The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-29
EXPULSION,
The Jesuits ordered to
leave Nicaragua.
Account of the events lead
ing to that order.
po,itica1 influence thought
to be the reason.
Correspondence.

D,,-,,r. June 16-The steamer Costa
the Pacific Mail Company's Central
1,aricsn and Mexican line, arrived here
Lt.rdav bringing sixteen Jesuit priests,
!,a odranced guard of strong and i'm
Tent '-I hody to which the order of eXpul
F,' F;o,' rom the Republic of Nicaragua has
Ian Given by the Government of that coun-
The circumstances which led to this
:aro;se of powers which of late years
ta1.e rarely been invoked in Nicaragua
are neculiar and exceptional. In 1870 a
,,,Ihar of Jesuit fathers, who had been ex-
LID from Guatemala because they had
totan part against the Government in
raToIntion of that period, arrived in
Unto Their advent was unnoticed,
ord their stay in the country for some
go attracted no attention. Establishing
themselves in Leon, where they were
fo,,orahlv received by the masses, their
numbers were soon increased by additions
froIn other countries, and their leaders
soon saw the advantages of establishing
in the country the central camp of their
organization in Central America. Mata-
CsIna q CITY remote from the capital of
Ibe country, Managua, situated in the
midst of large Indian population (about
10000, was selected as
THE CAPITAL OF JEsUTTIsM
Here they built q splendid convent, with
cbapels. cloisters, cells, and everything
complete. according to traditional custom.
The inhabitants received them with open
arms and in return for the gift of the
splendid chapel, etc, the Jesuits received
. magnificent sugar and coffee estate,
which they have continued to work with
great success up to the present day. The
labor on the estate was performed by In
dams, who received as recompense for
their toll, masses, confessions, absolutions,
sc. President Cuadra, in q message to
congress in 1878, called attention to the
presence of these fathers in the country,
limited at their hostility to free institutions,
denounced them as dangerous to the peace
Of the republic, and asked Instructions as
to the course he should pursue with regard
to them. The congress
DECLINE TO ACT
in the matter. and intimated that the Con-
stitution conferred ample power upon the
Executive to deal with all such characters
should the necessity arise. At the begin
ming of this year curate was sent to take
charge of the parish Of Matagalpa who was
unfavorable to the Jesuits. The latter
stirred up opposition to him and the Gov
ernment which appointed him, and the re
suit was the Indian revolt of March of this
year, which was suppressed by the people
Of the city and surrounding country, at
the loss of about a dozen lives and the
destruction of considerable property Ev-
idence obtained on the spot, by Govern
ment commission, clearly connected the
-Iesuits with this sangUinary outbreak. An
order was at once issued for the suppress
sion of the Jesuit monastery at Matagalpa
and the removal of the fathers under
guard to Granada. In the meantime the
hostility to the Jesuit Fathers in Leon had
been aroused against Government college,
which was opened there under charge of
two professors from Europe, one OF whom
in an inaugural address had insisted upon
free speech, a free press, &c, as necessary
TO the education OF
FREE PEOPLE.
The anger at this declaration was already
considerable when the news from A1atagal-
pa arrived to increase it to open violence.
They declared that their suffering bretheren
were about to be violently expelled from
the country, and called upon the faithful
everywhere to resist such an outrage upon
religion. On the 8th of May an outbreak
occurred in the city, in which 5,OOO or
1000 people resisted the police and the
small military force there, and defled the
Government. The mob was fired upon,
and q number of people were Killed ana
wounded. The mob retired to the old con-
vent. LA Recollection" and there barrl-
caded themselves. Forces were sent from
Manapua. Granada and Rivas, and the
nalcontents were forced to disperse only
after a DISPLAY Of military force and the
threat to bury them under the ruins OF
their place of refuge and defense
Such acts against law and order impen-
ed President Zavala to issue decree, ex-
peIling the Jesuits from the country. They
are flying in all directions. By the Paclflc
Mail steamers, north and south; via Grey
town and bp land to Costa Rica an exodus
is in nrooress which is witnessed by the
devotees of Nicaragua, particularly the
women. with tears and lamentations Inc
influences brought to bear upon the GOV
.ernment to prevent their banlshmont nave
been extraordinary.
THE OBJECT OF THE EXPULSION
The Stu and Herald, alluding 10 the
s,1-nnlsion of Sesuits from Nicaragua, says:
..Tt is asserted by many that the ultimate
object of these violences was the over
throw of the government OF General AaVa-
10 and the placing in power of Pedro Bal
iadares, We have not space to-day to
summarize the interesting incidents cor
resnondence. ETC., which the N1caraguan
official and other journals furnish US OF
This affair. The excitement has been
great tbe AGITATION universal throughout
the country, and it seemed to be generally
considered that the question wes VINO
should rule-the government or the Jesu-
itsY President Zavala has decided the
question"