Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/103

Rh what he considered proper in defence of the interests of religion and the church, though always endeavoring to avoid conflicts with the civil authority. During his ten months residence in Puebla, and notably during the siege of 1856, he gave proof of pastoral purity, charity, and zeal, as well as of fortitude and abnegation. The bishop sojourned in Cuba till he obtained leave of the pope to reside in Rome. In this forced absence from his native country he visited the chief cities of Europe, Palestine, Egypt, and India. Miramon's government accredited him as minister plenipotentiary near the papal court. On the 11th of October, 1863, he arrived at the city of Mexico as archbishop. Labastida's acts as a member of the government created under the auspices of French bayonets will appear in describing current events. It will be well to say, however, that though some of his acts laid him open to severe criticism on the part of a large portion of his countrymen, not even his political opponents failed to hold him in respect, both as a man and prelate, and certainly no one ever accused him of being an enemy to his country. After his separation from political complications he was engaged exclusively in his prelatic duties. In 1867 he attended the ecumenical council at Rome, and was on the committee of ecclesiastical discipline. In May 1871 he was back in his diocese attending to its affairs, ever deserving to be classed among the most distinguished of Mexico's ecclesiastics.

Juan B. D'Ormaechea had been a member of the junta of reactionary notables, and for his services in the cause of reaction had been rewarded with the newly created mitre of Tulancingo. He was more diplomatic than his metropolitan, whom he represented in the triumvirate.