Arkansas intelligencer., 1846-06-20

4
some European nations come to its aid, and then
without time even 10 see the forecast shadow o.
coming events, one universal howl Of war on bolt
sides Of the Atlantic will for many year b
heard. smolhering in i,s death echo the voice o
peace" ',' '." N. 0. Pie.
The City Of fMsrieo.-Hon. Waddy Thompson
recently American Minister TO Mexico, gives the
following sketches Of the City Of Mexico.
"The city of Mexico Is said to be the fnes
built city on the American Continent. In somt
respects it certainly is E the principal streets
the houses are all constructed according 10 the
slrictest architectural rules. The foundations oi
the city were laid, and the first buildings were
erected by Cortes, who did everything wei! which
he attempted, ,-frOm building houses or writing o
couplet 10 conquerng an empire. Many OF the
finest buildings in Mexico are still owned by his
descendants. The public square is said 10 be un.
surpassed by any in the word ; It contains some
twelve or fifteen acres paved with stone. The
cathedral covers one entire side, the palace an.
other the western side is occupied by row Of
very high and substantial houses the second stories
of which project into tho street the width Of the
pavement; the lower stories are occupied by the
principal retail merchants Of the city. The most
of these houses were built BY Cortes, who with his
Characteristic saSacity, and an ayarice which
equally characterized him in the latter part Of his
life, selected the best portion Of the city for him
self
The cathedral, which occupies the site Of the
great idol temple of Montezuma, offers strik.
ing contrast to the palace. 1t is 500 feet long by
four hundred and twenty wide. 1t would be super.
auous to add another to the many descriptions Of
this famous building which have already boon
published Like a Il the other churches in Mexico,
it is built in Gothic style. The walls, Of several
feet thickness are made of unhewn stone and limo.
Upon entering it, one is apt TO recall the wild hc.
tions of the Arabian Nights it seems US if the
wealth Of empires was collected there. The clergy
in Mexico do not, for obvious reasons, desire that
their wealth should be made known 10 its full OK.
ten, they are, therefore, not disposed TO give very
full information upon the subject, or 10 exhibit the
gold and silver vessels, vases, precious stones, ani
other forms OF wealth; quite enough Is exhiG's"d
10 strike the beholder with wonder. The first Oh.
ec, that presents itself on entering the cathedral
is the altar, near the centre of the building; il is
made Of highIy.wrought and highly polished Sill
YER, and covered with q profusion Of ornaments
of pure gold. On each side Of this altar runs a
balustradeI enclosing space about eight feet wide,
and eighty or a hundred feet long. The balusers
ARE about four feet high, and four inches thick in
The largest part the landrail from six to eigb.
inches wide. Upon the top Of this hnndrail. at
,,e distance Of six or eight feet apart, are human
images, beautifully wrought. and about two feet
hixh. All Of these. the baluslrade, handrail, and
hinges, are made Of compound Of gold, silver.
and copper,-more va liable than silver. J was
.odthat an offer had been made to take this balus
trade, and replace 1t with another Of exactly
tho same size and workmanship Of pure silver,
and to give half million Of dollars besides.-
There is much more Of the same balustrade in
other parts Of the church, should think, in oil
Of it, not less than three hundred feet.
As you walk through the building. on cithor
side there are different apartments oil filled, from
the floor to the ceiling, with paintings, statues,
vases, huge candlesticks, walters, and thousand
other articles made of gold or silver. This, too,
is only tho every day display of articles Of least
value the more costly are stored away in chests
or closets, What must it 10 when all these are
brouph, out, with the immense quantities. Of pre-.
cious stones which the church is known to possess!
And this is only one Of the churches Of the city
Of Mexico, where there are between sixty and
eighty others, and some of them possessing little
less wealth than the cathedral /; and il must also
be remembered, that all tho other large cities,
such as Puebla, Guadalajara, Guanajualo, Zacate-
cas-. Durango, San Louis, Potosi, have each a
propor,ionate number Of equally gorgeous eslab.
lishments." .na.i =. "'.. ail ..'.''
ue Yueatan. We find il recorded thn, the inhabi.
.. n,s of Yuco,an ire fully determined 10 maintain