The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-09-15
HISTORY OF MEXICO.
BY Eber Cole Byam.
PART Xxx.

refuge IN new Orleans, DuI, Will the
armed, assistance of the United States
Government, afforded by the inept
Buchanan, Juarez returned in 1859 to
plunge the country again into bloody
wars.
The short-lived empire of MaXimil-
ian interviewed; in which $4,000
French troops, with the assistance of
a considerable body of Mexican volun-
teers, reduced the country to order,
and Juarez to impotence, with hand
full of followers, in the inaccessible
deserts of the North
The close of the Civil War in the
United States gave opportunity for
the American Government to supply
arms and ammunition to Juarez. In
addition large number of Americans
contributed their personal services.
The result of this was the execution
of Macmillan in 1867.
Juarez died in 1872 and was sue
ceeded by Lerdo de Tejada, a violent
radical, whose administration pro-
duced the laws of September 25, 1873,
and of December IA, 1874.
More "Reform."
The Law of December IA, 1874, con-
tains twenty-nine articles, some of
them long, and in addition to reaffirm-
ing the laws already passed, they i'm
pose still further restrictions intended
to strangle the Church.
Article l. First Section. The
Church and State are independent
of each other. No one will be en-
powered to dictate laws establishing
or prohibiting any religion; but the
State exercises authority over them
in relation to the conservation of pub
lie order and the respect of its insti-
tutions.
Article g The State in the repub-
lie guarantees the exercise of all
cults. 1t will prosecute and punish
only those practices and acts, author
lied by some cult, which may be in
violation of our penal laws"
1t will be observed that the author
of these two articles possessed a
familiar genius for ambiguity, for the
solemn opening phrases are complete
succeeding:
Article 3. No authority or cor
poration Or organized body of soldiers
can concur officially to the acts of any
cult; neither under the preteXt of re,
ligious solemnities will they be per-
mitted to make any demonstrations or
celebrations $
Article s. No religious act may
take place in public. 1t must be per
formed within the temples only.
No individual of either sex, nor mem
bers of cults, may wear distinctive OF
characteristic robes outside of the
temples, under penalty of eighteen te
two hundred pesos
This article prevents the wearing O.
even a Roman collar.
Article g. The ringing of bells viii
be limited to the strict performance
of religious acts.
Article s. Legacies and the estab
lishment of estates in favor of the
members of any cult, or persons who
live with such members, who have
given any manner of spiritual help t.
the testators during the sickness from
which they died, or who have beer
confessors of the same, are null ant
void.
Article H. The speeches of min
listers of the cult advising dis
obedience to the laws or provoking
misdemeanor or felony render the as
sembly wherein such words ar
spoken unlawful and therefore sucl
assembly loses the guarantees under
article nine of the constitution
The Liberals" considered any crit
cal comment of their laws" as lad
vising disobedience" They made thu
amazing demands that the Bishops
should formally declare that the Con
stitution was right and just. Th'
Bishops could not, in conscience
formally declare that laws interfering
with religion were right. They wer'
ready enough to obey the laws, be
cause they we're helpless, but coult
not bring themselves to the point o
publicly declaring them just. Be
cause of this the Liberals" hav,
never ceased splitting their venomou
charges of treason" and "meddlins
in politics"
Article u. All reunions which
take place in temples shall be public
subject to the vigilance of the police
who can exercise the function Of thei
office when the occasion demands.
Article 10. Religious institutions
are free to organize Theoretically i
they desire, but such organization
have no legal status.
Article IA No religious institution
may acquire real estate or capital in
vested in real estate with the excep
ton of the temples to be used solely
for the public service of the cult OF
the buildings which may be strict.
necessary for such service"
This is nullified by Article 16, which
says:
Article 16. The temples which
according to the law of July IL, 1853
were nationalized, and which have
been left to the Catholic cult, as vel
as others which later may have beer
coded to any other religious institu