The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-21

end, OF even contemplate without shuddering
CoMoNFoRTs PROGRESS IN MExIco.-I' is EVIL
dent that the party at whose head Senior Co
monfort is placed does not intend to resign
the leadership of Mexico without struggle.
Against the church especially they will fight
hard. Our Mexican correspondent, in q recent
letter, put the case between the government
and the church in very clear light. By the
old Spanish laws the church was not only for
titled by spiritual entertainments, but it was
castellated in ever so many close corporations
or fueros, which, like inside forts, remained i'm
pregnable to the assailants even after the out
works had been taken. There were fueros o.
monks and fueros Of nuns; fueros of parish
priests and fueros Of city priests; all claiming
and enjoying in virtue Of law and custom pri
vileges inconsistent with democratic liberty,
and subversive Of social order. Again, in
civil matters the power Of the church was
unbounded. Not only did the clergy, to use
the words Of an energetic writer, sieze man
kind by the throttle at the two ends Of life, 80
that man could neither be born nor die with
out their aid; but they assumed control over
the most important act in life, marriage; and
as corollary from this asserted jurisdiction
over every subject to which births, deaths and
marriages led, such as inheritance, wills, d.
vorces, prostitution, DC. Besides, they were
sole judges in any case in which member of
the clergy, male or female, was concerned;
and they asserted as q natural consequence of
their holy calling their right to superintend
education, letters and art Such was the state
OF the Papal church at the time when Amanda
in Spain, and Pombal in Portugal led royalty
to rebel against it, and commence its over
throw.
Unfortunately, as we have seen in other
colonies, Canada, for instance, the liberties
conquered by the mother country were with
held from the Provinces in America Mexico
retained her dominant priesthood in all their
arbitrary privileges long after there had been
no church at all to speak of in Spain. 1t has
suffered since; there are Nexicans whose souls
are believed to be their own; but the church
has not yet suffered, even in all the revolution
and civil wars it has gone through, sufficient
ly to render it contemplate antagonist.
1t lie, however, q very wholesome and graft
tying sign, that the new Congress has affirmed
the great measu of the new government
abolishing the religious fueros and rendering
the clergy responsible to the civil tribunals.
1t is well known that President Comonfort had
set his heart on the passage Of this measure;
that it was supported by him with uncommon
zeal, and that in some measure he was willing
to stake his government on its successes; that
the church opposed it with all the skill and the
vast resources which it has at command. 1t
passed, however and now no priest will
be able to plot in an underhand way
against the execution of the laws, and de
ride the ministers of justice when he is
called to account. All true friends to Mexic,
will congratulate themselves on this result,
and Will hope that this is only tie beginning
of a series Of vigorous measures against the
intolerant hierarchy which has been such
curse to Mexico.
At the same time Senior Comontort Is doubt
less aware that foreign sympathy will be
aroused In his favor quite as quickly By active
measures to advance the material interests of
Mexico as by negative measures to crush her
enemies. Good commercial treaties with all
the commercial Powers are badly needed; the
sooner they can ne negotiated, and the Mexi-
can tariff placed On such footing that
change need not be expected every month, or
seizure Of goods for frivolous purposes, the
better for Mexico-the better for the demo
Gratis. II is already announced that Mr.. Gads
den has negotiated postal treaty, in virtue f
which the United States will pay seventy-fve
thousand dollars and Mexico the same sum
toward the maintenance of regular fortnigh
~ mail between New Orleans Galveston aud
the Mexican Gulf ports. This is well; but
how about commercial treaty.
The LEGAL PROFESSION AND GENERAL ALEX
AMBER HAMLToN.-We are induced to intro
duce the following unpublished letter to the
special consideration of gentlemen Of honor
and delicacy as high authority, in condemna-
ton Of the ridiculous practice of serving up
to the public the peculiarities of private
grie vances, and " the honorable and sstisfac-
tory" manner in which they may have been