Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-19


small body Of men who remained with Hidalgo re-
tired towards Guadalajara, and were every where
received with open doors and open arms. They
met with no resistance in any Of the towns or pro-
vinces through which they passed. and they entered
the city of Guadalajara, and remained there some
time unmolested, When they left that place Hi
dalgo was at the head of force still more nume
rous than that which had been defeated at Aculeo.
But his men were badly armed, and the leaders en-
tirely ignorant Of the art Of war, and they were
again defeated by the disciplined troops of Calleja,
although not quite one to ten, with still greater
slaughter than before. Upwards Of eighteen thou
wounded The leaders fled towards the northern
provinces, were met there by Col. Salcedo, again
defeated taken prisoners, and shot at the village Of
Chihunalhua These disasters would have termi-
mated the revolution, if the sentiments of liberty had
not taken deep root in the minds Of the people. A
national feeling is not to be suffocated in blood. A
lawyer by the name of Rajon assumed the COM
mand, and reassembled fhe scattered forces of Hi
dalgo, and, united with his two brothers and other
patriotic Mexicans, maintained the cause Of indie,
pendence for whole year against the repeated as
saults of the royalists. Atthis period appeared the
two curates, Morelos and Matamoros the former
the most distinguished leader of the Mexican revo-
luton. The latter ran brilliant but short career.
After several successful actions, he was defeated
and taken prisoner by body of men commanded
by Iturbide, who at that period was distinguished
for the courage and activity which he displayed
against his countrymen. Matamoros was shot
Morelos maintained himself much longer. His
forces were augmented, and he deemed it expedient
to call together Congress to form regular Gov
ernment. This was premature, and proved fatal
error. He was surrounded by active enemies, re-
quiring him to act promptly and rapidly, while the
IF crno all
and embarrassed him with orders he could not exc
cute This conduct paralyzed all his measures, and
the consequence that after incredible exertions,
Morelos was defeated by the royalists, taken pris-
oner, and shot, The loss of Morelos, which oc-
Cured in 1914, discouraged the revouionists !;
there was no one to take his place, and the chief
tains, who had all acknowledged his superiority,
scattered each one at the head of his own band
maintaining in several parts of the country de-
sultory war, and keeping alive the spirit of the peo
pie. All sought to command, but no one possessed
sufficient influence or the acknowledged talent to
succeed Morelos and it actually occurred on more
than one occasion that the rival generals fought each
other after having united their forces to attack and
rout the common enemy. Still they kept up the
war; and contrved each at the head of his own
band, to harass the royasts and maintain an inde-
pendent attitude. The Viceroy Caeja was cruel :
no quarter was given to the insurgents their lives
were forfeited, their haciendas destroyed, their pro-
perty confscated. The revoutioniss retaated, and
the country was laid waste and deluged in blood.
In 1917 the Viceroy Apodaca succeeded the
bloodthirsty Calleja, and proftting by past expe-
rence. he determined to try the effect of mild mea-
sures. He saceeeded in seducing some Of the
leaders; others that were captured were pardoned
and well treated; and by this wise course New
Spain was ,ranquillized. Victoria and Guerrero
were the only revolutionary chieltans who refused
all the offers Of Apodaca. The former concealed
himself in cave in the vicinity of Vera Cruz, but
Guerrero kept the field, and never ceased to combat
the Spanards. The spark which this heroic man
kept alive in the mountains OF the south from 1918
was famed into flame in 1922, when all the
Creocs of Mexico without exception united to de-
clare and maintain the independence of their country.
- While this contest going on every effort was
made by the Government Of Spain to preserve this
gem of the crown. Money and men were liber-
ally supplied, the higher clergy exerted all their in
fuence over the people TO secure their allegiance,
and Numbered anathemas and accommodations
against the insurgents. The principal men OF the
country were loaded with favors and honors, and
induced to take part against their countrymen. In
deed some of the most active chiefs Of the Royal
ist forces were Creoles. Against these overwhelm-
ing influences and under every adverse circumstance
the obstinate Mexican patriots maintained some
unts All ACTIVE anu al OtneTs uOggcu Iesisldfct,
resulting at the end Of twelve years in the complete
emancipation Of the country and the establishment
of free government-for the interlude of ltur-
bde's usurpation only proves the superior strength
of republican principles among the people. re-
member the day when we sympathzed with these
brave men, and lent them all the aid our neutral po-
sition permitted. Why we are in the habit Of abu-
sing them now as degraded race do not under
stand. The science Of self-government was new TO
them, but the republican party is the most numerous
and is devoted TO civil liberty. They overturned
the throne Of Iurbde and established federal re-
public, which, from our example, they were in
duced TO believe the freest Of ALL They overthrow
the central despotsm Of Santa Anna. And, when
the unfortunate collision between the two republics
took place, had just renewed their federal compact
and were returning to well-ordered government II
left TO themselves, they will in a few years compre-
bend and practise a Judicious civil poty but if
we continue TO oppress them with our armies, the
country will become desert, and there is great
danger Of their ralying round throne to preserve
their national existence IL we consult history we
shall find that monarchies have owed their origin
generally to war. The existence of large armies
leads TO the concentration OF power. The necessi-
ty Of all military operations being directed by one
mind, the facility of obtaining money and means
by violence. the vast influence acquired by sue
cessfu military chefain, tend TO the destruction of
freedom.
No ner;od couId he So we'll cboso, n Ieave this