El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-12-22

other nations in time gone by Will De
oountenanced either. by this govern
ment or by this people.
Westminster Abbey in London was
once Roman Catholic place OF wnr,
ship. and is now q Protestant Episcopal
church because the structure was paid
for by the money Of the English nation
and the ownership was and is in the
English.people. "They began strippin
the Catholic church in England long
before the time of Henry VIII who
completed the con6scation, said
Arch bishop Ireland further. "a bbeys.
monasteries, and other property were
deliberately stolen from their owners,
without a pretense OF lustlhcatlon or
shadow of legal right"
CoNFIsCATIoN IN MEXICO.
The only precedent in North Amer
lea where Catholic church property
has been contiscsted by:thesgovernment
was in Mexico during the time OF Be-
nito Juarez.
The Catholic church was stripped
and it's effects confiscated, ostensibly
for the good of the nation. The effects
which were called church property
were taken in the name OF the govern
ment and sold for the profit OF the ma
ton.
Mexico had been declared an en-
pire, and the imperial crown had been
offered to the Archduke Macmillan,
brother to the emperor of Austria,
Maximilian's policy was to develop
the natural resources of the country,
to study the efficiency of bland words,
of liberal promises in preference to
display of force. For the stability
ofshis rule he had to rely chiefly on the
support of France, whose Intentions in
the new world were to increase her
commerce.
Juarez represented the more libe-
raj policy, and he was the principal
opponent of the French policy. Being
of Indian origin, he attained considera-
BILE influence over the aboriginal popu-
lation of the country. The Mexican con-
gress in;1S62 had denounced the French
invasion and he had the skill to turn
to good account the popular prejudices
against the French soldiers. To meet
this order of things. the En-
peror Napoleon found it necessary
to disclatm publicly all intention of
imposing government on Mexico;
but the disclaimer produced no effect,
inasmuch as 1t was inconsistent with
the existing fact that French troops
were occupying important places in
the country and became simply absurd
in presence of the subsequent fact, that
the assembly of notsbles at Mexico had
offered the crown to the Archduke
Besides these circum-
stances, which contributed to the
of JuareZ, the repulse OF the
French troops by General Zaragozs,
at Fort Quad alupe, animated the Mex
protraot the struggle. The Emperor
assumed the reins of
and at once entered upon
extended plans for the improvement of
the country. But ultimately betrayed
by the Mexican generals, he was taken
captive; and in spite of protests from
various governments. he WAS executed
BY command of Juarez.
After shat JuareZ exercised supreme
power over Mexican affairz; Juarez
was an audacious usurper. By the re- |
publican constitution the presidency,
n event of the death or resignation of
he president, devolves pro tenn upon |
he chief Justice, there being no duly |
hosen vice-president in Mexico, as
here is in the United States. But
his devolutton of authority upon the
hief justice Is only temporary, for
within a time limited by law the pref
steps taken for the election
# new president. This fundamental
aw of Mexico Juarez deliberately |
iolated. He persistently refused to
ause an election to take pesce, and by |
bold act of ueurpation made himself /
permanent president of Mexico.
ARBITRARY ACTS OF JUAREZ
In that capacity he began the process
t separating church and state in |
1exico. and to coufscate the property |
t the Catholic church was one of his |
rst arbitrary acts.
He seized the Temple de San Fran