NATIONAL CHURCH. 329 
The Jotter possess one hundred and fifty Conventual establishments, 
divided as follows : 
The Dominicans, --..- ....25 
Franciscans, .......... 68 
Augustines, ..........22 
Carmelites, ..........16 
Mercedarios, .......... 19 
150 
Nuns, ,...., 2,000 
Monks, .......... 1,700 
Secular Clergy, . . - ' 3,500 
7,200 
A number certainly inadequate to the spiritual wants of a population 
of seven millions, and yet too small to be proprietors of estates worth at 
least ninety millions of dollars, according to the annexed valuation: 
Real property in town and country, - ^18,000,000 
Churches, houses, convents, curates, dwellings, furniture, jnoels, pre- 
cious vessels, &c 52,000,000 
Floating capital — together with other funds — and the capital required 
to produce the sum received by them annually in alms, . . 20,000,000 
$90,000,000 
The real property is estimated to have been worth at least 25 per cent. 
more, previous to the Revolution, and, to this enhanced value must be 
added about 8115,000,000 of capital, founded on '^ contriiuciones " and 
"derechos reales,'' or imposts to which they were entitled, on the property 
of the country.* 
The value of their churches, the extent of their city property, 'the 
power they possess as lenders, and the quantity of jewels, precious ves- 
sels, and golden ornaments, will raise the above statement, I am confident, 
to nearer 8100,000,000 than ninety, or to a sum about eigUij -eight millions 
less than it was before the outbreak of the war of Independence ; at which 
period, the number of ecclesiastics is estimated to have been 10,000 or 
13,000, including the lay-brotherhood and the subordinates of the church. 
During the royal Government, the influence of these rich proprietors 
must necessarily have been exceedingly great. It was the policy of the 
Spanish cabinet to cherish the temporalities of the Mexican Church. The 
mayorazgos or rights of primogeniture, forced the younger sons either into 
the profession of arms or of religion ; and it was requisite that ample pro- 
vision should be made for them in secure and splendid establishments. 
Thus, all the lucrative and easy benefices came into the hands of Span- 
* Vide Otero, p. 38. 39. 43. 
