THE HEALTH OF THE POPE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 118, 19 July 1873, Page 2

THE HEALTH OF THE POPE.

“ From Rome our tidings of the Pope’s health are most alarming. Some weeks ago the Holy Father took cold, and was affected with great pains in the back, accompanied with fever and swelling in the legs. When I was in Italy during the Easter holidays he was better, and had resumed his audiences. But a few days back there came a relapse, and the audiences were interrupted anew. On the 12th—the very day r on which he began his 82nd year—he fell into a swoon, and remained insensible for a whole hour, and even the rumor of his death was spread about on ’Change. Much thought is given in Italy to this coming event. More than once I heard the question debated as to the choice of Pio Nono’s successor. The Government seem to desire the nomination of Cardinal Riario-Sforza, Archbishop of Naples, who is on good terms with the Italians, whereas the party desirous of continuing the policy of resistance entered into by Pius IX. sets forward, it is said, Cardinal Panebianco or Cardinal Capalti. This latter party will most probably carry the day, and will surely do so if it be true, as it was persistently affirmed in Italy, despite the organs of the Vatican, that Pius IX. has taken his dispositions for the election to be mad e preesenbe cadavere. For this reason, too, the Pope has deferred the nominations necessary to fill up the vacancies now existing in the sacred college, because, if he increased the number of voters, fie might, perhaps, impede the choice of the successor he has himself designed. The Sacred College comprises to-day only 46 cardinals instead of 72, its usual number; of these 46 cardinals 12 only are aliens to Italy, viz., five Frenchmen, one Irish -

man, one German, two Austro-Hunga-rians, and three Spaniards. For the last three centuries all the Popes have been Italians. The fall of the temporal power is more favorable to the accession of the pontifical throne by foreign cardinals, though it will be difficult to agree upon such a choice. A German Pope would naturally give no pleasure to France, one of the chief props of Catholicity ; besides, Catholicism has too many and too powerful antagonists in Germany for a German Pope to be ever thought of. A French Pope would not be more acceptable, on account of the antagonism existing between France and Germany ; and so long as Spain is given up to civil war, there can be no competition for a Spaniard. The Irish Cardinal Cullen, much esteemed for liis doctrine ; the Austro-Hungarian Cardinal Rauscher, a great theologian likewise, and his fellow-countryman, the Prince ofSchwartzenburg, despite his high social position and the credit he enjoys at the Court of Vienna, have no chance to be elected. Everything, therefore, will be decided by the Italian cardinals, who, as I said above, are divided into two principal groups, the admirers of Pius IX. and those who are inclined to make some concessions to the new spirit of the times. At the head of the latter group stands Cardinal Barili, reputed the most liberal-minded man of the Sacred College. But that does not signify much, for, as the Romans say, Alto'o e il cardinale altro il, Papa. Cardinal Chiaromonte, at the end of the last century, was upon as a downright Jacobin; once created Pope, under the name of Pius VII., he stood boldly out against Napoleon, presided over the European restoration, and recalled the Jesuits.”—“ Argus.”