The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-06-04
From Rccollcctions of Mexico.

THE CITY OF MEXICO-THE PRESI
DENTS PALACE--THE CATHEDRAIr--
STREETS AND BUILDINGS IN MEXICO.
Mexico was colonized just one hundred wears
before Massachusetts,. Her first settlers were
me n"olesl spirits of Spain in her Augustan age,
The epoch of Cervantes, Cortes Pizarro. Colum
bus, Gonzalva de Cordova, Cardinal Ximenes.
and the great and good Isabella. Massachusetts
was settled By The pnor Pilgrims of Plymouth,
VINO carried with them nothing but their own
hardy virtues and indomitabe energy. Mexico.
with rich soil. and climate adapted 10 the
production OF every thing which grows out of the
earth and possessing every metal used by man
Massachusetts with sterile soil and ungenial
climate, and no single article for expectation bui
ice and rock-h0w have these blessings, profuse-
~ given by Providence, been improved on the
one hand, and obstacles overcome ON the other
What Is now the respective condition Of the two
conntrlesi 10 productive industry, wide spread
diffusion OF knowledge, public Institutions of eve1y
KIND, general happiness, and continually increas-
ing prosperity In letters, arts, morals, religion
IN everything which makes people great, there
Is mol In the world, and there never was in the
word, such commonwealth as Massachusetts
There she is I! look at her and Mexico
| The city of Mexico is said to be the finest built
| city on the American continent. In some respects
1t certainly is so. In The principal streets the
houses all constructed according to the strict
1
city were laid, and The first building was erected
by CoTtes, who did everything we'll which he
| attempted-from building house or writing
| conPiet, or TO conquerng an empire. Many of
The finest buildings in Mexico are still owned by
his descendants. The public square is said to be
unsurpassed by any in the world it contains
some twelve or fifteen acres paved with stone.-
he cathedral covers one entire side, the palace
another; the western side is occupied by row of
! very high and substantial houses the second
stories OF which project into the 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 Cories,
who with his Characteristic sagacity and an ava
rice which equally characterized him in the latter
part OF his life, select ted the best portion of the
city for himself
The Presidents Palace, formerly the Palace
OF the Vceroy, is immense building of three
stories high, about five hundred feet in length
and three hundred and fifty feet wide; it stands
on the site Of the palace Of Munezuma 1t is
difficult to conceive OF so much stone and mortar
being PIT together in a less tasteful and mposinu
shape; it has much more the appearance Of cot
Ton factory or peniienliary, than what it really
is; the windows are small and plrapet wall
runs the whole length Of the building with moth
Ing TO relieve the mOnotOny Of lis appearance
except some very indifferent ornamental work i'm
The centre there are doors in The front either
OF Tie second or third sOrieS-nOthInn but dis
ProPorticnately small windows, aud too many of
them; The three doors, and there are only three
in the lower story, are destitute Of all architec-
tufal beauty or ornament Only a very small
part of this palace is appropriated to the residence
of the President; all the public Offices are here,
including those Of the heads Of the different de
parmenls, ministers Of war, foreign relations
finance and justice, the public treasury, &c. &c.
The halls Of the House of Deputies and Of the
Senate are also in the same building, and last
and least the botanic garden. After passing
through all sorts Of filth and dirt on the basement
story you come 10 a dark narrow passage which
conducts yOn 10 massive door, v bich when you
have succeeded in opening, you enter an apart
meni enclosed with high sails on every side but
open at The top, and certainly not exceeding cigh-
~ leet square, and this is the botanic garden Of
the palace of Mexico a few shrubs and plants
and the celebrated manila tree, are all that it
contains. ] have rarely in my life seen more
gloomy and desolate looking place. II is much
more like a prison than garden. decrepit.
palsled old man, said 10 be more than a hundred
years old, is the superintendent Of The establish
ment no one could have been selected more in
keeping with the general dilspidation and dreari.
! ness Of this melancholy affair.
But the Cathedral, which occupies tho site of
the great idol temple Of Montezums. offers
striking contract, ], IS five hundred feet long