New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-05
WITHIN THE CONCLAVE.
Scenes FoIIO1oing EIection-Merry
del Val To Be a Cardinal.

Copyright; 1903: BY The Tribune Association)
Rome Aug. 4.-The opening of the session in
the conclave this morning was one marked by
intense excitement to the cardinals themselves,
as they supposed it would be the last as the
fact proved. When the scrutineers read the
majority of votes for Cardinal Sarto. after 4
moment of silence the chapel became a scene
of the greatest confusion, the cardinals crowd
ing about the new Pope. shaking him by the
hand. his friends embracing him and clapping
their hands quite forgetting for the moment
the high rank to which he had been raised.
Cardinal Orega was the first to recover his
presence of mind and to recall the necessity Of
following the prescribed formula He called
Cardinal Netto Macchi, and they approached
the new Pope. who was still standing and talk
ing to his friends. They addressed him in Latin,
asking if he accepted the triple crown, Cardinal
sartos magnificent voice producing instant
silence as he assented.
The Pope then retired to the tiring room to
assume the outward symbols of his new dignity,
the Papal robes becoming him so we'll that the
conclavists peeping in at the door of the chapel
were heard to say to one another Evidently
their eminences chose Sarto because he makes
a handsome figurehead." He was robed in white
from head to foot, the ceremony being much re-
tarded by the cOnclavists, friends, prelates and
attendants all wanting to kiss his hand and re-
ceive his blessing. but at last he was ready.
THE WHITE ZUCCHETTA TAKEN.
Monsignor Merry del Val came forward kneel-
ing and offered TO him the white Zucchetta-
which he took with rather tremulous smile, at
the same time laying his red one on the head Of
the kneeling preIate. There subdued but
marked applause.
When the Pope came forward around the altar
the Sacred College rose and. with him, as he
Ova oft he mos
striking pictures which it IS possible to imagine.
In the body of the hall stood about sixty car
dinals all draped in violet. in attitudes of re-
spect and expectation. while the Pope stood be-
side the throne tall. straight, dignif1ed and a
fit exponent of the Pontifcal dignity, Michael
Angeles Eternal Father the Prophets and the
Sibyls seeming to bless the choice made after so
many hours of anxiety and responsibility.
CARDINALS PAY HOMAGE.
Plus seated himself slowly and with dig
nifty. and the scene a moment before so quiet
became a moving succession of effects Of color
bewildering in their vividness and beauty. The
whole Sacred College. one by one, came for
ward and kissed the hand and foot of the new
head of the Church. who. leaning forward, be-
slowed a kiss upon their cheeks. This first
obedience required considerable powers of self
control, as even those who would gladly have
been in his place were obliged to do him honor
The cardinals faces were almost uniformly Sc
rene. although some were very grave as, Of
course, the election not equally acceptable
TO all. If the new Pope noticed anything, he
gave no sign. saluting each with tenderness.
Plus Y then rose. Although he had to pause
to control his voice when he did so, the Papal
blessing rolled out in sonorous tones not heard
using those words for quarter of a century.
The ceremony of the Ffsherman's Ring was
tbap pODa tbroupb buti lost much OF is
nifcance all knowing that the ring used
only a substitute, the original one not having
yet aeen found.
Meanwhile the masons had been busy in open
ing a small way from the precincts of the con-
cIave into the hall of St. Peter. overlooking the
piazza procession was formed, headed by
great sold cross. Cardinal Macchi. who was in
the centre going to announce TO the waiting
people that Sarto was Pontif under the name
of Plus Y
PROCESSION TO ST. PETERS.
After this followed a ceremony which should
have been imposing but which. on account Of
the confusion which attended it, was shorn OF
much of its beauty a sort Of procession was
formed for the Pope to give his blessing from
the balcony in ST. Peters. The Pope. in the
centre all in white tranquil and digniied.
hanked and followed by cardinals, cOnclavists
and urelates and preceded by a cross. walked
10 the balcony, where he paused a moment. him
self unseen to look upon the vast Concourse Of
people in the basca. He was seen to turn pale
while he murmured: 1T is too much for any
one man" Recovering himself. he approached
the balcony. the roar Whlch Went up drawing
tears from his eyes.
These functions and the emotion thoroughly
fstigued Plus Y. He said that he needed rest
and would have the conclave closed in the
evening whereupon he carried TO his apart
ments in one OF those waves of emotion and
thusiasm which uncomfortable, and which
arra1 f1c-e4 m