Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-20

TO Perug1a Mgr. Peccl visited England,
Ireland and France. He arrived in Rome
when Gregory XVI was lying at deaths
door, and the letter which Leopold l 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 20, 1S46. Here he
was destined to remain for 80 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-
ton whether Mgr. Pecci did not do more
for the church from the quiet of his library
by the famous letters he found time 10
write than he 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 which celebration al
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 oe.
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
- 81. L
been much increased. In January, 1878,
Plus TX died, shortly after Victor Emanuel,
and with King Umberto there was to be
new pope Abe question whether the Ital-
ian government would allow free election
was warmly debated, and many thought it
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
eminent, and the preparations in the Vati-
can went rapidly forward. On Feb is, 1878,
the 81 cardinals present in Rome entered
the apartments of the conclave. Prince
Chigi, hereditary marshal of the church and
guardian of the conclave, locked the door
outside, and the cardinal camerliugo 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 conclaye assembled in the Sistine
chapel, in which ca seats, each Swallowed
by a canopy emblematic of sovereignty
had 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 n small writ
ing table, and TO each was given a schedulla,
or ballot, in the center of which he was to
write the name of his choice. A full two
thirds vote was necessary for an election.
On the altar stood large chalico with its
paten, and one by one the cardinals adj
vanced, knelt before the altar and declared
he chose the man he considered most fitted.
Then, rising, he deposited his ballot on the
paten,
Three scrutineers were chosen TO count
the ballots. On the first vote the name of
Joachim Pecci appeared % times. On the
second he received 50. On the third, taken
on the morning of the Goth of February, 1873
he received ~ and was declared elected.
The subdear, the senior cardinal priest and
cardinal deacon approached the seat of Car.
dinal Pecci.