Page:Narrative of an Official Visit to Guatemala.djvu/169

CH. X.] medium of the legation sent to that country from Mexico.

The sentiments of the Pope, as they affected the general important question of the independence of these New States, had been very favourable, until the issuing of the Encyclic of the 24th September 1824. We gather from the Bull of 7th September 1822, that Pius VII., addressing the Bishop of Colombia, says—"We are, certainly, very far from wishing to meddle with those subjects appertaining to the political state of the public interest; but regarding only the cause of religion, the things that belong to our ministry, whilst we bitterly deplore the cruel wounds that have been inflicted upon the church in Spain, we are, at the same time, exceedingly anxious to provide for the necessities of the faithful in those regions of America; and we, therefore, pant with the desire of being intimately acquainted with them."—It appears, by a subsequent letter, from Pope Leo XII.,