LEO XIII.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5034, 2 May 1878, Page 3

LEO XIII.

- (From the Spectator.) Every known fact of his career speaks well for the character and ability of Leo XIII. In a great bishopric ho has been markedly popular with a flock whom it is hard for au ecclesiastic to content. He created as Nuncio at Brussels an opinion in the mind of Leopold L, no mean judge of men, and harassed beyond, expression by the religious dissensions in his country, that he was a wise and moderate ,as a well as a good man, As a young mail, he cleared all the brigands out of the districts of the Papal States within'his jurisdiction, and boat down unsparingly the nobles who protected them, or who yielded to their threats. He’ bore with patience and without repining the late Pope's concealment of- his Cardinalate for seven years, and when at last he was admitted to the Vatican and raiide Cardinal Camerlengo, he 'so. bore, himself in that place, usually fatal to the popularity of its possessor, that he enjoyed from the first the favor of his master and the largest following in the Conclave. All these things, none of which are denied or questioned, indicate a strong and patient man, who can take up a great burden of power, who knows how to conciliate men, and who can wait till his opportunity arrives. Then Leo XIII is a man of learning, and friendly to learning, and a man. of the grave and stately presence which is acceptable in an ecclesiastical ruler, well as his prodec&sor contrived to - dispense with it, and to assume . a.’ dignity of another and less frequent type. Altogether, the Conclave appear to have chosen a man of the highest character, ability, and experience within their reach—tho object of such elections, but one very; seldom attained. . ' . . It is said the Kings and Premiers, Prince Bismarck especially, are very pleased with the nomination; but It is just possible that within twelve months they may have changed their tone, and have recognised that there are more dangerous men than Pio None. A good many hints are abroad, which as yot are only hints and may be blunders, that Leo XIII. is one of that still limited number of great Catholics who believe that the: future of the Papacy rests on tho adhesionof the democracy, who see a road to power through democratic agencies, and who will rely, as in: Belgium and Ireland, on the convictions of the: people. Ha ( told good Catholics at Perugia not to abstain from the ballot-box, when, the Vatican was supposed to be"urging abstention; and:is believed to have approved the.course of Biario Sforza, the Archbishop of Naples, who, great aristocrat as he was, rebuilt his power; in Naples through the adhesion of the common people.’' If thit is his tendency, 1 if he sanctions free institutions, requiring electors . only, tq ; listen to thoir clergy—ami he .gained! his political experience as l Nuncio in' Belgium—there may bo a new; future before the Papacy, and we do not; know that the kings will love it any more than they.do When, it is supposed to be throwing tho 1 Syllabus

daily at .their.hea&L, ' lt is-too early yet for an opinion, however. All .that we know is, that a very _stroii" and .determined- man, who has been very 1 in' v,;;-? difficult and diverse offices has m -iMt-.d the chair of St. V.eter, and tranquilly accepted the control of the most powerful and widespread organisation in the world, an organisation which has at this juncture tho two-fold .of .being very nearly as free as'it can be, and of honestly thinking itself subjected to hideous persecution. • .