The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-18
For the Union.
General Bravo.
"We own that pride which warriors feel
In Ioemen worthy Of their steel"

I'VE that pride which warriors feel
In oenen worthy OF their steel"
While we lament the fall of so many of our own gal
liant soldiers whom victory has taken from u.s. let us also
pay tribute OF respect to the memory OF noble enemy
one VINO has passed with name unscathed through the
revolutions and disorders OF thirty five years, and has at
length died for country which he aided TO ree but
could never regenerate.
The name OF Don Nicolas Bravo. to whom allude is
more connected with the struggle of Mexico for ndepend
ence than with her ngorous history since its achieve
ment and he was distinguished less by his valor and
consistency IN that contest than by his efforts to give the
humane character which ought TO belong to civilized
warfare He, together with his father and brother joined
the revolutionary forces at an early period and the two
latter soon became martyrs to the When the elder
Bravo was captured his son Nicolas, who then held
independent command, had in his charge number Of
Spanish prisoners among them officers of rank He
proposed to the Spanish general who had the custody of
his father then under sentence of death, to give up all
those prisoners in exchange for his parent but the offer
rejected On being notified of this young Brave i'm
mediaely released his prisoners without exchange
ransom saying that though he knew his fathers doom
sealed, he would not trust himself with the power Of
making bloody reprsa, which he might be tempted to
do in the first moments OF exasperaton hearing of the
expected catastrophe. His father was soon after exc
cuted
his life was spared and he continued confined to labor
among elons until liberated by the new instruction OF
lturbide
Though Bravo has occupied several high stations since
the independence OF Mexco-among them that OF Vice
Pesdent-he has since then acted any very i'm
porant part in the political history OF the country SIMPLY
give him power influence where the surest means OF
obtaining them intrigue and corruption. He was
more distinguished for correct principles consistency and
good Judgment than for any brancy versatility of tai
en or Tor that suppeness OF mind so frequent among his
countrymen. He, never belonged to what was
commonly called the liberal party Of Mexico for though
not monarchist he believed that consolidated repub
c with strong administrative powers, would better suit
the character and condition of than aform gov
ernnent more closely modelled after our own Neither
with much cordality towards the United States, whose
power and proximity he dreaded while he foresaw, from
the character of both nations, that collisions must
hereafter ensue This feeling showed itself in his man
but never in his acts toward individuals. In 1897 he
for short time had command of army intended for
operations against Texas, but which he was unable to
carry out for want of means Directly after taking that
command, he liberated number of Texan prisoners, who
had been ncarcerated nearly year in Matamoras, and
whom his predecessors had refused even to exchange
In his feelings, though in his traits OF character, he
was thoroughly Mexican
OF the many instructions which have distracted the
Mexican republic, he never, SO far as recolec en-
gagged in any, save one and to that he mainly in
cited by the DEGREES of S272S for the expulsion of the
Spanish residents That measure, in addition to being
of bad faith, disastrous in its results, that
il might almost excuse the interference OF revolt; for
like the Punishment Of the Moors from Sain drove from
the country large portion OF the enterprise industry
and individual wealth II possessed.
On the failure of that Instruction he was himself sent
for time into exile and paid visit to the United States
In one OF s letters home he made use Of the following
prophetic in the rest +" This republic" said he,
meaning the United Staes) sis not and has been
real friend to Mexico, and will some day be her most
dangerous enemy"
He lived to his prediction verified. and his career
could not have ended fifty than II did. we may
suppose, to the wish of patriot who, though sick
of his countrys self abasement loved her STILL and sought
not to survive her. imagine that, on the last day OF
his life occurred him that the would bring
that festival which, for many successive years. had
revived the memory of his youthful tolls and perils and
of his early and deusve dreams of freedom and happ
That would be the 10th OF September the
anniversary Of Hdagos declaration of independence and
cannot doubt thai he then wished rather to perish in
the last stronghold, than the invaders flag that
day wave his cherished homehis beloved metropo
lis. If such his prayer, was granted; for the
morows breeze which famed the banners of the North
above the domes of the MoneZumas also lifted the gray
locks of Bravo, as he reclined on soldiers bier
TEXANUS