Year: 1867

The Mexican Church Party-lts Next kevOlu.
tionary Movement


The great religious war of Mexico is near
its conclusion. The effort of the clergy to hold
both the national and spiritual power has been
signal failure, resulting from the tendencies
Of the age. The long cherished and finally
accomplished idea of foreign Intervention,
with view to establish o monarchical gov
ernment which would link both Church and
State, is now disappearing in bloody warfare;
and Macmillan, the royal exponent Of the idea,
is only saved by the interposition of our gov
ernment. Ea..-.-
The great mistake Of the Church party has
been its opposition to nineteenth century ideas;
clinging to the old time and to the Old Con-
tinent 1t has heretofore forgotten that there
exists q New World, free from traditions and
with its own destiny to work out, untrammelled
by European policy. Had the Mexican clergy
in 1861 directed their efforts towards an annex
alton with the United States, they could have
preserved much Of their now lost property
and all Of their ecclesiastical glory. Now,
under the liberal rule, their estates and trea-
sures have vanished, while their spiritual power
is seriously threatened; for in the great liberal
battle against their temporal authority respect
even for the spiritual element has almost dis
appeared; SO that Mexico to-day is threat
ened to be reduced to that worst of conditions,
q country without religion.


The Mexican Catholic Church, keenly alive
to its condition, and having been taught that
ii Is impossible in the New World to link
Church and State, now naturally looks about
glory. Willing 10 abandon Q nationality
which 1t cannot rule, and faithful to the
tradition that the Church is a primary and the
nationality a secondary object, it is evident
that ii is about to turn its political
power to the fomenting of revolution in
favor of annexation to this country. This ID
perfectly natural nowhere to-day does the
In the United States nowhere can 1t propagate
its doctrines with such freedom and nowhere
can it build up and control such vast estates.
It's prosperous and wonderful growth in this
country, under the law Of religious freedom,
offers TO the Mexican clergy bold contrast to
the crushing laws which will be enforced
against them SO soon a. the republic Is re-
established in power.


II will, therefore, be seen that movement
on the part Of the Church party for annexation
to the United States is perfectly natural. In
support Of this the whole intellectual element
of the country will lend its influence for Il
has been educated, Is still in great part con-
xr.,I iaI bxvt ths ~,l hac hoo L.
to side with them when they resigned their
efforts for temporal rule and shook on the
cormptions which have naturally accumulated
from their political ambition


Another new and powerful auxiliary element
has been added to those already mentioned, BY
the decree Of the Juarez government confiscat-
ing the estates of those who have in any way
supported the empire. This element, though
in part liberal, or at least passive In senti-
ment, has been forced to side with the Churcl
party. These property holders recognized tho
empire because they saw in II hope for peace
and prosperity; and now, with their wealth
under the ban Of confscation, they turn their
ewes to the United States a. their last chance
for salvation. They are to-day furnishing the
sinews Of war 10 support the empire in it's last
and hopeless struggle against the liberal forces
Had Il not been for the Confscation act, the
republican government would have occupied
the city Of Mexico two months ago.


Add to this new and powerful party the
whole foreign population Of Mexico, with its
wealth, its influence, its control of all the chan
nels Of trade, its desire for peace and its
knowledge that from no other country than this
can q guarantee Of stability be given, and we
have the banded elemeEts Of new and great
revolution already taking shape.


The liberal party have scarcely anything Of
weight to oppose to this union Of elements I'm
favor Of annexation Their anances are con-