The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-19
Letters Seized by France
Showed Him to Be Soul
of Integrity.

LONDON. May 1S.-Rafael. Cardinal
Merry Del Val, Papal Secretary Of State.
has been more than ever before the eve
OF the public since the treacherous seiz-
ure and publication Of the Montagnini
pa~ers, OF which no small portion is
occupied with the private correspond
ence of the expelled monsignor with the
cardinal secretary. 1t speaks volumes
for the integrity and straightforward
ness of the cardinal that in the private
papers that were seized by the French
government, not a syllable was IN
earthed which lent a handle 10 the
French authorities for bringing any
charge OF undue interference with the
internal affairs OF France. In conse-
Quence Of this unpleasant affair, Car
uinal Merry del Val must stand higher
in the eyes of Europe for nobility of
character than even long and faithful
service or the good offices OF his friends
could have raised him. 1t is not every
statesman whose reputation would shine
the brighter for the violation Of his
secret official correspondence.
Rafael Merry del Val, son Of the then
secretary TO the Spanish embassy in
London. and future Spanish ambassador
to the Vatican. was born on October 10.
1865. on his maternal side he inherits
British blood. Educated first at Baylis
House, Slough. once the abode OF Lord
Chesterfield, author Of the Letters. and
then at St. Cuthbert Catholic College,
Ushaw, near Durham, the alma mater
of the historian Lingard, he completed
his studies abroad. Residence IN Spain.
England, Austria. Italy, and France,
made him a proficient linguist. so that,
besides his Spanish mother-tongue and
English, he converses fluently and cor
rectlv as to the manner born, in Ger
man, Italian, and French. So intimately
had the future cardinal been identified
with English life that, in 1903, on the
death of Cardinal Vaughan, no one was
so persistently named by the public as
the likely successor in the ArchiepiscopaI
See of Westminster as MOnsignOr Merry
del Val, the titu1ar arch bishop Of Nicaea
ard president of the Collegio de Nobili
in Piazza Minerva, the nursery of bud
ding Roman diplomatists. But the ru-
NOR was set at rest by his elevation to
the cardinalate, with the title of Santa
Prassede. by Plus Y. and his confirma-
ton in the office of secretary of state
which the new Pope had previously con-
ferred upon him, ad interim. At this
time Cardinal Merry del Val was but
thirty-eight years Of age-a singularly
youthful successor 20 the retiring secre-
tary. Cardinal RampOlla, the veteran and
courtly minister of Leo XIII. Quite re-
Gently the announcement has been made
that King Alfonso Of Spain has bestowed
on Cardinal Merry del Val the Grand
Cross of the Order of Charles III.
The official residence of Cardinal Merry
del Val is the celebrated Borgia rooms
in the Vatican Palace. In these apart
ments are the finest frescocs Of Pin
turicchio now in existence. Being thus
in the cardinals occupation the rooms
cannot easily be seen, but the cardinal
allows tourists 20 inspect them in parties
OF five when he is not present.
The cardinals latest portrait is a fine
canvas by the rising young Tuscan
artist Andrea Landini. So far as black
and white can speak for a painting in
ellis It tells its own tale. Intellectual
sympathetic. quiet. and modest this
prince OF the church sits in easy pose
elards, wide, bright, 500 per 100 II