The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-11-15
M Kendall corrs.rondenee-.fJo from II. N o. Pie
MEXICAN NEWS.
The Earthquake

when all nature was hushed in stiffness most pro-
found suddenly the earth began To rock win stunge
and most fearful motion. am living AZ the mouse
of Pena Pena, the headquarters oi zen, worm,
Immediately in front Of the beautiful alameda ana
the first iniimation we had of the dread CONFUSION
was the violent slammng OF the doors, accompanied
by a furious ngling of the glass pendants attached
10 chandelier hanging and swinging from the cell
ing of the room. Soon our beds commenced rocA,
ing something after the manner OF a sup pecaiiheu
at the close of Storm and tnen came ihe snieks oi
innumerabe women and children, driven, hali-dres-
red afFrghied into the streets-the dreaded fem0ior
as The Mexicans call it, was upon US. Most strange,
and IMPRESSIVE the scene disclosed from The front
windows, ms Keeling and staggering we approached
and opened them--to walk steady was impossible, so
violent were the upheavngs and oscillations OF the
mighty earth dho tops OF the large trees In The ala
media were swaying the water in the reservoirs was
bjlowine 10 and FRO the walls around us were crack
np and gaping asunder the wide street In front
crowded with women and children rs well rs men,
screaming and praying, and crossing themselves In
the extremity Of their fright while our own soldiers
were Keeling unsteadily their midst astonished and
awe-strcken AT the strange conmotion. The senti-
nes halted upon their rounds, uncertain and not
knowing what TO do-the caiiejoHs, or narrow lanes
continued TO pour forth their hundreds OF alright
cd inhabitants, all seeking the refuge OF the wider
streets and open squares lest their own houses might
toter and tumble upon their heads while on Blended
knees they confessed their sins aloud and earnestly
pelitioned forgiveness il was yet too late.
wounded officer in our house. bedridden and appar-
entity unable TO move since the hardought battle OF
I'll NlOllno came noD0lng nufTledly rom MS rOOIi
driven thence by the cracking of the walls and the
strange tumult from without. The stiffness of the
morning, profound had been the repose Of nature,
but added to the general feeling Of wonder and Of
awe--of CONSERVATION perhaps l should term IL, n
fear caught from the actions and countenances OF
those "native here and 10 the manor born" those
Graded and rocked amid commotion of II kindred M
ture The domes and steepes OF the inmumerdble
churches and converts reeed like drunken men
the lakes hard by rolled their sluggish waters rs
though moved by a elemental strife from above in
stead Of the earth in which they are nestled in her
sore travail. An officer in the street. about to mount
his horse AT the commencement OF the commotion
suddenly found the animal recedng from him. As
tonished he inquired of soldier close by the cause
but the man was as Ignorant us himself. Inc pud-
dies in the strees-for there had been severe show
er the night 'betore-spread themselves and dsap-
peared upon the pavement, 50 great was the notion
while the trees in the alameda continued 10 lash
their huge tops as i swayed by unseen yet all-pow
erfu hands. The shock lasted over two minutes
perhaps should say succession OF shocks, Tor the
osclatory motion Of the earth at short intervals be-
came calm while the whole scene impressed every
one anew with the might the majesty, and the mani
fold power of the Most High.
But If the street and open ways presented speta-
Gle most impressive, douby awful was the effect pro-
duced among the wounded men in the different hos
pitfalls. Unconscious of the cause of the strange
commot!on, filled with apprehenslons which ever
attack with tenfold force the disabled aud the ntrm
and dreadipS results from phenomenon they mus
have deemed akin to the supernatural the poor fell
low and hobbled from their cots-trembling and
stricken by deep awe, yet not knowing whittier to
fly. The armless hurried hither and thther, the leg
less hobbled about in all directions, while the bedrid
den the PROSTATE, and the utterly helpless, panic
stricken and responding earnestly prayed and petit
TONED not TO be left unprotected-not TO be deserted
in an extremity which their Ignorance made painful
ly terrifying. But by and by the earth became re-
lieved of her mighty throes the staggering steeples
resumed their quiet the aifrighted inhabitants rose
thankful from their knees the sentnels recommended
their rounds--the fury of the dreaded tembior was
spent
lnnumerable anecdotes and some of them anus
ing enough, told of the earthquake and its effects
An Irish soldier says that the Mexicans unable to
hight us fair, are adopting new system-that there
Is mo- such thing getting ut the bottom of earth
quake, and no particular fear in being on top. An.
