Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-06-10
Address Of the Clergy OF San Lu-
is POtOSi TO the People.

II The Clergy Of this State would not be fit
depository ofthe high and sublime power which
has been placed in its hands, nor worthy of the
glorious name of MeXicans, If il should behold
the last sight of our holy religion and our be-
loved country, and remain in cold Indifference,
without raising its voice to arouse its compatrl-
OTIS from that ndolent apathy in which for
more than year they have been submerged
and if it should not, cause them TO comprehend
our present lamentable and disastrous situation,
and to know and secure the means of our sal
vation. To do this is our sole object.
! The Cabinet at Washington have determin-
ed to pcrpetratc, in the present age, horrible
crime--rare, indeed, in the annals of the whole
world. Ambitious TO extend their prosperity
and temporal power, and to pcrpetuate their
race to the last of coming generations, they
have not hesiintcd to violate towards the gen
tie society of Mexico the most sacred of human
rights. In their wild delirum, they behold
with raving thirst the opulence of our temples,
the riches of our churches, the magnifcence of
our homcstcads, the angelic beauty Of our
weaker sex, the immense and ineXhaustibe
treasures of our mountains the fertility of our
fields, and the beautiful variety Of our climate !;
and ever the inpiacable enemies of our race
and origin, they have taken rapid steps to ex-
tngulsh our name, and possess themselves Of
these precious gifts.
You have already seen them, compatriots.-|
In vain is the memory of the thousand and
thousand assassinatiOns committed at Palo
Alto, Rcsaca de Ia Palma, Monterey, Angostu-
ra, Vera Cruz and Ccrro Gordo,-in vain have
we seen multtudcs of Mexicans wandering in
the woods, and pursued like wild beasts in
their own country, robbed Of their property
and driven from their tamilies-in vain do we
record the multitude Of pcaccablc and honora-
"a, lnt, 4
beaten, IN presence even Of a beloved daughter
or dolizcd wie--in vain do we rccocct the
proud barbarity, the shameless cruelty rcqur-
ed to burn the village, to slay the simple rus
tic, the feeble woman and the innocent child,
as we behcld at Aqua Nueva, Ildalgo, and
other towns at the North.
II But what san We hapa from horde of rob.
bcrs, destitute of humanty-monsters, who
bid defiance TO the laws Of nature, when they
even insult, rob and contemn God IN his holy
temple When man enters on a career of
vice, and throws aside the rcsns Of religion,
the nsensibility and olduracy of which he is
capable can hardly be believed What can we
expect from these Vandals, vomtcd from hell
to scourge the nations, when we know that
they worship no God but gold, and aspire to
no happiness but the qualification Of their bru-
tai passions? A wise writer of the last centu-
ry, has said that men without any religion is
a terrible animal, who appears only {" enjoy
his liberty in destroying and dcvourlng.'
\ Such, in effect, appears TO be the picture
which Providence, with high design, has dc.
signed TO present to us. Yes, compatrots
you have seen il: our religion, our country
our liberty, our lives, our families, our proper.
y--nothing-nothing is respected and If they
spare even our existence, IL is merely for the
purpose of turning il to profit in the unhappy
condition of slavery. Aud finally they will en-
deavor, as we have already said, TO blot our
name from the catalogue of nations.
II Fellow citizens of Potosi Can you behold
with waking eyes, and with the blood freezing
in your veins, a confidence so humillatng, a
fate so disastrous and frightful Can your
bold and valiant character behold without rage
that the foot Of hereto and adventurcr should
defle your magnificent temples, destroy youI
vcncratcd images, and tramplc even upon youi
God, ovcrthrowing your holy sacrament, and
dcpriving the christian soul Of the sublime vlr
tues and exalted cnjoymcnts of the angels p
viii you permit that covctous and bnrhdrou'
stranger should outrage that God who has Wis
tied You ~ your infrmities,--who accompa.
MES you in the horrible transition from life "a
the enjoyment Of eternal bcnuttudc. viii
you consent, brave Potosinos to have the ho
ly rites Of your church abolished, and the sign
os.your redemption exterminated' Finally
fellow citizens, will you be inscnsIblc Ia thr
loss Of your religion, your temples, and even