Star.
London, England, 1824-11-27 00:00:00

ITURBIDE.

The following narrative of the particulars attending
the fate of Itinbide, is extracted from the Baltimore
American. It differs in many material points horn the
accounts previously published, and as it has been drawn
up by one of his suite, who was 4n eye-witness to the
events described, possesses, perliaps, superior claims to
authenticity :

♦ SOME lUT TSUI RELATION OF Tilt OTTIO REM AT AMMO,
AND Or THE MOTIVES WHICH AMMONS VIM FROM EUROPE.
lturbide was called to London by many powerful
reasons, and by the most important to the Mexican na-
tion; believing that his presence was the only means of
uniting the tnany divided opinions, and of organizing
an army ss hich could oppose the invasion which Spain
would probably attempt, as soon as Ferdinand VII.
should be re-established in the plenitude of his power,
by the assistance of France and other nations. Iturbide
was of this opinion, in ,elation to the expected invasion,
and was desirous of assisting his country, even at the
sacrifice of all that WAS dear to him—he did not hesi-
tate a moment. lie s'nt for his family, then at Leg-
horn ; anti in the meantime busied himself in making
the necessary preparations for his voyage, such as pro-
curing a vessel, borrowing money, seeking for a tit per-
son to conduct him to Mexico, and other arrangements.

As soon as his family arrived, be placed his six eldest
eons at proper schools, and with his wife, his two
youngest sons, two chaplains, a nephew, two strangers,
\one of whom had before been in his service in Mexico)
and four servants, be embarked at Southampton, in the
brig Spring, on the 11th of May last.
On the 12th of July, he arrived of the Bar of Soto
la Marina, and was ignorant of the last determination
of the Mexican Government respecting him, or in what
light a communication had been received, addressed by
him from L•rndon, under date of the 13th of February,
to the Mexican Congress, offering his services as a
simple military man, should the nation deem them use-
ful ; and that, for the furtherance of this object, he had
departed from Italy, in the month of November, 1823.
He accordingly caused Lieut.-Colonel Don Charles
Beneski to go to Soto la Marina and obtain information,
charging him particularly to ascertain if General Don
Felipe de la Garza was in that province, as he had left
him at his departure. This General was the first who,
while Iturbide was Emperor in Mexico, proclaimed the
Republic in the province of Santander ; but troops
having marched against him, he abandoned those who
had followed him, and presented himself to Iturbide,
who pardoned him, spared his life, and reinstated him
in his honours and employ. For this generous action,
no doubt, Iturbide thought that Garza would be grate-
ful, and protect his landing and subsequent operations.
But no; he acted a different part.
Beneski returned on the morning of the 15th, with-
out having discovered how much Iturbide was in clan-,
ger, but bringing favourable information to hut bide,
v h'ch, added to the knowledge that Garza commanded')
in that quarter, made him determine to land the same
evening, being attended only by this stranger. He in-
structed the other persons who remained on board, at-
tached to him, to hold themselves in readiness to follow
as soon- as they should be ordered so to do. They
proceeded for the first town, where they were to take
horses, and F,ene;ki set about procuring them. Iturbide
remained in the boat near the river side, with his face
covered to his nose with his handkerchief—a disguise
%shier; he used, because he wished to present himself be-
fore Garza by surprise, and until then not to be recog-
ni.ed. This circumstance, however, called the attention,
of the people, who were struck with his appearance,
and among those w ho drew near to see him was a mer-
chant of Durango, who knew him, and recognized him
as he mounted on horseback. He immediately informed
the Alcalde, who sent four' oldiers, who followed Itur-
bide to a small town called Los Arroyos, where he in-
tended to pass the day, and proceed by night to Soto LI
Marina. The soldiers remained quiet and said nothing
in his presence. Several communications as to what
was going on had been sent to Garza, and in the even-
ing of the 16th, the General (Garza), with two Adju-
tants and eight soldiers, arrived at the place where Itur-
bide was. They embraced each other, and atter a secret
conference, they all set out for the town of Soto la
Marina, where they arrived on the morning of the 17th.
Iturbide and l3eueski were immediately put in prison,
and a: 12 o'clock that day, one of Garza's Adjutants came
and announced to them the sentence of death, agree-
bly to the decree of proscription which Congress passed
the very day that they received and read his exposition
of the 13th of February. lie informed them that at three
o'clock that afternoon it would be executed. 'turbid*
requested that three days' should be allowed to arrange
his family and other concerns; notwithstanding that
before he left the brig be had made some dispositions, in:
the event of his dying before he could join his friends.
As Garza wilied to save Iturbide's life, he set forth,
that the law which condemned him to death ought not
to attairit him, if he were ignorant of its existence, and
and therefore ordered that they should set out for Pat•
diila, where the National Congress was assembled; con,
fiding that this circumstance would be taken into con-
sideration. They therefore set out with an escort of
about 100 Militia (there being no regular troops there)
at three o'clock in the afternoon, and without stopping
they travelled until the morning of the 18th, during
which time Iturbide and Garza had together frequent
and long conferences, the object ct which no doubt was,
that Garza should call a nie.niog of the °dicers, put
them under tire command of Iturbide, and make a
strong harangue to the troops, exhorting them to fol-
low the only person who could save the c.iuntry and
make them happy. They all agreed to this, and Garza
returned to Sotu la Marina with the intention of making
the necessary arrangements for the r.ew operations : but
on his arrival there he received letter s from the inhabit-
ants, complaining and cli,approving of his conduct,
which determined him to return immediately to the
place where Iturbide was.
km bide had proceeded towards Padilla, and on his
approach to that city sent an Officer to the President of
the Congress, begging him to call a meeting of that
body, and soliciting hint, in the name rf his country, to
listen to the powerful reasons which had induced him to
return to Memo, assuring him of his determination to
obey the will of the nation without any restriction.
While waiting for an answer to this communication,
Garza approached him, and said it would only be ne-
cessary for him to enter as a prisoner until he could speak
to the Congress. To this Iturbide consented, and at
eight o'clock Qll the morning of the 19th, they entered
Padilla. He there wai put tinder a guard of 20 men
and an Officer, and conducted to one of the first houses
of the town. Garza went to the Congress, where were
itstmibied the seven voters who then composed that body.
1-le dwelt with much force on the reasons which ought

