THIS NEXT POPE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2267, 30 October 1889, Page 3

THIS NEXT POPE.

An opinion prevails at Borne (says the "Washington Post") that Cardinal Gibbons may be the next Pope, A prominent Boman prelate finds hifl reasons for thinkiug co m the mutual distrust of France and Germany, *nd m the , age and non-availability of the Italian cardinals. Germany would oppoßß the nomination of a Frenchman, Franoe that of a German, and the oonolave will regard it bad policy to anneossarily effend either nation. The English oardinala are out of tha question. Cardinal Howard is laid aside by mental infirmity, and Cardinals Newman and Manning are too old. Of the Italian cardinals, but six namss suggest papal honoors, and they are the names of old men. Of these six, five m the oapaoily of nnnoios have hid at some time unpleasant relations •itber with France or Germany. In these circumstances what could be more natural than that the ohoice of the " seventy " should t>* directed toward an Amerioan candidate ? In the language of the church these United States are panes infidelium, but nowhere has the church a Btaunoher, more loyal, or more intelligent following than she has here. Hare, too, she has an available prelate, winning, popular, and influential, m the full strength of bis manhood, and m every way Aged for a great oareer. And if Cardinal Gibbons should suooeed to the obair of St. Peter, Amerioan citizens, irrespective of sect or class, nonld derive satisfaction from the iaot that the power of the Vatioan would haooeforih be exsroieed by a man pious, learned, experienced m affairs, with a full knowledge of free institutions, and with an Amerioan'B appreciation and love of liberty.