Such measures could not fail to imbitter the party which regarded itself as having exalted Maximilian to the throne. They declared them contrary to the bases on which the empire had been erected, the maintenance of the church being the chief reason for war against the Juarists. To approve their fundamental acts was to proclaim the justice of their cause, and withdraw the main principles for which the national armies of the empire were fighting. It was not duly considered that the empire had been created really by Napoleon, whose views and material interests demanded these enactments. The tolerance decree was denounced as exceeding the most iniquitous reforms of republicans. It would sever the only strong bond between the races of the country, and give an intensity to caste differences that might lead to a war of extermination. While in accord with the general march of progress, the law was deemed needless for a nation so wholly catholic, and this fact in itself demanded that its aim to promote immigration should be restricted to co-religionists. The conservatives chose not to see how irresistible was the advance of liberal ideas, and that their resistance could serve to delay only for a brief term the inevitable. [1]
The clergy were stirred to actual hostility, menacing
- ↑ Several pamphlets and books bear more or less exhaustively on this topic, which is besides fully ventilated in the journals of the day, such as the imperialist paper, Pájaro Verde, Dec. 1864 et seq. Zamacois, an ardent defender of the church, embodies a number of them in his Hist. Méj., xvii 850, 892, etc.; but he is loose and verbose as well as prejudiced.
clical letter from Rome of Dec. 8th. Méx., Boletin Ley., 1864, 327-49. The tolerance decree of Feb. 26th recognized the Roman as state religion. Authority had to be obtained for practising other rites. At the same time the public sale of bibles loomed ominous, and the cemeteries were placed under control of local authorities, and opened to persons of any creed, to the horror of the faithful. The revision of property nationalization was to be conducted in accordance with laws of June 20, 1856, and July 12-13, 1859, and supplementary decrees. The alienation of estates by clergy, during the administration of Zaloaga and Miramon, were to be recognized, unless affected by previous claims. Articles 16-24 regulate the bureau of administration for nationalized property not sold, and order the disposal of such property. Domenech, in giving these decrees, Hist. Mex., iii. 313-21, adds a few comments from the journals. Many of the lessees and holders assisted, especially the church, in hampering the execution of the decree. See subsequent mortmain law of 1865. Méx., Decreto 5 Julio, 1865, 1-24.
