The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-18 00:00:00

when they contrast the system which is being in
troduced now with anarchy of revolutionary
demagogues and the tyranny of Ultramontane
rule. To establish liberty and order where confu-
sion and despotism of the usurper or the mob

reigned before, is as desirable as it is difficult;
and those least friendly to the interference of
France must admit that a very important step in
the right direction bas just been taken. The French
authorities had adopted measures framed to protect
the rights of the possessors of Church property and
the holders of the securities given for payment of
such property. This measure of justice was not at
all approved by the retrograde or Ultramontane
party. The Supreme Court, under the influence and
control of this party, refused to administer the law
in cases where these rights were involved, so that

there was a practical denial of justice. The Arch-
bishop intimated that it was his intention to frame
and promulgate an ordinance which was to settle
permanently the question of the rights of the
holders of Church property, and of the securities
given for payment. Upon this the Supreme Court
virtually decided not to entertain the claims of such
persons at all. This of course was a state of things
that could not be allowed to continue by any civi-
lised Government, and accordingly a circular was
directed to the judges reciting the ordinances and
the laws upon which it was their duty to act, and
requiring them to administer justice in the class of
cases referred to above. The Supreme Court, how-
ever, still under the influence of the Archbishop,
remained contumacious, and would not discharge
its proper functions. As for the Archbishop him-
self, that dignitary issued a protest of a very pointed
and energetic character against the just and reason-
able course taken by the Government. He did not,
however, stop here. The protest does not appear, in
his judgment, to have been sufficient. He therefore
proceeded, in conjunction with his bishops, to com-
pose a sort of bull of excommunication, in imitation
of the bulls of the ancient Popes, for laying dis-
obedient countries under an interdict, and had it
formally served upon the Government, after the
manner of an attorney serving a debtor with a writ.
This literary curiosity, which ought to be preserved
in some museum devoted to the reception of
such rarities, extends to the length of more than
a couple of dozen sheets of paper, or, perhaps,
parchment, and is based upon certain resolu-
tions passed at the ancient Council of Trent.
It is most comprehensive and sweeping in
its denunciations, and directs the pains and penal-
ties it recites against everybody of both sexes and
all ages who may be, or have been in any way,
directly or indirectly concerned in or accessory to
the deadly sin of nationalising Church property.
So scientific is its construction and phraseology,
that nobody who has had anything to do with the
enormity it anathematises can hope, so far as its
interpretation is concerned, to have the remotest
chance of escaping the whole concatenation of pains
and penalties which it comprises. Indeed, it is
doubtful if the entire population of Mexico, men,
women, and children—of course with the exception
of the Ultramontane party—are not consecutively
liable under its damnatory clauses for sanctioning,
in the sense of not opposing by force, the terrible
sin which it denounces. But the wrath of the
Ultramontane party was not yet exhausted or ap-
peased. They next bethought themselves of fol-
lowing up this parody of Papal bull of excommuni-
cation by a sort of rider, in the shape of a secular
document, signed by all the judges of the Supreme
Court in their forensic capacity, in which these
functionaries declared it to be their intention not
to administer the unholy and unrighteous law at
all. Matters were thus brought to a climax, and
issue was joined between the Ultramontanists and
the secular arm. who thus put themselves upon
the country, as the legal term expresses it; and
there is no doubt that the country will be well
enough satisfied with what the Government has
done. What the Government did was to issue a
proclamation during the first days of the new year,
explaining the state of affairs to the people, and
also a decree dismissing the refractory judges of the
Supreme Court. This measure seems to have been
approved by the people generally. There has been
no difficulty experienced in finding judges who
understand their duties, and that the interests of
the nation are not to be sacrificed to the selfish
wishes of the Ultramontane section of the clergy.
The real secret of La Bastide's opposition to the
policy of the Government seems to be that the arch-
bishops were twenty thousand pounds a year richer
before the nationalisation of Church property took
place. If this measure could be reversed, the re-
venues of the archiepiscopal see would be augmented
to that extent. It is perhaps to be expected, human
nature being what it is, even among such unearthly
and celestial personages as the Ultramontaniat
clergy, that such a stake should provoke an obsti-
nate struggle for its recovery. the interests
of the nation must prevail. Besides, what was the
use of 27 sheets of obsolete cursing, based upon a
substratum of resolutions passed at the Council of
Trent? The day has gone by when people paid
any attention to fulminations of this sort. The con-
duct of La Bastide is a sufficient explanation bf his
having been considered not a fit person to continue
a member of the Regency. It is abundantly clear
that no just and liberal Government of which such
a man, so circumstanced, was a member, could be
expected to work to the satisfaction of the more
sensible and enlightened portion of the people, or
for the real good of the country. The Mexicans
now see that the French are their best friends, and
that the system which is being caraied out is the
best adapted to save their distracted country. It
appears also that order is being restored throughout
the land. The followers of Juarez have almost en-
tirely ceased from resistance. Campeachy has pro-
bably been captured ere this. There is no fear of
the disturbing element which it was once thought
was to be foreseen in the advent of multitudinous
filibusters from the United States. The Federal
Government cannot get men for its own defence ;
and that the war next spring may become an
offensive one on the part of the South appears to be
the opinion of General Halleck, who recently ex-
pressed his apprehension that it would be " trans-
ferred to Northern soil." Besides, the North can-
not afford to quarrel with France, and therefore it
is the interest of the Government to keep at home
out of harm's way any filibusters who might be in-
clined for mischief. The difficulties in the way of
helping Mexico to help itself out of the slough of
despond into which a succession of rival usurpers
and anarchists, with organised banditti for armies,
had sunk it, were great indeed, and apparently in-
superable. But the miracles of perseverance are
proverbial; and if the French, who have already
done so much more than many thought possible,
should be able—as it is to be hoped, and now in-
deed expected, they will be able—to restore that
unhappy country to even an approximation to
prosperity and peace, they will deserve the grati-
, tude not only of the Mexicans but of the world.

