PROBABLE ABDICATION OF THE POPE. [From the Roman Correspondent of the "Times."]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 553, 2 August 1851, Page 3

PROBABLE ABDICATION OF THE POPE. [From the Roman Co rrespondent of the "Times."]

You may remember that, in my correspondence upon Civita Yecchia, in P/lay, 1815, while yet the siege of Rome was undesided and the restoiation of the Papacy uncertain, I moie than once hinted at the possibility of Pius IX. retiring from public life, and abandoning for ever the cares of state, for which he was in every respect unsuUed. I had my information then from a personage who knew the most secret thoughts of the Pope, and who, moreover, had received his confidence on the subject. It is true that the resignation did not take place, and therefore that J exposed myself to the charge of having listened to those who had an interest in leadding me astray. But 1 have never doubted my authority, aud if I am not now again grossly deceived, the prospect is nearer its accomplishment than any of us have imagined. lam told in a high quarter that Pio Nono, more than once during his residence at Porlici. stated to the cardinals most in his confidence, that he hdd serious thoughts of abdicating, Bnd"*tliat if such a step could be reconciled vritb the interests of the churcb, he was prepared to take it, but that the cardinals, though the vista of Popedom was opened to each, were unanimous in declaring the measure as untimely, and entreated him to relinquish the idea. " Wait," they said, "at least till your restoration to the Qui:inal,an<l do not give Mazzim and the Republic, the triumph of boasting that in your peraon they have destroyed the Papacy, and that your abandonment of place and power was caused alone by them. <( The Pope allowed himself to be persuaded by this reasoning, but I am informed that, since his return to Rome, his longing for the quiet of a convent recurs with double force, and that the cardinals, seeing how strongly his mind is beut that way, are less indisposed to accede to his desire than they weie at Naples. Nay, lam assured that th« question is at this moment the subject of their secret conncils, and that matters have proceeded so far as that the convent where Pius IX . means to end his days has already been named.