other says that this Is very unsettled country
that he Is anxious to leave while u Yankee from
way down East contends that the whole affair j
species of "clearing-up shower to the wal, an
that peace must soon follow. A knot of officers wer
discussing the movement Of the earth; one said
was vibratory, another contended that il was oscil
latory. In joke the matter wasf eferred to muatt'
servant--a fellow whose yellow face had turned to
color between blue black and an invisible greer ,
during the quake" as he termed itand he decided
the question BY saying that the motion was ,rdbbiea
tory. And wabbleatory it was-too much so TO
comfort if not for safety. For one, have Away
desired to see or rather TO feel the effects OF an earth
curosity-I never wish to be present at repetition
The same Providence that has. power to shake
large city TO its foendaton has the power also TO Ia
the ground.
The subjugation of the City OF Mexico.
CRY OF MEXICO Oct. 3, lS4T.
But to leave, for the present, this subject, and t.
offer few remarks upon the army and its past deeds
Ii is still difficult to for the fact that we
here. here in the great capital Of Mexico-not tn
% 900 paper OF the Union but what is left of tn
10000 real men by whom the work OF snbIugatio
has been accomplished. The whole seems like
Dream even to those who have taken part in the har
contiicts--yet here in Mexico are, and masters
After succession of battles each one of which ma
be counted forlon hope--afer n succession OF vic
tories, each one Of which obtained over an i'm
mense superior force--after formidable works, eac
one of which seemed impregnable have been storme
and successfully carried-here, amid the Halls q
the MonteZumas," the numerically insignificant ban
of AngoSaxons has found partial rest from Its toll
and its dangers breathing place after its immune
rable trials and perls Nor the chronicles of ancen
wars nor the prowess of modern achievements, fur
nish parallel 10 the second conquest of Mexico
while the lustre which hung around the name Of Cor
and his hardy adventurers FURNISHED by the glow
ing descriptions of Prescott, becomes dimmed by tn
deeds Of these latter days
You in the United States cannot be made 10 fee
and appreciate all that stern and unhinching colrag
has effected in the beautiful valley of Mexico sine
our little army first entered lt-words are inadequat
TO give even faint picture of the brilliant succession
of events which have ended in the subsection of thi
proud capital The deeds Of Cortes, brave and vgor
Gus as they were, must suffer by comparison. TIL
hosts OF Tascaan and other allies, brought agence
then deemed supernatural to the work. had all the en-
gines and appliances Of modern war at his DISPOSE
and fought against an enemy supersiitfous and awe
stricken and provided only with the ruder implement
OF battle. Grant chat they were brave-but their bra
very was OF piece with that of the Hindoo widow
who fearlessly and INTERESTINGLY chaunts her owr
death song on the grave of her feless husband. Tn
followers oil the Aztec monarchs, of Montezuma an
Of Guatemozin offered themselves as sacrifices L
their Idols. The mass, when all hopes Of victory ha
vanished, still continued the fight ii IL true, but II
their onslaughts upon the iron ranks Of the Chris
tians they were but fulfilling their own destiny, an,
rushing upon doom that was inevitable. The altar
Of their gods demanded yearly and even daily sacri
fees long before the advent Of the strangersthe de
mands were now increased yet the victims were eve
ready True, follower Of the cross occasionally fell
borne down by some avalanche Of pagan warriors
but for every drop of Christian blood river woul
fow and well did Cortes know that in the end h
must conquer. His calculations were based upo,
mathematics, and in the problem of life and death
foresaw that the result would be in his favor Sci
ence, severe discipline, strange animals bestrode b
powerful man, inyunerabe armor all the appliance
which make war terrible, love of gold and blind rel
gious zeal-these, oil these were pitted against nm
disciplined, unmailed, and comparatively unarme
rnasses--and the results Of such encounters wer
known even before the eyes of the shrewd and calc