The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-04
MEXICO.

The confscation of the church property IN
Mexico by the decree of Jaurez, the chief OF
the Liberal party or Government, is measure
about as radical and revolutionary in its char
acter as would be the abolition of Slavery IN the
Southern States by the proclamation OF Presi-
dent Buchanan. 1t is believed to have been
stimulated, If not suggested, by Mr.. McLane,
the American Minister and has doubtless been
sanctioned by the Washington Cabinet. The
church property of Mexico is valued at hun
.dreds of millions, and bears to the aggregate
wealth of that country a larger proportion than
the value of the slaves in this country does to
its total wealth.
But there is not the slightest danger that
Mr. Buchanan will apply his Mexican conhs-
cation policy to Slavery, and we have no inten-
ton to frighten the slave interest by an intima-
ton of that kind If Mr.. Buchanan has no
friends in the South, he has none anywhere,
and it is not at all probable that he will assail
their interests as he has done those Of the
Northern people.
There Is, however, another class of the DemOc-
raey who may feel thatthis act Of Catholic Church
spoltation is a blow struck at them. The
Catholics of this country may sing Ie Dams
over American Victories Al fs.'.se.s Aaa4t4, Sfei
tories may lead to large acquisitions of Catho-
lie fellow-citizens but they viii not be apt to
celebrate the edict of Jaurcz, by which their
church is despoiled of her lands and goods
which it has required three centuries and more
20 accumulate
Not only the lands, but the converts and all
personal property Of the church, have been APP,
propriated to public uses The monks and
nuns are to be turned adrft upon the world,
with pittance of FIVE hundred dollars, which
viii barely support them twelve months.
A strong and powerful Government in the
full tide of success, might possibly carry out
this radical revolution but that Jaurez, who is
little more than titular President, with the Ma
tional capital and the adjacent provinces in
the possession of a rival claimant of the SUI
preme power, viii be able to do so, is not proba-
BILE. If he succeed, and if he be an honest
man, and appropriate the immense sums thus
acquired to public purposes, to the construction
OF railroads and other works of internal i'm
provement, the act of spoliation will be justified
by the world. To use n Jesuitical maxim, the
end VIII in that event, justify the means. But
we fear that the plunder of the church will only
serve to aggrandize faction, and that the Ad-
ministration at Washington have sanctioned a
fearful precedent Of revolution TO no useful end.
AUGUST Recommendations took place
on Monday in Kentucky, Alabama, and Texas.
for members of Congress and State officers ;
and to-day elections take place in North Carolina
and Tennessee for similar purposes. The OPP
position, as usual, are sanguine of success in
Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
but we suspect that their accustomed luck
awaits them. In Kentucky, the Opposition
richly deserve to be beaten for their despica-
bic apostacy to the principles of Henry Clay,
and We sincerely hope that not man of them
viii be elected to Congress, unless some one OF
them has preserved the faith of his fathers; but
If there be such an exception to the general
rule, we have not heard Of IL. In Tennessee
and North Carolina more honorable course
has been pursued By the Opposition They
have not, so far as re have observed. taken the
extreme Southern ground of insisting upon a
slave code in the Territories, and have at the
same time opposed the proposition to reopen
the slave trade. The Black Democracy in
these States monopolize all the ultraism. but
we fear that on that account they have pre-
served their ascendency. 1t is to be feared
also, that the Opposition in Kentucky have
succeeded for the same reason
The METHoDISTs AND SLAvERY.-A number
of the Methodist Episcopal clergymen hav,
published a circular to their denomination, re