The Irish standard., 1903-12-19
o be engaged with the project, the of.

~ NC C4lSuSSu w LII thC p1O4SNt. N11S O1-
licial Of highest rank in the province.
The cardinal instructed the servants
not to disturb the conference, and seat
Cd himself quietly in the ante-room to
await his turn among throng Of other
visitors. When the king learned OF his
presence the doors OF the audience
chamber were instantly opened and
the cardinal was received with mark
ed cordiality by both his majesty and
ton with them for several minutes.
When he started to return to the
archiepiscopal palace the king insisted
upon accompanying him the entire dis
lance, accepted an invitation to rest
and have refreshments and remained
with him for half an hour or more.
Thereafter and during the entire pro-
ceedings Cardinal Sarto, by order Of
the king, was received with military
honors whenever he appeared in pub
lie.
AS he is the only member of the
Sacred College who has ever had such
relations with the civil authorities
since the organization OF the kingdom
Of Italy thirty years ago, his conduct
has naturally been the subject OF much
comment and criticism, but he was
never censured by the pope. Ii Leo
XIII and Cardinal Rampolla had any
opinion Oh the subject they kept it
to themselves.
These facts were we'll known ut the
time OF Surto's election us pope, and
were doubtless used against him dur
ing the discussion OF the cOnclave, al
though outsiders are not supposed to
have any knowledge of what was done
or said during the secret session OF
that august body. When the result
was announced people ut once began
to conjecture what might happen.
liunlors OF the most sensational kind
have been in circulation, and the news
papers, as have stated ut the begin
ming Of this letter, have not only made
predictions, but lave gone so far as to
publish positive announcements that
negotiations for Il reconciliation be-
tween the Vatican and the Quirinui
had begun. This has caused more eN
element and anxiety among the car
dinals than i'll amy other quarter, be-
cause the new pope has shown such
an independence OF spirit and inditrer
clination to disregard custom and pre-
cedent that the members of the curia
are in Il chronic state Of nervous APP
prehension about him. He has shown
unmistakable tendencies to follow his
own judgment, but somebody must
have taken the responsibility Of APP
proaching him, for at the recent con-
sistory he made his first formal an
nouncement, and it related to this
particular subject.
While he did not declare his policy
in definite terms, he made it very
clear that he has no intention of
abandoning the claim of the sovereign
ponti1f to the temporal power OF Rome,
and stated positively that he should
follow in the footsteps of his preueces
sor III that matter ut least.
Without the slightest doubt this an
nouncement was intended as Il con
ISOLATION to the anxious cardinals and
&. to set their minds ut rest. 1t was also
intended to put an end to the wild
rumors that have been, and otherwise
would continue to be, circulated. AT
the same time, in private conVerSa
ton with particular friends and menl-
bers OF the clergy from different parts
Of the world, his holiness has declared
again and again that he wants no
temporal power himself; that his king
dom will he purely Il spiritual king
dom, that lie will have nothing to do
With politics or with international AZ
and not nations. He often quotes the
aunOnition OF Christ to render unto
Caesar the things that are Caesars
and TO God the things that are God s.
He has made no secret OF his views
as 10 the duty OF the head of the
Church in this respect, or OF his ann
bitlon to exercise Il purely spiritual
jurisdiction. lie has often said that
lie would like to restore the Christian
ity OF the gospels and return to the
days When the pope OF ltUMe was Il
bishop and not Il potentate. Hc would
withdraw the nuncioS, OF ambassadors,
from the several European capitals
and would not be uiSpieased if France,
Spain, Austria and other countries
would recall their ambassadors TO the
Vatican. He has admitted that he
does not understand the necessity OF
nuncio and does not appreciate his
Importance. He thinks that the duties
they are now performing should be-
Ions TO the archbshops and the PR
mates OF the Church in the several
nations. Besides, the nuncios cost an
enormous sum OF money Which might
bc much better applied, particularly
as the Vatican is severely cramped for
funds Just now.