The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-07-24

sels and found that secret societies were
represented there in force. When he APP
peared at the court of King Leopold, he
produced Il most favorable impression. 1t
was apparent that he was an accomplished
scholar, Il well bred man and one who had
not q little wit.
In the difficult task which was before him
Archbishop Pecci had the benefit of the
%counsels of Queen Louisa Maria, who wasa
most devout Catholic. To protect the Bel
gian Catholics against the opposition to
them in the Belgian parliament was the en-
bassador's firstduty, and, asusual, hefound
a very practical way of going to work. He
began the visitation of the great Catholic
schools and stirred up those who controlled
them until it became known that more
work and better work was don in them
than in their rivals. In the College of ST.
Michael he made his influence especially
felt, it being directly under the eyes of
king and minister.
When Perugia lost its bishop, Mgr. Cit
tadini, the city magistrates, the nobility
and clergy petitioned that Mgr. Pccci be
appointed to the place. The pope con-
scented, provided the consent of the arch
bishop could be 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 l had
written could not be read by the pontiff.
In chat letter the king of the Belgians had
urged the pope to make Mgr. Pecci a car
dlnal and had spoken very strongly of his
services as a diplomat.
The archbiShon biSboD of par,,o;o a n
tered the old city on July 2G, 1876. 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 dc 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 all
ranks and orders of society Joined, for Car
dinal Pecci was most popular even among
men who did not belong to the church,
eNA 90 "SiiSiSSo w w IA AlIclouliIl HOlOT.
There was a similar tribute paid on the
18th of January, 1871, when the cardinal
celebrated his silver jubilee.
Elected Pope.
Pope Plus IN appointed Cardinal Pecci
camerlingo in 1877. This Office gives it's 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 ltal-
ian government would allow a 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 |
oooSNdS anu JIG Ctluer1luSO 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 GA seats, each Swallowed !
by a canopy emblematic of sovereignty, |
had been erected.
'Th 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 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 a large chalice with its
paten, and one by one the cardinals ad-
vanced, knelt before the altar and declared !
he chose the man he considered most fitted. |
Then, rising, he deposited his ballot on the
paten.
the ballots. On the first vote the name of
Joachim Pecci appeared % times. On the
second he received IS. On the third. taken
on the morning of tie Goth of February, 1878.
he received A. and was declared elected. !
The subdear, the senior cardinal priest and |
cardinal deacon approached the seat of Car |
dinal Pecci.
u ~ 11