A GREAT CATHOLIC EDITOR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 26, 23 October 1885, Page 7

A GREAT CATHOLIC EDITOR.

San Remo, Italy July 25.-Here in this quaint little town was born the Nestor of Italian journalists, the celebrated editor of the Unita Cattolvca Don^ Giacomo Marzotti. The Marzottia are a wealthy family of San Remo. They own a great deal of land, both in the east and west ends of the city, and many of the elegant villas and luxurious hotels were built on land that formerly belonged to them The father of Don Marzotti was a President of a Court of Trade in Ban Remo. The young Giacomo Btudied in the leminary to the diocese under the late Bishop B.ale. He had already got bis doctor's cap at 22 years of age in 1845, and was sent by the Bishop of the High Iheological School of Superga. Superga is a Basilica built on a hill near Turin, where the tombs of the Kings of Savoy are preserved, just as in former times they were in the old Abbey of Hautecombe. That abbey is yet in the hands of the monks, who have their hospices on the great St. Bernard. King Charles Albert established at Superga a sort of theological academy, where youne priest s already D.D. had yet to study for several years and improve themselves for high Church positions. The young students were treated splendidly, with rich apartments, plenty of attendants, royal comfort and royal food.

Wh en Dr. Mareotti, the great friend of Pius IX , and Ventura »nd Bomim and Gioberti, reached Superga, the learned Mgr. Audisio was Hector of the Academy. Dr. Marzotti was too young for the priesthood, and only a deacon. He began, with Alimondi, the present Cardinal Archbishop of Turin ; witb Rominiand J Cavour the brother of the Minister, and many other clever men, to write the paper Armonia, supported by the Bishop of Turin. The articles by Marzotti were such that his name was soon identified with the paper lhe success of the journal, both financially and morally was immense Soon more than 16,000 subscribers secured large profits to the Bishop. In Italy such a figure was almost a dream. Marzotti fought like a giant in 1848 and 1849, and after the restoration he took the leadership of all the clericalism, of the Peninsula He received only a very modest salary frem the Bishop, who, havine Becured the existence of the paper through his skilful selection of an editor, changed the management of the Armonia. The new trustees kept for themselves the right of dismissing any of the editors at any moment without previous notice. Dr. Marzotti, who had founded the paper and secured its existence with his reputation, refused to submit, and started a paper of his own— the Unita Cattolica -in Turin in October, 1863. This he still owns, and it is the leading paper of Italian clericalism.

xf •191 9 paper was alwavß a th °™ in the sides of all the Italian Ministers until the day in which they entered Rome. It was the only paper on the look-out, and always certain, to find out the weak spot in the armour of its adversaries. Cavour and his successors were always more afraid of Dr. Marzotti than of anj other political enemy. Yet almost all the Italian revolutionists openly professed esteem and friendship for Marzotti. Cavour and Ratazri used to stop him under the porticos of the Po, in Turin, and walk hand in hand with him. Even Broffe shook hands with him in public, calling him a man of character. Dr. Marzotti, devoted to the cause of the Pope bas collected for St. Peter's pence more than 1,000,000d015. in his lifetime through his paper. He has been accused of getting a percentage, but nothing could be more false. He never got from JSome anything beyond a benediction and a good welcome. Though never going to Rome, or hardly ever, he stands well with the Curia. Many think that he is the mouthpiece of a party and receives their orders. This, too, is false. He is now hardly able to write. His articUs are prepared and dictated to a boy. They are inspired only by himself. He has a great sense of duty, great skill, and long experience. The trap prepared for Ca.dinal Pitra had already been prepared fur him. He did not fall into it. He has been attacked several times, and once he was beaten and left nearly dead in the street for not having spared corruption and disorder, protected by the King's shadow and example. He did not denounce his adversary, but forgave him, refusing" to prosecute the assassin who struck him.

He has been forty years a journalist. He has been of late years an invalid, and now lives in San Remo, in a fine country residence in Corso Garibaldi, opposite the Hotel de Nice, and not far from the seashore. His home is a regular American home, with a small garden in front, a stoop, a basement, and two floors, and a large garden m the back. The man who might now be a Cardinal or an Archbishop if he had more ambition, lives there as a country priest with a waiter and a cook. His residence and his table are comfortably but far below the condition of his family. His brother, Commander btefano Marzotti, a married man, has a residence and a large property here. "

Dr. Marzotti enjoys the friendship and goodwill of Leo XIII who has several times hhown a desire to do something for him. The chief of the militant Vatican party has always thanked him. Piui IX. used to send presents of groat value to him— chalices, books ice— and so does Leo XIII. Had Dr. Mazotti been fond of money he mitrnt now have millions. He has accumulated capital, but spent liberally for the Church and for the poor. Hn house is alwaya open to friends of every rank— priests, Cardinals, or laymen. He is a man of immense learning and of a prodigious memory. His paper still has the largest circulation of any Italian piper, good or bad. He never indulged in personalities, but always fought principles and not men He has lately published some letters on the Irish question which n»ve contributed more than anything else to unmask the Kmngtonians and their tricks in Rome, and have dissipated all the accusations spread against Dr. Walsh, in order to prevent his election, lne election of the new Archbishop of Dublin is reckoned as one of the most splendid triumphs of the Irish party, through the Unita Physically Dr. Marzotti is rather thin ; has long gray hair, and black e\es, full of light and almost sparkling with fire. He wears the strictly clerical garb, and says his Mass daily. He has an intelligent and benevolent appearance. The profile of his face ii something like that of George Washington, and is so striking that you will ask the next man : "Who is that priest?" His ordinary residence is Turin, via Gioberti. He seldom leaves Turin for a country residence at Moncalieri. It is only owing to an obstinate jaundice that he has left Turin and has come again to breathe the air of his native (St. Remo. His villa is the rendezvous of the Bishops of the neighbouring dioceses of France and Italy, and has been for the last month the pilgrimage of the moit remarkable men of the clerical party.

The weakest woman, smaliest child, and sickest invalid, can use American Co.'s Hop Bitters with iafety and great good. See. A German periodical, in order to finally settle the question whether the musician Abbe Liszt was a priest or not, has published the exact facts with Liszt himself as authority. After the composer resigned in 1859, the po9t of Court Kappemeiater to the Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar, he went to Rome and* took up the study of theology. He only received the lower order of the consecrations, such as ii frequently accorded laymen. "He is therefore," the journal states, " neither deacon nor sub-deacon and still less a priest, and has neither the rights nor the responsibilities of the higher clergy." He ii not •Ten bound to wear the clerical drees.— Monitor.