Democratic banner., 1847-06-28

hC |uliIVuldl. HUI OCCiDIpS the SIZE
Of the great idol temple of M~ontezuma, is
five hundred feet long by four hundred and
twenty feet wide, (larger than the capital
of the United States.) Like all other
churches in Mexico, it is built in the Goth
ic style. The walls, of several feet thick
ness, are made of unhewn stone and lime.
Upon entering it one is apt to recall the wild
pictures of the Arabian Nights. 1t seems
as if the wealth of empires was collected
there.
"The first object that presents itself on
entering the cathedral, is the altar, near the
centre of the building. 1t is made of high.
ily wrought and polished silver, and CONVEX
ed with a profusion of ornaments of pure
gold; on each side of this altar runs a balus-
trade, enclosing a space Of about eight feet
wide, and eighty or a hundred feet long
The balusters are about four feet high. and
-four inches thick in the largest part; the
hand rail from six to eight inches wide
Upon the top of this hand rail, at the dis
lance of six or eight feet apart, are human
images, beautifully wrought, and about a
foot high. All of these, the balustrade,
hand rail, and images, are made of a COM
pound of gold, silver and copper. l was
told that an offer had been made to take
this baiustrade, and replace it with another
of exactly the same size and workmanship
OF pure silver, and to give a half a million
dollars besides. There is much more of
the same balustrade in other parts of the
church. | should think, in all of it, not
less than three hundred feet.
GAS You walk through the building on
either side there are different apartments,
all filled, from the floor to the ceiling, with
paintings, statues, vases, huge candlesticks,
walters and a thousand other articles, made
gold or silver. This, too, is only the
every day display, of articles of least val
tie; the most costly are stored away in
chests and closets. What must it be when
all these are brought out, with the immense
quantities of precious stones which the
church Is known 10 possess. And this is
only one Of the churches of the CITY of
Mexico, where there are between sixty and
eighty others, and some of them possessing
little less wealth than tie Cathedral.
The London Times is becoming alarmed
the state Of Ireland, and especially at
he sympathy and aid her miseries have in
from every part of the world. It
'esents the interference of foreign coun-
TO prevent the Irish from starving, as
IN intrusion upon the special privileges of
1t claims for the Irish the p~rivi-
eye of starving, without let or hindrance.
The following is its language:
Ireland, the sister of England, her an
conquest and still too much her de-
pendent, is now begging and receiving the
Inns Of the whole earth. No distance, no
Inference of race or religion, prevents the
intrusion of her claims, and, it is fair to
i'd, their ready admission. But can we
eel unmixed satisfaction in hearing that
'ur rivals and our c%alumniators, in whose
mouths Ireland has ever been the worst op-
their jealousy, their malice, or ,,
heir ignorance could suggest, are now be-
towing their charity on our unfortunate I
ellow-subiects? From all parts of the {
Jnited States have come subscriptions mix '
d with a sympathy neither ,Gatterang nor
gJe to This nafGnn. r. "a
At Consta1tinople there had been a sub {.
cription, to which the Sultan has LARGELY !
The Pope has ordered pray c
rs and collections for Ireland in ali the ,
hurches acknowledging his authority
rom the East and West Indies we can
etter receive such expressions of inte-
but we cannot honestly profess un- f
ualiied pleasure at hearing that MarseilIes l.
ad subscribed more for Ireland than for Z"
lie sufferers by the ~inundation in France. r
II. Beautiful Senhment.-The late emf is
Judge, Sir Allen Park, once said at a Il
nblic meeting in London: eve live inI;,
lie midst of blessings till we arc utterly in II
'nslble to their greatness, and of the source
DIN whence they flow. We speak of our Il
villzation, our arts, our freedom, our laws, ft
I'd forget entirely how large a share is due l
Christianity. Blot Christianity out of Il
o pages Of mans history, and what would C.
S laws have been-what his civilization ? 81
h~ristianity is mixed up with our very be- I
g and our daily life; there is not a familiar m
iect around us which does not wear a m
aspect, because the light of Chris hi
IN love is not OH it. Not a law which al
'eS not owe Its truth and %eentlenesS to til