r~tririyrtr

'to save Ituibide7—stating, as the principal one, that on
coming ashore he knew nothing of the decree, which was
the only one against him, and that he ought to be allowed
to embark again with his family, under the ob!igation
of not returning to the territory of the Republic. But
this body, composed of men not the most enlightened,
and only lately ()heed in such high stations, being de-
sirous, like Eros, to hood their names down to posterity,
would give no other decision but that he must die
agreeably to the Act of Congress ; and this they re-
kolved, without being able to answer the powerfdl ar-
guments of Garza.
Obstinate and determined not to listen to reason, they
imperiously ordered Gal zit to have him shot the same
afternoon, and he retired to give the necessary orders.
While Garza was addressing Congress, Iturbide was
busied in writing a third exposition to the General Con-
gress of Mexico, in which he recapitulated the many
, ser vices he had lendered the nation, since he had pro.
claimed the independence at Yguala, with a long exa-
mination of his public conduct, in which he could not
perceive what atrocious crime he could have corn-
mitted to deserve the punishment of death. This me.
morial was not sent to Congress, and at five o'clock
in the afternoon, the sentence of death was intimated
to Itui bide for the second time, and that it would be
executed (as it really was) at sit o'clock, or after sunset.
' To put this sentence into execution, the hundred men
from Soto la Marina, and about fifty more who were in,
Padilla, were formed on the public place; and a picket
of twenty men, under an Adjutant, conducted Ito. -
hide to the place of execution. As he was taken trom
the house where he was confined, he requested that he
might be permitted to be seen by the people. and he
appeared to look eagerly around him. Ile asked how
many were to fire at him ? and being informed four, said
they were few, and requested that three more might he
added. He then asked for the place where he was to be
shot? There were no preparations made, and he went t.
the spot, asked for a handkerchief, and bound his eyes
himself. They next-proceeded to tie his hands, but this
he at first resisted, until being informed that compliance
would be enforced if he did not vi illingly grant it, he
then permitted hiniselt to he bound, and proceeded to
the place of execution. There addressing himself to
the soldiers, lie spoke thus—" Mexicans. at the very
moment of dying I recommend to you to love your
country, and to observe our holy religion—these will
conduct you to glory. I die for having come to help
you, and I die happy, because 1 die among you. 1 die
with honour, and not as a traitor. That stain w ill not
rest upon my sons and their descendants. I am no
traitor. Be subordinate and obedient to your chiefs, in
executing whatever they and GOD may command.
I do nocsay this from vanity, for 1 am far from, being
vain." Having said this, he knelt down, and raising his
voice he said, " I pardon all my enemies with all my
heart." He had hardly uttered these words, when the
soldiers, taking *aim, discharged their muskets, and Itur-
bide died. His body was then conveyed to the same
house where he had been detained, and, on me 20th,
buried in an uncovered church, even withmc the cere-
mony of a coffin, as is customary.
His wife, and those who accompanied him, have been
for ever expelled from the territory of the Republic. A
pension of 5,000 dollars has been granted to the first,
and she has come to the United States of North America,
from whence she intends shortly to go to Colombia,
where she is to enjoy her pension.

TAIE EV EN ING STA It

LONDON.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1824.
THE FUNDS.

STOCK EX CH A N G R. TWELVE O'CLOCK.
Consols opened at 90 i for the Account, and at one time were
done at 94, with a very heavy market.