Star.
London, England, 1830-10-18 00:00:00

WEALTH OF TIM SPANISH CL7.IIOY.

The annual income of the Spanish Clergy has been generally valued
at 16,000,0001„although the Clergy themselves have always denied that
it was more than 12 to 13 millions. _ _

Up to 1792, all the taxes and contributions paid to the Goverr.mont
did not exceed 5,500,0001 yearly, so that the Spanish people paid
nearly three times as much for their religious as for their civil Govern-
ment.
From the beginning of the 18th century to 1792, we do not find that
the Clergy ever contributed to the charges of the State more than
130,0001. lent to the Government in 1780, and a donation of 400,0001.
in 1782.
From 1792 to 1808, the Clergy advanced to the Government, either
by loan or donation, 1,890,0001. and received from the people, within
the same period, at least 195,000,0001. so that they contributed much
less than one per cent. of their income; while the people in addition
to the payment of 7,500,0001. annually, as ordinary contributions to the
Government, were obliged to pay within that same period 50,000,0001.
as extraordinary contributions.
Up to the year HMO, the Clergy enjoyed great privileges: they and
their property were exempt trom all contribution and taxes, mid they
pushed this privilege to so monstrous an extent, that every Clergyman
received yearly from the Royal Treasury a sum of money in repayment
of such tax, as it tress presumed he might have paid, in the purchase of
provisions bought in the open markets ; such provisions being subjected
to a municipal tax at the gates of die city.°
From 1808 to 1814 they were obliged to disgorge some of their enor-
mous wealth, for neither French nor Spaniards spared them. The
Cones were of opinion that they ought not to be exempt from contri.
buting to the charges of the State ; that, having possessed themselves
of their enormous wealth by illegal and foul means, it was high thus to
deprive diem of it ; that the important interests of religion required a
more jest and impartial distribution, and not to allow a great majority
of the Rectors of parishes to starve on 30 or 40 poundsa-yeas, whilst
the Prelates, the Canons, in a word, the whole of the high (,:ergy,
enjoyed immense revenues. In consequence of this determination the
Bishops, Canons, and Pluralists conspired against the Cones, and, in
1814, eventually triumphed—but their triumph was of short duration.
In 1817 the King deprived them of their privilege of exemption, and,
having imposed a property tax,the Spanish people every where contrived
to make the church landed property pay, perhaps, twice as much as
in justice it ought. The Clergy, growing weary of these burdens, be-
held with indifference the revolution of 1820, concluding that their con-
dition could not be worse under the dominion of the Cortes than
it had been under the absolute King. In this they were mistaken ; for the
Cortes applied a part of the Church property to the payment of the na-
tional dt which caused the dissensions between the Clergy and the
Cortes to break out afresh. There cannot be the least doubt that the
contest would have terminated in favour of the Cones, had not the.
Duke d'Angottletne invaded Spain, with his 100,000 French troops,
for the avowed purpose of compelling the Spaniards to pay more for
their religion than they were disposed to do. From that period oite
Clergy have enjoyed their former privileges; but them is a great loll-
ing oil in titer revenues, owing to the little value of every descriptiqn
of agricultural produce, end wits having become a common prretre
among the Spaniards to use every endeavour to cheat them cf
tithes. The Clergy, on the other hand, hare rsoned to the moz.t
violent me-surea to conyel their flocks to pay the full amount ; ficy
have generally been tu,neressful, and have rendered themselves objects
of deicstation, without ii•ttlirg a remedy for the evil.—.llenamns.
• This privilege has been restored since 1823.

Whether e call the mz:Att and exile of the Archbishop of Toklo •
bold arts tlaring act of Ferdinand VII. or account for It ca the principle
that, in extreme cr.rger, ctcn coward' evince coumee I: st:11 pcoves the
preenzt Sover,.igh cf Spain an absolute King. and furnishes the Lest ilos•
shle r.•futttion of the train gronnd alleged by the Sranish Constitu.
tior.alists for the es,ablisinent of their Provisional Hovermnent, that
the King is held in a state of captivity and thraldom by the Apos.
tuErtls. Suc:i a coup d'etat, such an net of absolute—nay. despotie
power, as arrestirg ar l exiling the Head of the Catholic Church in
,oin, the richest ant. thost influential priest of that priest-ridden coun.
try, is what a est.tive king would not have dareu to think of, much
I..ss to attempt and execute, for it is well known that the Apostolieals
10113 imperium in impc;io, being the only armed faction in Spain,
end that this now exiled Church Dignitary was at the head of them. It
iit equally well krown that his immense wealth gave him unbounded

• The Duke de St. Simon, who during the minority of Louis XV.
rya,. Preach Ambassador at Madrid, gives in the 40th volume of his
Memoirs an Interesting account of the riches and miraculous efgia
of the Cathedral and Franciscan Convent of Toledo, the latter of which,
ttrou3n prOtocted by his diplomatic character against the Inquisition,
ere had the discretion to swallow as Gospel. He states the revenue of
thl• Cn.Medral to be five millions of francs, and adverts to he high
it 3, which dates from the beginning the eighth century, before the
Ara:A made any conquests in Spain. The vast sacristy of the church
he found • torLd with immense treasures and monuments, Interesting to
the ; ;te Imperial mantle of Charles V. made of gold cloth,
studded with spread eagles and gold clasps ; drawers fall of diamonds
and jewels ; a diamond cross 4 the HOLY GHOST, MU by Charles
11. :o Cardinal Porto Carrero, Criclrcled with superb large bnllianta, to
which was attached the Golden Fleece Order, worn by Marin 11. him.'
self, and presented by him, shortly before his death, to the Church—a
treeless };;ft. The plain unadorned tomb of Cardinal Pole Carrero hot:
the phi.esophical hscription of
Hle jacet pulvis, einis, et nihil,"

eonstruebal by his own direction ; opposite to it, on the wall, was a
magnificent epitaph, erected to his honour by the ostentation of his
feic.ld.. The stalls of the choir were of precious wood, and richly carved,
the worlonunlhip being mote delicate than that of gold fretwork snuff-
boxes. tuinottly representing the eventful life of Ferdmand Catholic"
and IN,bel!.i of Castile, from the cradle to the grave. The crucillias
exhiLikd CnatsT in drawers, and wearing a wig—a costume not
exactly warranted by Scriptural authority. Tired and worn out with
the sight of miraculous images, the. Duke de Saint Simms was von?
anxious to reach the celebrated Council Hall, where so *soy Canoes
of the Church had been settled by Fathers equally distinguished for
science and holiness: great was, thetefore, his indignaticio to Jews that,
the Monks had lately sonverted it to the same pasties use as4he *my
at Geo. HL has ban be one of the Boyd Palms& dig bolt Pad it
dawn to build their kitchen on the spot. Horrified at Ws iptedhnotian '
he soya, he was so much disgusted that be could hardly reirain from
kicking these rev. gourmands, turned his back, and, with Wisely
__
taitsg them foe this saernogs, gained his wrier without outing*
law into theimsnwent to thank shops fos.thsir elWilhf• u sa, .be 41141
claimed, Is the end of the moat prosioto ntsononatagg
are the uses avarice, Ignorance, and sloth appropriate them to, wi
the police or any one else taking the least trouble to prevent it. Mar
this, wintered complain of Sanaa, Turk, or Scot?