Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-12-01
Thc vlrgin Of Gaadalupe.

The v1fK1m OF GU00a1upcs
The Americans in possessing the i'm
perial city Of Mexico and the neighboring
hill and fountain Of Guadalupe, have q pc
culiar hold on the old Mexican race. By
immemorial tradition the lord Of the spot
on which tho Aztec eagle paused in its
flight, is master Of the Mexican valley
In the eyes ofthe masses, a. in military
science, Mexico falls with her capital
The power and skill tina, has reached and
struck down the head may easily reduce
10 submission the broken members. The
second pledge of final obedience is in the
guardianship Of the dearest and most sac.
red object Of the national veneration- the
Church, rock. and Fountain dedicated to
.Mary, the mother of Jesus, patron saint
and perpetual intercessor Of the Mexican
people," This site has been hallowed
ground 10 the native races from their ear
ltest records. A temple dedicated to a
benefcent GODDESS, the mediator between
man and the higher duties, crowned at The
time Of the conquest, the remarkable hill
now sacred 10 the name of her whom Scrip
ture styles "blessed among women and
the medicinal fountain that boils con-
tinually at its foot, has ever been 10 the
inhabitants Of the plains centre Of .reli
gious pilgrimage. The stones Of the hea
then temple has been remodelIed into
Christian Church, and science has ex-
planned the healing virtues ofthe fountain,
but under all changes the natives throng
to the place with reverential faith. Gen.
Scott will find that his protection and re-
spect for the sacred edifces of Guadalupe
will do more to win over and disarm the
populace than proclsma:ions or bayonets.
We started to visit the shrine of sour La
dy of Guadalupe on one of those balmy,
cloudless mornings that are peculiar to
the climate Of Mexico, and after delight
full ride Of three miles along a perfectly
straight and level road, bordered BY
double avenue Of trees, glittering with
scarlet fruit, our carriage drew up be.
tween the stately cathedral of Guadalupe
and the over-brimmed fountain Of the Pla-
"a. Not The fountain under the protection
of Sour Lady," but such as belongs to
many other towns in Spanish America,
and which, with much less advantage of
jet, makes our New York affairs look su-
perlative mean. We did not stop long,
however, outside Of the church, for it was
a day of festival, and the Indian girls
were celebrating with hymn and dance
the praises Of "lhe pure, the merciful, the
sinner plying mother Of God" On en-.
tering the door, the senses are overwhelm-
ed by the magniticence and proluson Of
the spectacle. Gold, silver, carvings.
paintings and statutes crowd upon the eye
in lavish display. Presently the tower
ing columns and the noble symmetry Of
the vast arcades of the ceiling reveals their
chaste splendor Of pure white and bur-
nished gold with brilliant ds,inctness.-
Then the eye turns with surprise and adj
niraton to the wonderful choir, which
stands, like church within church, in
the immense central ipace Of the nave
1t is miracle OF rich carving and solid
silverwork. A heavy b,lust:ade, some
feet high, Of pure silver rails, in the pas
sage from the choir to the altar. and the
wide semi circle in front # it. At short
intervals, silver statues with candle hold
ers in their hands, crown the costly bal.
ustrade and the fence around the altar
while the altar itself shines an enormous
mass of gold. More than thousand lbs.
weight Of gold and silver (some say more
than ton was used in the baiustrade and
altar ornaments of this splendid edfice.
yet with all this ou'ley the church and
Shrine Of Guadalupe are not SO rich as
Trinity Church, of New York--has not
had SO many prosperous ve.;ry men, nor
affords to her bishop life SO luxurious,
y: house so elegant as our Trinity ac-
cords to her chief minister. We state
this from personal enquiry and observa.
lion, and only by way Of parenthis. This
new church is at the foot OF the hill of
Guadalupe. On its sharp summit stands
the original chapel built in consequence
of an Indian named Juan Diego being d.
rected in dream or vision to call pom
the Arch Bishop of Mexico to raise cha
ne! on that spot, to the honor and service
of the Virgin Mother OF Jesus" At
first the Arch Bishop hestated, but when
tine vision was repeated to Juan Diego.
wi h the gift of some roses gathered from
the bare rock on which roses never grew
before, which she threw in the lap Of his
MrIrA, or frock Of native linen, and when
OH unfolding his militia 10 prodace the ros.
es, the copy OF the visian was found i'm
pressed in glowing portraiture on its
coarse texture /; faith triumphed and the
chapel rose. A steep and difficult path
in the rock leads TO this chapel, winch.
like all Mexican churches, is profuseIy
decorated with gliding. paintings and stat.
uary, but has no special merit. The plat.
form on which it stands commands deli.
cious view of the valley Of Mexico, smil-
ing blandly on lis bright vesture of eter.
nal spring. At few miles distance rises
in solitary grandeur from the far stretch
ing level Of the plain, the giant Chspul-
tepec wearing like helmet the fortified.
tons that overawe the city. Such is the
extreme purity Of the air that we could
trace with ease the long line OF aqueduc,
that touches the base OF the Hill of Chapul-
tepec as it passes into the city. Even
then, as we fixed on it our admring eyes,
we spoke of Chapultepec as lion in the
o.,e IN Mexico- and fixed the E,nrth ~