The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-10

tersss. How this Is to be done Is not made out SON
The character Of the government officers and Of the
judicial authorities appears to have been consider
ably elevated Young men Of better education and
habits nave replaced the old occupants, who wer0
too apt to barter justice for money. Important re.
forms are now in active progress. commission
is proposed to simplify the complicated ordenanzos
winch %mcn NOBODY M has yet succeeded IN nm
custom houses. Those who have done business at
Mexican ports have suffered from the arbitrary syss
tenn OF charging duties, and would object did they
not know 1t useless) to the annoyances they ard
exposed to. While the rules declare that a certain
afucle snail pay certain duty al yalorem, the GUS
tom house officer fixes the value as he peases-in
late case at 250 per cent above its rea cost. Next
they charge multitude OF additional duties, which
now amount to over seventy per cent. Finally, aftes
a.! these are paid at the Marine Custom louise, the
goods can only go to the interior and from place
to another by getting permission from the Custom
House, with the requisite documents and by giving
specifications OF the contents OF each package, its
vaiue me vessel IN which y was imported &c. and
several interior custom houses. Even private bag.
gage OF travellers has to be thus repeatedly exam.
and their patrons think OF such system? It il a
satisfaction, after Mexican experience in despatching
goods, TO witness the rapidity and eXactness with
which the great American express and freight com
panles receive, forward and deliver goods. In this
single department may be seen the progress made in
such prosperous and commercial nation ana the
want Of something like IL In Mexico. But now this
Mexico. Duties are TO be charged once al the port
OF entry and allowed to go free to the interior.
Reform In the system legis' atlon Is Looked
forward 10 soon 10 be realized. The present sys
tenn OF secret chambers, with Judge and notary to
take down everything in writing after his own fancy
and "a the gold paid MIN may incline him, and the
infamous injustice of refusing the accused the aid Of
legal advice the knowledge OF his accuser and OF
the accusation until his own declaration mas been
made-all this in due time must be replaced by open
and public tribunals and trial by jury This old sys-
TEN was practised in the Holy lnqusition and was
appropriate for the times when the Church fixed
what each one was TO believe and the State deter
mined what he must do: But those times have
nD md ba
a marked change has taken place in the religious
observances here The festival OF Corpus Christi has
just passed without any visible signs OF its existence,
But some audible proof we had, for Governor Juan
Jose Baz-that ancient hereto and enemy OF the
cergy-graciousy allowed liberal ringing Of bells.
But no PROFESSIONS came into the street, as we saw
five years ago when the pious General FOrey walked
Ss Zouav ave soS' Turks and ESypsns line tS
streets; when he ordered the French tri-
color be II IN the e for the
when he eXempfed how the grandeur OF earthly
things is as nothing in the presence OF The divine.
No bell now announces the coach Which carries the
host which the people-and the Emperor MaximiliaD
even-used to knee down before. Sacred images
still are church walls which few years since
one takes OF his hat or notices them at ALL Insido
the churches are services at the pleasure OF tneir
side. From the best information attainable the
United States is the most nourishng Catholic nations
now existing. There tile Jesuit fathers are making
great progress, while in Mexico, Italy, Spain, and
perhaps France they are losing ground and have the
tabish himself in the United States and If he would
reconcile himself to giving up his temporal power he
could have fine spiritual dominion within the
American Union. Mexico is rather the more Protest.
ant nation Of the two So the progress OF reform
and reorganization In Mexico Is only matter Of
time. The ideas must be formed and disseminated
among the legislators and people aud they VIII after'
| wards be realized
Areiorm much needed in Mexico il better sysS
TEN OF raising revenue and especially TO collect IT.
on the immense lands now uncultivated, and cOnse-
| quently, by usage and law paying tax. In the
|
taxed anu II this were unpaid would be sold TO who
ever would pay the tax or anything over Thus the
government raises its revenue and makes the lands
| available 10 actual occupiers. Immense tracts Of
for sale, and which would not be sold ut reasonable
price but which produce nothing for their owner and
| nothing for the State
has been the government tax on selling real estate.
Under Macmillan this was five per cent OF the pur-
house or estate Of 10000 $500 had to he paid az
cdbdld to make the sale legal and this in addition To
| the heavy expenses OF the notary, &c. This pre-.
| vented the transfer of property which would have
been advantageous to both buyer and seller. But
been abolished and several others of like character.
For example, the tax on the circulation of money!
which can now be sent freely Without intervention
OF the government. The Minister Of Hacienda OBJ
jected 10 this bill on the ground that the revenue
would lose 81 ooo ooo but has been passed by Com
gress nevertheless. This Is good sign, and, with
Others, Indicates progress In the right direction.
The proaunciainteatO Of Aureiano Rivera has re.
suited only IN showing that lie has been deceived
and made tool OF for the purpose Of creating dis
order. But the movement has not been seconded By
published his plan and alleged that General Ortega
authorized him 10 act in his name. General Ortega
has since written TO the Pe,todfcO Chctdi, OF Mons
terey that he 'd0es not authorize and never Will
encourage disturbances by the force OF arms" On
the 18th ut the government published decree de-
caring Aureliano no longer in the national serviceS
and also Lieutenant Colonel Abraham Plata, conn.,
mandeI OF the escort Of the Cuernavaca road and
Captain Miguel Romero escort Of that OF Ajusco both
Of whom had been induced by Aureliano to follows
him.
ON the 23d ult. President Juarez was declared BY
the Congress Benemerito of the country. lie was
addressed 10y Zamacona, and 'made modest ana
simple reply according to the Official report.
owing 10 the length Of the dry season, the water OF
the salt Lake the lowest anu fna receptacle Of the
other lakes and Of all the salts deposited from tho
drainage OF this great valley Tor countless centuries
Is very low, and consequently the solution is
In state OF high concentrations This has stmuf
lated attention to the valuable products which
il gives with slight expense. The principal are car
Donate Of soda and the chloride OF soda Oh common
salt The carbonate IN It's crude state, about MY
two per cent pure, Ia gathered In such abundance
that Its cost IL only nominal and would give an i'm
mense revenue were market within reach. tom
costs but about seventy cents. Common salt ~
also obtained at q cost Of q cent pound, and 1t liz
worth at the silver mines Of Pachuca four cents.
propose hereafter TO give account Of this Interest,"
Ing branch OF chemical science az practised for a
long time by the natives, who get all these products
apparently without aid from mouern science ano
who even produce pure crystalized satpetre nouo
There is much complaint of interruptions on tho
| Vera Cruz and Paso del Macho Railroad. The post
fore the steamer sails" fRe aieences go regularly;
the mails escape the risks OF the road and the rob-
bers but no calculation can be made the nnaR
passage by railroad, ON its burned bridges and loose
rails. Even the wagoners are abandoning the rail-
road and take goods by the common roads all tho
way an In former years. They say they lose too
much time in waiting on the railroad people.
Abraham Plata, already mentioned a. having joined
Aureiano IN raising forces against the governments
has just been overtaken by the national troops aear
Zitacuaro and beaten and his band dispersed Plata
himself fell into barranca and has broken he
arm.
A contract has been concluded with an English
company w supply the city with gas which Is prom,
Used to be ready In three months. The gas fixtures
In the houses put up by the former company under
Gabor Napheguy still remain
The discussion Of Lerdo's absence from the cabneA
is st continued, and Is said that the chief clerk
cannot be considered substitute for the minister.
a. toa.l Dam, hotra