Year: 1878

|
An election so soon concluded is the best
possible evidence that there is a greater de-
gree of harmony in the councils of the
| Church and a more distinct conception of
the course to be taken in difficult circum-
stances than was commonly thought. Many
hoped-but few ventured to believe what the
fact seems to declare--that in the midst Of
not to be more grievously torn by internal
distractions. Because of uncertainty as to
whether there was between the many car
dinals such q community Of opinion as to
the policy Of the future and the personal
merits Of candidates, there was but little
speculation even on the duration OF
the Conclave much less was it ventured
to declare the name of the individual who
would be the next Pope. But the HERALD
alone, so far as we know, ventured upon
this prediction, and we recall with satisfac-
tion the circumstance that it predicted
wisely and we'll and named the right man.
In our correspondence from Rome we re-
Gently gave personal sketches of NIL the
prelates from the number Of whom the Pope





esting labor our Roman correspondent
said


San The cardinal electors and candidates
haze passed before the eyes Of your readers as
they hare previously passed before mine is
useless 10 lay stress on the obscur'ity in sehich
each Of them seems to talce pleasure IN shrouding
the result Of The approaching tote. Nevertheless,
by slight i,sdications-so slight that the pen is
po,oerless to reproduce them. Ja ,chich are not
the less clear to my mind-I think that can tir
upon the name that ,oiH issue successfully from
the baHoting ur7s. IT IS THAT OF PEccI. AT
the same time should andce q reserue on ac-
count Of an old prouerb which is in great faror
in Rome, oui'g to the ualue aohich experience has
conferred spon il, and aohich ,ens Mus:-'Ie
aclto enters as pope into the Conclave is sure 10
come o,h Of it cardinal"


But despite the proverb, and despite the
other fact that the Camerlineo seldom be-
comes Pope, the judgment thus distinctly
stated in the HERALD was verified by the
event.


Cardinal Pecc, or Leo Kill, is an Italian
and is classified variously as to his views Of
the relations of the Church to recent events
in Italy. Our own description Of him as "a
moderate although papal chamberlain,
and chamberlain although an enemy Of
Antonelli," touches two important points
which indicate the precise nature of his
moderation, for even more in ecclesias-
tical than in political activities the
name ''moderate" may be bestowed
upon man as on honor or fas-
tened upon him rs an opprobrium. They,
in the Church or elsewhese, who deem it
ing or ''irreconcilable" enemies of hos
tile party, regard moderation in hatred
as scarcely removed from downright
treason, while from the standpoint OF
another party equally extreme he is in
equal disrepute, and his position is salts
factory only to those who know the evil in
practical affairs Of passionate antipathies.
The Pope-elect is moderate in the sense
in which Plus TX. was himself one, SO far
as his thoughts and acts can be judged
apart from the great influence exerciSed
throughout the most momentous4 period of
his Pontiicate by Cardinal Antonelli. For
many years Antonellis power was exercised
to suppress the prelate whose capacity was
recognized as force that might be danger
GUS to the policyto which the Secretary en-
deavored to commit every part Of the papal
administration; but the elevation of Pecci
to the position OF papal elector, despite
that hostility and in full knowledge Of it's
cause, was IN important expression of
tho will Of the deceased Pope that wise
moderation should not be banished from the
councils of the Church at period when,
encircled by every danger, the policy of
more thorough application of peculiar
views did not appear to be crowned with
brilliant success Antonelli's oppo-
sition had distinctly indicated Pecci as
man not led away from the perception of
duty by passionate views of the issue before
the world. That had marked him as n
moderate" in IN honorable sense, and the
recognition of his talents and his virtues
by Plus *, despite that opposition, and
his advancement to the office of Chamberlain
made the honor more emphatic. From Anto-
nelli's view he was n man to abandon q
dangerous and destructive policy. From
the Pope's point of view he was q man to
be fully trusted with duties OF the greatest
delcacy and importance.


Even the self-abnegation OF the Pope
elect was a title to honor, for by the accept
ance of the post of Chamberlain he seemed
to assent that the door to the supreme Office
should be closed against him. 1t has be-
come tradition and kind Of common law
of the Conclave that the Camerlingo is never
advanced to the place of the defunct sove-
reign to whom his Office made him SO init,
mately related. There may be personal Or
political reasons for this. The Popes
Chamberlain is in a position where rigid
discharge of his duties may well put him