Roman NOtes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 26, 21 October 1887, Page 27

Roman NOtes.

The details concerning the last hours and the funeral of the late Signor Depretis are of the usual melancholy tone of those with which religion has not been associated. The deceased statesman rejected the ministry of the Church, and his parting words are said to have been "canaille, canaille" and, then, "I think that I am dying." There were no religious ceremonies at his funeral. On this his widow has been congratulated by the Freemasons. Her late husband, they add, made Rome " intangible and eternal." — But the second epithet may cause the cynical to smile.

Nevertheless, the confidence of the party to which the Freemasons belong in Rome's intangibility and eternity is in some degree betrayed by the admissions made as to the results to be expected were the Roman question to be made a Parliamentary matter. It is admitted candidly by one of their principle organs that such action must end in an electoral triumph for the clericals.

Signor Crispi who fills the place left vacant by the late Signor Depretis seems to disguise his well known leanings to extreme Radicalism not only by a respectful attitude towards the King but by the appearance of due deference towards the Sovereign Pontiff. He expresses himself as determined that the jubilee celebrations shall be carried out in all possible freedom.

The approaching jubilee is now the great matter of interest. To describe the gifts that have already arrived, or that are being prepared to send, would be impossible within any reasonable limits. It is reported that the King has, through his treasurer, requested permission to make an offering on the occasion, and that, if successful, his example will be followed by all the members of the Royal Family. One of them, however, has anticipated permission, and has been for some time engaged on a very beautiful work. That is the Princess Clotilda who is embroidering with her own bands a cope of white satin and golden flowers. The Princess has always remained the faithful daughter of Holy Church, and has never hidden her distress at the action taken by her illustrious family. Among the more interesting addresses which have been received are some from the missions in Persia, and which, bear eloquent testimony to the progress of the faith in that distant land.

Achille Pazzari, the Deputy who lately resigned because Catholics were not represented in Parliament, publishes a letter in which he states his belief that conciliation will take place in spite of all opposition. He considers the sects as having always hindered the welfare of Italy, and extols Leo XIII. as a true patriot. The subject of conciliation has not by any means been allowed to drop.

Interest has been excited among archeologists and their hangerson by the discovery of a mutilated statue of a Pope. The discovery was made on a spot that ,is said to have formed the sitejof the church of St. Matthew in Merulana, which was consecrated by Pope Paschal If. in the year 1110., and it is thought that probably the statue is that of the Pope referred to. In any case, it is evidently that of a Pontiff who preceded Boniface VIII. as the tiara bears one crown only. The church which was under the care of the Irish Augustinians, was destroyed by Napoleon in 1809.

Various s^eps are to be taken in honour of tbe memory of Signor Depretis. A wreath of bronze will ba laid in the name of Rome upon his tcmb ; his bust in silver will be placed in the capitol ; his name will be given to a street, and a sum of £4,000, if it can be collected, will be devoted to the erection of a monument to him. But, great as the services of the deceased Minister to his country are acknowledged to have been, much grumbling prevails at the expense arising from these decisions.

Preparations are being made to receive the pilgrimage of French working-men under the presidency of Cardinal Langenieux, Archbishop of Rheims, expected to arrive here in September, and by which the jubilee celebrations will be inaugurated. The pilgrimage, it is said, will be extremely numerous,

The Moniteur de Rome condemns the proclamation of the National League in no doubtful terms. It stigmatises the measure as a victory gained by |the iOrangemen, and indignantly contrasts the liberty granted to the enemies of Home Rule with the crippling of its promoters. The League, it says, is as lawful as any tradeunion, and it predicts its perversion by such opposition into a secret society. '• May it be," it concludes, " ttut those who are directing in Ireland the national movement will have sufficient inflence to prevent every disorder in fact! of the indirect persecutions of the Government ! But if Ireland is to be calm at present it is to Mr. Gladstone and to Mr. Parnell th&tthe merit of it will be due, and not to the action and attitnde of a Government which is amuding itself by playing with fire." Thif, is a great deal trom a newspaper which, if it cannot be said officially to represent the Vatican, is not likely to publish anything oiensive to the Holy Father.

The cholera, of vviicb. some cases have occurred in the city, ia causing alarm. Besides the usual sad results of a serious outbreak of the illness, some injurious effect might be produced on the celebration of the Pope's jubi cc, and that would b^ most inopportune.