Year: 1870




the AmerIcan People.


His Eminence Cardinal Antoneln accorded
an interview to one of our special correspond
ents In Rome few days since. The particu-
lars Of this interesting occasion are published
In our columns to-day. The narrative is pre-
faced by biographical sketch Of the eminent
churchman-a man who has played such
prominent and distinguished part in both the
making and writing of the history of the ponti-
fcate during the past twenty years. Tho Car
dinal Secretary of State is q worker In the
world attentive, continuous and close. He
has studied mankind, and although he has
passed the greater portion Of his days within
the walls of the Vatican he has, owing
to his extensive, vast means Of informa-
ton and in the keen and practised eye and
ear Of an able propaganda seen, as 1t were,
the world, (which is curious sight, and not
at all as some good people write it,"


Progressive in idea beyond the rule Of his
school Cardinal Antonelli pays great attention
to American affairs. He has studied the broad
transatlantic field Of the future, and is evi-
IDENTITY happy to CLEAN information from the
laborers on. its soil. He anticipates the demo-
cratic asylum of the tiara, the homo Of the
Popedom, whom the Old World centre OF unity
shall have crumbled to the dust and the
mighty builders of the West be called upon
to complete the grand Christian edifce the
foundations of which were so securely laid and
consecrated by the men of the East. Cardi-
roI AIT al hoo ss.co al
himself as to the materialistic condition of
America-our wars, our debt or system of
of finance and diplomacy. The climate OF the
American Continent has also been considered
in all its varying phases Of temperature, and
storms, aud solstice heats by the divine--a
fact which gives us additional reason to be-
lieve that the members Of the Sacred College
have been rejecting seriously, perhaps de-
batting, the original assertion of the HERALD,
uttered many years since, to the effect that the
seat Of the Popedom would eventually be trans
ferred to American soil. The Cardinal, who was
evidently in genial mood towards our special
writer, may also have been considering how
appropriate and kind at the time was our first
tender of American hospitality to the FIRST emf
grant Head of the Church and our offer to make
his Holiness as comfortable as possible after
his first landing. When we then wrote
the Italian element controlled the College
OF the Propaganda to very great extent.
We alluded, consequently, at the time, to
a stranger. The aspect of the question Of the
succession has altered considerably since.
The American Episcopal element has become
o great power in Rome The tiara may thus
come to us. This does not by any means alter
the intent of our original feeling towards the
bearer of the Seal of the Fisherman individ-
ually. Should, however, the ballot Of the
Conclave settle the call of the Holy Spirit, the
Ascending and descending" the Anabanoin-
tos and Kdta5anoi,stos Of the Holy Scripture
on the head of Cardinal Giacomo Antonelli,
none shall rejoice more sincerely than our
selves. The utterances of his Eminence to our
special correspondent prove that he is progress
i've and will consequently be the 'right man"
in the place, If chosen, at least for period,
aud to tide time still onward towards the day
when the universal Church shall be recon-
secrated in accordance with the inspiration Of
the Sermon on the Mount.