COTTON SUPPLY ASSOCIATION.—At the usual
weekly meeting of the Executive Committee, held
on Tuesday, a letter was read from St. Thomas,West Indies,
stating that the cultivation of cotton is rapidly extending in
at island, and that good results;are confidently anticipated
-ble accounts were also received of the crop now
"four"- YAarbadoes. A letter from Demerara reports
growing in
destroyed an enormous quantity of cot-
that the rains have ,
-a
by neglecting to gather it when
ton, and that the planter.. • •
••ble loss, but have been taught
ready have sustained consider,.
will be valuable for the
by their experience lessons which
future. A letter was read from Corr;:ntes,
ivity in the in the Argen-
tine Republic, stating that there is great an:.
cul-
tivation of cotton, and that should the season bb' propitious
not less than 300 bales would be produced in the Vovinea
of Corrientes alone. The Government is rendering ecery
facility, and proposals for establishing cotton plantations on
a large scale have been made, which it is expected will be
cordially adopted. Various measures aro in progress which
are likely to prove highly advantageous. Letters accompa-
nying applications for seed were received from the Consul-
General of Spain, stating that her Catholic Majesty's Go-
vernment is most anxious to promote the cultivation of cot-
ton, and has directed its special attention to the plains of
Motril, situated in latitude 36 deg. 40 min. on the shores of
the Mediterranean, and proposes to extend its efforts to the
neighbouring provinces and others on the same coast. A
commencement has already been made with good results,
and further experiments on a large scale with various sorts
of seed are contemplated. No effort will be spared to insure
success, and every assistance that the association can render
will be gladly afforded. A letter was read from New York,
stating that there is quite a demand there for cotton gins,
and that they have been sent in large numbers to South
America, the West Indies, Egypt, and other places, a fact
which shows that cotton cultivation is on the increase in
those countries. The opinion is confidently expressed that
the changes occurring in the Southern States must tend to
give permanency to the growth of cotton in every other part
of the world. A letter was read from Turin furnishing in-
teresting particulars of the Cotton Exhibition now open in
that city, and it was resolved earnestly to request the pre-
sident of the association to become its representative at
Turin during the Exhibition, in compliance with the
of the Royal Italian Commission, This it is hoped will
greatly encourage and stimulate the efforts now making to
extend the growth of cotton in Italy. desire
SIGNIFICANT OF THE AGE I—ln a book called
"The Science of the Soul," there is one erratum on
a slip, and, says the Athenwurn, while directing
attention
to this erratum, we cannot pass it :read
for God gold.ati
This is indeed an erratum in vogue, and a corrigendum too.
The book certainly does not commit it; the author seems a
real earnest Christian.

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