The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-10-05
From the New York Evangelist.
Letters on Mexico,
BY REV. JOHN S. c. ABBOTT.

adventurer. Fernando COrtez, in the year
1919. 1t was inhabited by altogether the
most enlightened, friendly and happy people
then upon the continent Of AmeIica.-Cor-
tez landed upon the coast. and founded and
fortified the city of Vera Cruz. The name
of the True Cross which Ccriez gave to
this city founded in oppression and blood,
is characteristic Of the religious fanaticism
which was one Of the elements Of the char
acter of this mercess soldier. He then pen
etra:ed the interior, and after many and san
culinary conflicts with the natives. took pos
session the city OF Mexico and the whole
country. With his blood hounds, his power
| full horses, his steel-clad warriors and his
heavy artillery, he moved down the armies
of the natives like grass before the scythe.
Brave but perfidious. talented but cruel, this
blood stained conqueror. after desolating
happy and peaceful empire with fire and car
mage, died in obseurity, the victim Of disap
pointment and neglect at one time, after
his return TO Spain in disgrace, he endeavered
to obtain, by violence, an audience with the
king. Forcing his way through the crowd
which surrounded the royal carriage, as if TO
enter, WHO are your inquired the monarch
Charles V, Il am haughlily replied the
war worn veteran. "a man who has gained
you n.ore prori,lceS than your father left you
fo,c1lS.' Cortez called the country which
had been the scene of his brilliant victories, Of
his unrighteous invasion, aud of his u1para-
He'd cruelty, New Spain.
For about three hundred years the country
manned in the condition of Il colony subject to
the Spanish dominion. Under the rule of Charles
V. and his successors, Mexico made hardly per-
ceptible advance in wealth intelligence and
probably decreased in population. 1t was the
4 ri
try to keep the inhabitants ofMeXico in ignorance
and servitule Native Spaniarls were sent by
the crown 10 fill all the civil, military and eccicsi
astical Offices, and just enough of European sol
diers TO cooperate with those raised among the
natives TO keep the people in subsection The idols
of the MexicanS were elected from the temples, TO
make room for the idols Of the Rolmish Church.
The mummcrics Of the pagan worship were sue
ceeded by tie more gorgeous and dazzling pa
eeants of the Papal See The priesthood of the
Il Temple Of the Sun were suppantcd by IN hierar
chy more crafty and not less oppressive and i'm
moral. No schools were founded, no agencies
were allowed to exist which could viviiy the tor
bid mind. Every effort was made to give inpen-
etrabiIity 10 the cloud of Ignorance which enyel-
oped the untutored mfcIlccts OF the natives.
4 Nicrr1v, entirely subject TO the Spanish
crown was placed over The colony, with all the
ldcleqa.ed powers ofroyav The poor Indians
were torn from thoir homes where they were loun-
ring an INDECENT vet not unioyless existence, and
driven IN miserable hOrdes, at the point of the
hayonet. TO the mines which Spanish cupidity had
oDcned. The natives, however, had no share in
precious metal which their labor distracted, but
!he fruits Of their toll all carried across the
Atlantic, TO enrich the grandees Of Spain. The
sole object Of the crown appeared TO be- to benefit
the conqucrors without any REGARD to the suffer-
ines of the conquered. The Mexicans were even
lprohibited from manufacturing any article what
ever. which could be supplied by ihemother coun-
try Thus for three hundred years the legislative.
military and ecclesiastical powers were combined
TO impovcrish and imbrnte the people. They were
TO the children of this Inflated land, centuries Of
darkness aud sorrow. Even the memory oi Their
brighter day, was oblitcratcd. and the poor lnd-
ans resigned themselves with sullen Indifference
| TO their monatOnOus and dreary life.
During this long period, the European officers
and soldiers who held the country in subsection,
gradually formed connections with the natives,
| and hence arose q numerous mixed population
| MANY slaves were also introduced into the conn-
try from Africa, whose blood was soon blended
with that Of the white man and the Indian. Thus
it soon became difficult to find 4 native Mexican
of pure Castiiian blood The physical character
istcs Of the three races the NEGRO the Caucasian
and the American were combined in a motley
concoursc Of MulaftOcs, Mcstizoes and Zamhoes
QuatcroOns and Qunteroons, Il pOwercss race III
body and mind. As the Indians were far more
numerous than the Negroes, their union with the
white was more common than similar unions be-
tween the NEGROES and the whites; and cou>c-
oucntiv the class called Mcstizoes, IS far more MI
nerous than than the /miOs.
The populatiion Of Mexico is now estimated to
be about seven millions. No accurate census has
ever been taken. An attempt was once made,
many years ago, 10y the Spanish government, to
ascertain the number Of inhabitants in tic colony
bur the natives, rendered crafty by oppression
indeed The object 10 he the increase Of taxation
and did what they could to conceal theirnumhers
Since the rcvolotion which scvcrved MeXIco from
Spain, TO attempt has been made TO take their
census Humboldt however, after careful in
vcsti.7ltion Of the subject, estimates the population
at seven millions.
Of these. about five millions are native Indians
living in there miserable wigwam villages, in far
more abect condition than when, three hundred
wears ago. Cortez rode over their fathers with ms
horses and hunted them down with his blood
bounds. Ono million of the inhabitants is COM
posed of the mixed races, where the blood of the
Indian. the white man and the negro, are mex
tricabIy comminged. And there is but ono mil
lion onlv of white Europeans, or their defendants.
Such is the estimation made OF the population by
Raron Humboldt But Waddy Thompson, who
has enioved unusual facilities for observation,
thinks HAT even this estimate Of the proportonate
number of white persons is much TOO large. The
Furopeans and then descendants Of pure blood,
are almost all congregated III the few cites oil
Mexico; though there are few wealthy propnetors,
who reside on their estates in the country And
vet il is said that no less than nine out Oh Ten Oh
The nersous one meets even in the city of Mexico,
are Indians or Mestizocs. In the country, the
dsproportiou is vastly greater. 1t is very seldom
that a white man is met Forty-nine out OF fifty
YOU pass upon the road Indians No cheerful
habitations, or wel-cultivatcd fTms, or thriving
villages attract the eve. Diiapiated NUS ni.iiy
and eomfortless. arc scattered along the roadside
where naked children and ragged men and coarse,
-onnIs;vo unfeminine women, lounge away an in
ddIcnt existence, accursed through ages Of seryi-
tude and oppression. Oh how dreary must this
life be, when neither memory SENSATION nor hope,
can bring joy
Such is the deplorable condition Of the poPula-
t;on of Mexico There are five millions Of I'M
tanned Indians, degraded and miserable, powerless
in body and in mind There is one million Of
mongrel race with the combined vices Of the saw
age and the civilized man; INDECENT loterers in
f;oIJ- nd chariua- with docs and swine