The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-31
Ego Cardinals Vaughan.

When his ballot paper is sealed and
ready each cardinal goes up to the al
tar, makes oath that he votes accord
ing to his conscience, and puts his pa
per in the chaffce. If any are sick,
three "infirmarians" are sent to get
their ballot papers and deposit them in
like manner. When all have voted, the
scrutiniZers collect the papers, and
read the votes aloud, so that all the
cardinals can tick off the result on the
polling lists which are distributed to
them.
In Case of Two thirds Majority.
If anyone gets two-t thirds majority
on the first call, the votes are verified
and the election completed at once. If
not, the cardinals all vote over again,
with fresh ballot papers, by way of
accession" This means that voter
can transfer his vote, if he chooses,
from the person for whom he first
voted, to any other person who has re-
ceived any votes on the first CALL He
cannot vote again for his own first
choice. He cannot vote by accession
for some one who has not at least one
valid vote already. And he cannot
vote either on the first or second time
for himself.
But if Gas happened in the election
of one pope) a candidate has received
first round, it often happens that sew
eral other cardinals-in that case a
doZen-'accede" to his name on the
second round, SO that he either secures
at once the necessary two-thirds ma
jority or comes so near it that his cleo
ton at the next ballot is morally GER
tain. Only in one case is the upper
half of the voting paper unSealed, and
the name of the voter made known. If
man obtains by original votes and
accesSions the bare number necessary
to elect, then he is asked to declare
what his own motto was, and his bal
lot paper is unsealed, in order to make
sure that he has not voted for himself.
When each scrutiny is over and the
result of the voting declared, the pa
pers are at once burned, all the cardi-
nails being still present.
Significance of Smoke.
When there is no election, the GUS
tom is to burn them with a few hand
fuls of damp straw, which serves as an
indication to the outside public by
means of the smoke ('sfumata") which
issues from the well-known chimney
that the interregnum is not yet over.
When the election is complete the
papers are burned alone, so that no
perceptible "sfumata" is produced, and
everybody haStenS to spread the news
so that the crOWQ gamers IN the great
piazza to hear the proclamation, which
is delayed for an hour or two by nee
essary formalities. Oddly enough,
when Leo XIII. was elected, some mis-
chance caused it to be thought outside
that there was the usual smoke" and
consequently there was hardly anyone
in the piazza when the chief of the
cardinal deacons appeared at the WIN
dow over the great doors.
When the final scrutiny is complete
it is the duty of the dean of the sacred
college to ask the pope elect IL he ac-
cepts the office, which in theory he is
quite entitled to refuse. Leo XIII. was,
it is said, with great difficulty per-
suaded to take up the burden which he
regarded as altogether beyond his
strength. If the cardinal designate ac-
cepts, he is then at once called on to
choose the new name by which he is
henceforth to be known. Then the
other cardinals proceed at once to do
homage to him as the new pope, the
doors of the conclave are unlocked, and
the deacon goes off to proclaim the re-
suit to the people in the sonorous
formula, "Annuntio vobis gaudium
magnum; fabemus Pontificem." Soon
afterwards the pope himself comes out
to the same loggia of st. Peters and
gives for the first time the customary
benediction "Urbi ct orbi."