American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-03-22
MEXICO.

| h0 OotioiiS P'PSiS VI PUSAh0i -
long letter from the Pope, dated the Vat
ician, Oct Is, 1864, and addressed to the
Emperor Macmillan of Mexico, point
ing out the course Of conduct the Pope
eonceives the new monarch ought to fol
low with respect to the reorganization of
his Government In the opinion of the
Pope, it is especially necessary that "the
Catholic religion must, above all things,
continue to be the glory and the main
stay of the Mexican nation, to the exclu-
sion of every other dissenting worship"
Maximilian seems not to have been
convinced by this admoniton, for he has
since taken steps toward introducing re-
ligious toleration and the legalization Of
the sale of the Church property, which
has filed the Church party with the ut
most indignation. Semi-ofiicial papers of
France state that one Mexican general
who is strongly attached to the interests
of the Church party has left the Imperial
army in order to make pronunciamento,
and, according to the Independence Beige,
the King of Belgium has received letters
from his daughter, the Empress of Mex
ico informed him that she had to endure
the most insulting language from the
Archbishop of Mexico; and that the
Archbishop was ordered out of her pres
ence
Whether this last item of Mexican gos-
sip be true or not, the complete rupture
between Maximilian and the ultra cleri-
cal party is a well-authenticated fact.
Long before his name was mentioned in
connection with the establishment of a
Mexican Empire, Maximilian had the
reputation of not being a partisan OF the
medieval church theories which the Court
of Rome is still bent upon defending and
reintroducing into modern society. But
even if his personal views had been diff
ferent, it would have been difficult, if not
impossible, for any Emperor of Mexico to
pursue any other policy. The accumu,
lation of landed property in the hands of
the Church, its exemption from taxation,
and the immense influence which the
Church of Mexico, in Consequence of her
wealth, has acquired in political affairs,
are the chief causes which have preven-
ted the progress of the country and has
tened the downfall of its republican in
stitutions To acknowledged the claims
of the Church of Mexico would be tauta-
mount to an abdcation of the Govern
ment
We give Maximilian credit for show
ing much common sense in resting his
hopes for the perpetuation of his reign
entirely upon reformatory measures in
tended to developo he material resources
/ of the country. The improvement ofthe
publiaroads and the construction of rail
roads seem especially to engage the at
tention of the Emperor. The Vera Cruz
and Mexico Railroad Company has been
compelled to engage to finish the road
within four years. The projected rail
road of Chalco has already more than six
thousand share holders, and the necessary
preparations for the roads from Guiana
iuato to Queretaro, and from Zacatecas to
Aguas Calientes. have been commenced
by engineers. New discoveries have re-
Gently been made of bituminous coal
and of petroleum, and several foreign cap
italists have been induced to invest mon
ey in he working of Mexican mines.
The important subject of foreign immi-
grafton and colonization has olso been ta
ken into serious consideration and
agents have been sent over TO Germany
to recommend to the German emigrants
the peculiar advantages of a settlement
in Mexico. Some have accepted this in
vitation, and even in our country some
Germans have allowed themselves to be
misled by the promises which were held
out to them. The experience, however,
of the first emigrants, is in the highest
degree discouragsng. No preparations
have been made for them, and they find
that laborers cannot procure there employ
ment so profitable or constant as in the
United States. They naturally regret
the hasty step which they have taken,
and issue warning to their ceuntrymen
not to think of emigrating to Mexico.
Whether Maximilian will be able to
maintain himself on this usurped throne
lis still aquestion, but every impulse which
he gives to the trade and material prog
ress of the country will be toits advantage,
however that question may be decided.
"A private letter received in New
York gives details of the capture of Oa-
jaca, differing from the account hereto
fore published. The guerrilla chief, Por-