The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-22
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Messrs. X. W. Latham 4 Co, Bankers.
WARRINGTON CITY, Do
At sight, pay to John Withers, or bearer, one
dollar, for value received in Virginia money
when nve dollars are presented, and charge
Your ob't servant,
No wv
WAsHINoIoN, May 20. ls47.

WAsHISoroS, May 20, ls47.
sequestratfon Of the Church Property The Lav Of
"Miitary Contributions"
According to the usages Of war, all properties
useful the invading party have been subjected the
law of military contributions the law recently pro-
mulgated in the Senate by the Lieutenant General and
which, in modern times has superseded the old Of
indscriminate spolation and plumber Under the law,
then Of military contributions" the church property
of Mexico would be legitimate seizure; bill OF the
amount seized to be rendered against the of
Mexico to be settled for between the high contracting
parties in treaty Of peace and to be accounted for to
the church by the Mexican government. The appro.
priaton Of the church treasures therefore under the
laws of would not be sequestration but forced
loan pledgng the Mexican security for its
payment.
Father Richie, the other hand has suggested that
the representation Of the church property may be-
matter Of grave consideration, which, M we I'M
derstand it, would be but seizure OF said property by
the strong arm and its appropriation TO the snews Of
war as and munitions of captured city
appropriated, l. e. nv the spells OF war.
:" Twas there he made the great mistake
The mere term OF sequestraton implied seizure and
repayment-an appropriation OF captured treasures,
after the manner Of doing business Of the Camanche
dams without prospect or arrangement OF ndemnhca
ton dead loss TO the party suffering the abstraction
to the extent OF the chattes distracted destroyed
The law Of military contributions as have said
formed part of the "plan,n the great planthe dplo
matico-mitary plan OF the diplomatico ssiino
plenipotentary extraordinary, a mixed functionary
combining the powers Of commander in chief of the
Army and Navy, and of Prime Minister OF Foreign AZ
fairs, far regarded peace with the enemy in
questionable great plan Of this sequesered functonary
proposed Uniform application OF the law Of military
contribution 20 all property OF private character
coming within the radius Of the operations Of the Anne
rican armies which would certainly embi the proper
ties OF the church. because no military law recognizes
the property n corporation sacred than the
personal property OF a citizen
But neither the system Of plumber, nor OF military
contributions has been recognised practed by our
officers in Mexico saving in one two exceptions In
New Mexico, where the Law Of contributions of
necessity applied Either plan Of appropriation OF tn
church treasures, therefore, would be- infringement
upon the practice of equivalent rendered thus far
and also OF the frequent proclamations issued to the
Mexican church and people proclamng the sanctty of
private property A sequestration even military
contributions would compromt the pledges Of
mnndng officers, aud TO this extent the faith OF the
United States.
The only feature Of the scheme OF military contr
buttons put into actual practice ~ the talin law Of
Mr.. Walker, against which heavy complaints
made by the American merchants In Tampicu law Of
collections evpcng great discsrnment ard due refec-
ton but which could not be expected to give entire
tsfaction ms first experiment " the proongation OF
the should render the continuance of the law ad-
visablc 1t viii be doubtless modified TO secure the
largest demand for mporations consistently with ths
most available returns of revenue or, more properly
Of military contributions
But before the property Of tho Mexican church osi