Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

INFLUENCE OF THE PRIESTS. 277
informed their officers of the presence of Mexican emissaries
and were unusually active in their detection. According to a
preconcerted arrangement, a noted partisan was arrested by
the very men to whom he had made liberal and flattering
offers of money and rank. They were all Irishmen and
never did ferrets pursue a rat more indefatigably, than did
they their pretended friend. He was a wily rascal and scenting his danger, had, after many windings and turnings
ensconced himself in a bake-oven, in one of the back yards
of the city, whence he was finally dragged by the heels and
lodged in the guard-house.
There can be no doubt but that the Mexican ecclesiastics,monopolizing tile wealth and intelligence of the country,
fattening on the traffic in'" indulgences," and many of them
"C wanton, more than well beseems men of their profession
and degree,"-knowing that even the presence of an American army would be unfavorable to their interests, were our
most bitter enemies. There are not wanting among them,
especially in the obscure villages, truly pious priests whose
unblemished lives aptly illustrate their holy teachings. But
the greatest number are pampered and frantic friars,
" Such as do build their faith upon
The holy text of pike and gun."
They unblushingly announced to their people, that our object
was to make war upon their religion; and spared no efforts
to weaken our ranks or strengthen their own. They even
availed themselves of the protection we always extended to
their churches and other religious houses, to convert them
into secret magazines for arming our enemies. A lieutenant
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