, knelt before the altar and declared
be chose tie uan he considered most fitted
Then. ri.sng be deposited his ballot on the
paten.
the ballots On the first vote the name of
Joachim Pecci appeared % times On the
second be received 3S On the third, taken
on the morning of the 10th of February, 1878
he received A and was declared elected
The subdeap. the senior cardinal priest and
cardinal deacon approached the seat of Car
dinal Pecci