The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-06-25
From the New York Sun
The Halls of the MOntezumas.


Montezuma III. assembled the Mexican
throne A, d. 1902. at the age of 30. be
fore Mexico had been discovered by
Europeans. He died 3Olh June, 1920.
in the AID year of his age, of wounds in
ficted by the Spanish discoveries whom
he had invited to his royal palace. His
l~orians agree 10 admiring his character.
On ascending the throne. not contep,
with the spacious residence of his father,
he erected another, fronting on the plaza
mOyop of the present city of Mexico. So
vast was this great structure, that, as one
OF the historians informs US the space COW
cred by its terraced roof might have af.
forded ample room for thirty knights TO
run their coursers in a regular tourney.
His fathers palace, although not so high,
was so extensive that the visitors were loo
much fa!igued in wandering through the
apartments, evcr 10 see the whole OF it,
The palaces were built of red stone, or~
namcnted with marble, the arms of the
Montezuma family Gan eagle bearing a ii.
ger in his taIons) being sculptured over
the main entrance. Crystal fountains,
fed by great reservoirs Of the neighboring
hills, played in the vas. halls and gar.
dens, and supplied water 10 hundreds Of
marble baths in the interior OF the palaces.
Crowds of mobiles and tributary chieflains
were continually sauntcring through the
halls, or lettering away their hours in at
tendance on the court. Rich carvings in
wood adorned the ceilings, beautiful mats
of palm leaf covered the floors. The
walls were hung with cotton richly stains
ed, the skins Of wild animals, or gorgeous
draperies of feather work wrought in i'm
itation of birds, insects and flowers, in
glowing radiance of colors. Clouds OF
incense from golden censers dihused in
toxicating odors through splendid apart>
ments occupied by the nine hundred and
eighty aoiues and five thousand slaves of
MonteZuma.
He encouraged science and learning,
and public schools were established lhro'-
out the greater part OF his empire. The
city Of Mexico in his day numbered twice
as many inhabitants as at present, and
one thousand men were daily employed
in watering and sweeping its streets,
keeping them SO clear that a man could
traverse the whole city with as little dan
ger Of soiling his feet as his hands. A
careful police guarded the city. Exten-
siye arsenals, granaries, warehouses, an
aviary for the most beautiful birds, me-
nager.ies, houses for reptiles and serpents,
a collection of human monsters, fish ponds
built of marble, and museums and public
libraries. all on the most extensive scale,
added their attractions TO the great city of
the Az!ecs. Gorgeous temples-in which
human victims were sacrificed, and their
blood baked in bread, and their bodies
dressed for food 10 be devoured by the
people at religious es,ivalS-reared their
pyramidal affairs far above the highest ed,
iices. Thousands of their brother men
were thus sacrificed annually. The tenn
pie Of MaxtiIi, their war god, was so
constructed that its great alarm gong,
sounding 10 battle, reused the valley for
three leagues around, aud called 500, 900
armed Az.cce to the immediate rrllcf Of