Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-12-27

| mas lurQlSheO Us with his estimate or t1e
amount of tees charged and collected by
the priests Of New Mexico. He supposes
that in the Territory there are annually
f e thousand baptisms amounting to as
many dollars; 1900 marriages at IS each,
making $24 900; $500 burials at Sc each,
making $21 600; Offices of the patron
saints, and other matters relating to births
and first fruits, $40, 600, thus making to-
tai OF ST. 900, without taking ary &C.
! count or the public parades and the arbi>
/ trary taxes which are under the control of
each priest, and which will much farther
swell the amount. To this sum must also
be added the tthes or tenths of all the
crops and increase of each mans property,
10 be paid in kind or compensated for in
money, and which would swell the amount
to 500 900 more.
The Territory at the last census coE-
/ tanned a population OF =, 900, and SO much
| complaint was made about tax Whica
was at one time laid of $4,000, for the
support of the civil government, that it
was never collected, aud the act was re.
| peaIed. On the other hand the only
sources OF revenue which the territory or
| counties have for the maintenance OF the
courts, arises from the fines imposed and
the licenses granted to stores, groceries,
| taverEs, billiard rooms, bowling alleys, &C.
Thus rendering it almost impossible for
the courts Of the territory to punish often
ces committed against tue laws. Impris.
onment of criminals is an imp disability as
u punishment, there is no penitentiary in
the territory to which they can be sent.
When the vast amount charged on the
! people to support the church, rs above set
forth, Is taken into account, it can scarcely
be expected that they should be willing to
pay for civil government.
The estimates above given are all with
in bounds, If not much too low. We were
once a guest at a wedding and saw the
rites performed in all due pomp, and were
told that the purse given to the priest con-
tanned hundred dollars in gold. We nave
been told of others Who went to the house
of the priest and yet were charged even
more than that sum. The records of the
court IN one OF the northern counties
| show that priest sued the administrators
OF man worth $50, 1000, for $500 as his
fees fer the funeral OF the deceased, and
recovered it from the estate. Other in
stances might be given.
For the purpose of enforcing the coliec-
ton of the tithes from the people, the
present Bishop of Santa Fe, Cd the 14th
OF January, 1854, promulgated among
other things the following statutes for bis
diocese: r. B. That the faithful of this ter
tory may have 90 cause OF complaint con-
corning the parochial taxes, be it known
to them, that we have given to the several
curates every facility for administering the
sacrements of the the church, and to give
the burial rites to the heads of families
who have not failed to pay faithfully
whatever of the tithes is due from them"
and (. 6. From the first day of Februa-
ry, 1854, there shall be collected three
| times the amount OF the parochal taxes,
tor the administration of the sacraments
of baptism, matrimony and church burial,
from those persons who have not complied
with the fifth rule" Every one at all
conversant with the Roman Catholic faith,
knows in what esteem they hold the sac
raments OF baptism, marriage and burial
of the dead in holy ground, and such Will
see at glance what vast power the
clergy of New Mexico have brought to
bear upon an ignorant people, to compel
| them to pay tax which they could not
enforce by civil law. The clergy having
the control of the members of the legisa-
ture, and with the desire to retain the
rates to themselves, have prevented the
passage of such acts as are found in every
state OF the Union, allowing marriages to
be solemnized by justices of the peace and
other persons than Roman Catholic
priests; or any laws relating to common
schools. AS the consequence of the last
want or legislation, there is not a common
school IN the territory, and not one In fifty
OF Mexican stock can read their own or
any other language.
With facts like these before them, and
half is not told, ought not the American
people to pause and take some observaS
tions, or at least inquire whether the leg
islation of Congress has been for the best
when it placed the power of making laws
in the hands of people who in nc respect
are homogeneous with those of the States
whose very ideas of government are at
variance with the common law, and soce-
~ as organized in the states; and into
whose hands bsfore many years may be
committed the formation of state gov.
eminent? Shall we not ask ourselves
whether they will form one 10 which the
citizens will be lett free to worship God
according to the dictates of his own con-
science, and the church and state be sep
arated? So too, shall not those who are
seeking to add other Mexican states, or
Cuba to the Union, reflect whether we
have nos already as much of an ircon-
graous people as the good of society de-
mands? But We leave the facts to speak
for themselves, and close by remarking
that many doubt is entertained whether
the territorial or any Government could
exist here if the United States should
withdraw its support. On the other hand
1t is supposed that it would sink back to
and again become home of the Indians,
as it was fast doing before a thousand
Americans put ten thousand Mexcans to
flight, before they had yet appeared in
sight of their entertainments, in the same
canon where last spring we met and con.
quered the rebels from Texas.
CHAPLAIN PHILIPS. Rev. Enos NJ. Phil.
FPS, Assemblyman eject from La Crosse
county, has been rendered the appoint.
ment OF Chaplain in the First Regiment
of Wisconsin ceyslrv w, 40 80 L,o,-