Carta Pastoral del Illmo. Dr. Dr. D. Pedro Espinosa, Obispo de Guadalajara, con Motivo de los Acontecimientos en Esta Ciudad en el Último Sitio

Guadalajara: Imp. de Rodriguez, 1859. Very good.. 20pp. Disbound. Light wear where removed from sammelband. Even toning. A passionate pastoral letter that comprises the reflections of the Bishop of Guadalajara, Pedro Espinosa, on the recent siege and battle for the city during the Reform War. Conservative forces attacked and besieged the Liberal-controlled city in late 1858, before prevailing in mid-December. The bishop was naturally pleased at the defeat of the Liberals, whose Constitution of 1857 greatly reduced the power, wealth, and influence of the Church in Mexico. Here, he excoriates the principles of the Liberal cause, and the harm they caused (truncated) not just to the church itself but also the clergy and the devout people of Mexico. Nevertheless, he advises his clergymen to exercise forgiveness of the Liberals amongst their flock and to demonstrate peaceably the importance of the Church to the people and the state. This was good advice, not just from the standpoint of religious ethics, but also because the Liberals would retake the city in 1860. Scarce; OCLC notes three copies, at Notre Dame, Tulane, and SMU. (Inventory #: 5315)