MEXICO. 



633 



That intervention is no new scheme of the 

 Church party, but has been its policy almost 

 from the time of Iturbide, is frankly confessed 

 by M. Malespine in a recently published pam- 

 phlet on the Mexican question, which, though 

 written in the interests of France, contends 

 that the Imperial Government committed a 

 serious error in not accomplishing the " regen- 

 eration" of Mexico in cooperation with Juarez 

 and the liberals. After describing the social 

 and political condition of the country at the es- 

 tablishment of the republic, he shows how the 

 reactionist party, formerly known as the Span- 

 ish Church party, gradually began to prepare 

 the way for a return of Mexico to Spanish 

 rule ; and how, when the people showed them- 

 selves inflexibly opposed to this idea, it en- 

 deavored, by the aid of France, to establish an 

 independent monarchy, and notwithstanding its 

 proposals were rejected, shrank from no means 

 to render intervention inevitable. More ex- 

 plicit testimony to the same point is furnished 

 in a pamphlet published by order of the French 

 Government, as long ago as 1839, and which 

 sets forth the causes of the French naval expe- 

 dition against Mexico in the preceding year. 

 The following extract will suffice : 



It is known that it is to the clerical party that the 

 differences which have arisen between France and Mex- 

 ico must be attributed. This party wishes to bring 

 back Mexico to monarchical rule, and has pushed it to 

 a war with us in order to arrive at this end. Since the 

 Algerian expedition we are supposed to fear distant 

 expeditions and foreign conquests. It is well known 

 that the Algerian affair has disgusted us with the role 

 of dupe. It is less known in Mexico than anywhere 

 else. The Priest party thought that by injustice, in- 

 sult, and outrage, it would bring France to undertake 

 the conquest of the Mexican republic, and that a mon- 

 archy would then be established. France seemed bet- 

 ter suited than any other nation to carry out this vast 

 design. Her humor is warlike. She chafes under in- 

 juries, even though their redress would involve a 

 greater injury. 



No recent statistics of the numbers or wealth 

 of the clergy have been published ; but from 

 the report of the Minister of Justice and Eeccle- 

 siastical Affairs made in 1852, it appears that 

 there were then in Mexico 4,615 clergy, includ- 

 ing 1,043 regulars; 58 nunneries, containing 

 1,484 nuns; and 5 establishments belonging 

 to the Sisters of Charity, with 37 sisters and 41 

 novices. The ecclesiastical hierarchy consist- 

 ed of one archbishop, at Mexico, and twelve 

 bishops. The annual amount collected by them 

 at the present time under the head of tithes, 

 parochial dues, charities, masses, and the sale 

 of devotional articles, has been estimated at 

 from $6,000,000 to $8,000,000, and their rev- 

 enue from all sources at $20,000,000 per an- 

 num. The total value of all descriptions of 

 Church property may be computed at from 

 $250,000,000 to $300,000,000, including $50,- 

 000,000, in the shape of incumbrances upon 

 property for the performance of masses, and 

 comprising probably from one third to one half 

 of the real estate in the country. One half of 

 the property in the city of Mexico, including 



many millions in money, is in the hands of the 

 archbishop, who thereby wields a power over 

 his tenants unknown to other countries, and 

 does not disdain to assume the functions of a 

 banker. In any part of the world, the posses- 

 sion of so much wealth would imply a formi- 

 dable power ; but, in Mexico, where, through 

 revolutions and forced subsidies, extravagance 

 of living, gambling and other vices, vicissitudes 

 of fortune are frequent and sudden, it is easy to 

 see how an impoverished Government may be 

 overawed or corrupted by it, and opposition 

 rendered of no avail. The union of spiritual 

 and material power in the most intellectual 

 class of the country, though in theory not ne-^ 

 cessarily injurious, has proved in practice em- 

 inently so in this country, and liberal Mexican 

 statesmen have invariably thrown the weight 

 of their influence against it thus far without 

 effect. 



A letter from Vera Cruz thus described the 

 positions of the French and Mexican forces- on 

 January 1st, 1863. The former had from 7,1)00 

 to 8,000 men in San Augustin del Palmar, San 

 Andres Chalchecomula and Orizaba; about 

 the same number in Perote and Las Vegas; 

 4,000 in Tampico ; and about 8,000 distributed 

 as convoys, garrisous, etc. Yera Cruz was 

 held by a guard of marines. On the Mexican 

 side there were 25,000 regulars and. 10,000 yol- 

 unteers at Puebla ; 12,000 between that city 

 and the capital; 12,000 in the latter place; 

 8,000 at Queretaro ; and a reserve of about 

 14,000 under Alvarez in the State of Guerrero. 

 The estimate of Mexican strength was based 

 upon somewhat exaggerated statements, and 

 was probably above the mark. 



On January 8th, four French men-of-war, 

 under Rear- Admiral Bouet, appeared off Aca- 

 pulco, and demanded facilities for supplying 

 their sailors with provisions, water, and coal.. 

 The demand being refused, a bombardment 

 was opened the next morning, and continued 

 three days, resulting in the destruction of 

 twelve houses and damage to fifty more. The 

 defences of the harbor, consisting of one fort 

 and three small batteries, were silenced on the 

 first day. The French made-no attempt to land, 

 nor did they obtain the supplies they demanded. 



On the 13th a detachment under Vice-Ad- 

 miral Jurien de la Graviere, which had occu- 

 pied Tampico, was compelled to evacuate that 

 place, in consequence of an anticipated attack 

 by a superior body of Mexicans. They retired 

 to their fleet, but did not effect their embark- 

 ation without considerable loss. One war- 

 steamer ran aground and was burned by the 

 crew, and three vessels loaded with provisions, 

 coal, and munitions of war, fell into the hands 

 of the Mexicans. A French account, however, 

 represents that Tampico was evacuated because 

 Gen. Forey had need of part of the garrison 

 elsewhere, and deemed it unsafe to leave the 

 remnant exposed to the attacks of many large 

 guerilla bands which were congregating in the 

 neighborhood. 



