Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-11-05


ioea OF the character OF the Mexican government
by the inctdentai remarks on the subject IN The
subjoined extract from the Mobile Herald, the ed
itor ot which paper wasone of the prisoners ia
ken by the Mex,caos in The Santa Fe expedition
Ths is called the sage of Improvement BY
hundreds who scarcely give the term q thought
or have at their command a single datum BY
which 10 compare the relative standard OF
improvement as it is at present, compared with
that OF former periods Of time. Ii IS a common
phrase, and It's truthiulness Is not 10 be question
ed IN these enlighiene ed days--at least in coun
try where newspapers allowed 10 circuiat e
without any other restraint than such is i'm
P"sod Ny The fo.~ Of paL.a .Piaioa---- oil d.-ee
ted public opinion mean. We have been for
/ chilly impressed With the correctness Of the say
ing, by such observations could be made during
a march OF at leas: twenty FIVE hundred miles,
from one extremity of the .Repubic'' OF exico
TO the other. We quote the word ..republic,' be
cause II Is mlsnomer, not only in the maps and
histories OF the day. but IN the actun! spirit Of the
government under which lis various States and
Departments swayed. Ii is complete
milIiary despotism us exists any where upon the
face OF the earth aud repub!lcanism no where
finds an abiding place from imi, Of :he coun>
try the o,her. There is no public press-eve
ry newspaper being e,iher under subornment to
the ruling potentate, or under the supervision Of
his agents, and oftentlmes the minious and vas
sails of his supremacy There is not, far
cOulu ever discover, the apology the name OF
a republic, IN any department of the government
least of all in the judicial proceedings Of the
country Trial by jIry is unknown to the courts,
and we have known persons who have been i'm
mnred in their prisons for years and years, on
charges for different offences, without being able
to obtain the benefit of the decision OF a tri
al by The judiciary of the country. Compare
these facts with the condition of our own happy
government, and that of England, and who will
not say we live IN nge Of improv Adj
ded to this, the fact that one in Mexico can
hold legal titles TO property, cannot receive the
rites and solemnzation of marriage, unless he is
duly initiated into all the and forms of the
Catholic Romish Religions different species
of Catholicism from that in this country
or Ireland. But we produce another circum-
stance--one that will be understood by ALL and
while it goes to prove that Mexico is at least
half century behind the progression Of the times,
shows conclusvely that we live III age Of i'm
provement:-it is fact, that IN all our journey
fao as ,ysfha G}uz, we nsxe E. saw w.,
or spade or shovel that not made of the
same material. with the exception Of few in
stances of thin strip of iron on the extreme edge
Of the instrument; and never an axe that did not
more resemble an Indian tomahawk than the neat
and well turned instrument we are accustomed
TO see in this country and in England. These
are facts that can be we'll authenticated by eve
ry traveller in that country and giving them all
basis at least for the triie and common saving
that eve live in an age Of Improvement"