Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-01-05
From the n. o. Picayune.
Late and Interesting from Mex
leo.
.qRRIV.gL or THE TENS.
The Empire Proclaimed!

/ he ARRIVAL vi tUc sttdnHtip hNAtSs
which Left Vera Cruz on the morning OF
the 9Th inst, enables us to lay before our
readers some interesting items OF news
from The Mexican Republic, with which I
ue arr furnished by friend, who was
passenger.
Oa the l9,h ult. the Baranca of Aca-
ieto, a poin. on ME road between PerOte
aud Puebla, was the scene OF a frigh'Iai
accident. which resulted IN The inslanIa-
nesgus death Of thirteen persons. The I
facts, as we gather them from a gentle
mao who visited the spot shortly alter
The occurrence, are as follows:
About six weeks ago The Mex:can au.
lhorities of Vera Cruz directed man /
named Cas,iilon, the owne. of an extern |
sive wagon team, TO convey several hun |
bred barrels oil gunpowder TO the capital,
for the supply of the troops, which or
der was dlsregarded BY the Major domo,
who was subsequently, incarcera'ed In
prison On examination. however, 1t
was discovered that CastI!pn was
Frenchman, and upon an application
| from his Consul, he was released anu
! paid 81 600 in the form of redress; but,
being prevailed upon 10 transport the
pow der, he accepted the contract, and
sci cut upon the journey accompanied
Iby strong escort Of infantry. Tie
wreiched condition of The road, howev.
| err, impaired the barrels to such de
gree that un reaching the Barranca OF
! Acsje,o they leaked badly, and on de-
4 scend.ng hill! a rope used in locking the
wheels ignited from friction, and Sc! hre
to some fifteen or twenty barrels, which
exploded with force that battles des
crlpiion. For more than one hundred
yards Oh each side the trees were broken
aud uprooted, and the earth riven as IT
lhy an earthquake single mu.ilated
body alone remained gu, of the thirteen
who composed the ill.fated escort. For
miles around The country was filed with
dust aud smoke, and The difgencid,
which was some distance in The rear,
was nearly overturned by The terrific
force of the explosion. Il is hardly nee
essary to say that poor Casiillon shared
The fase of his companions. So much
for cargo of American gunPowder on
Mexican soil
rhe political aspects Of Mexico are
scareely uncbsggcd, and upon every
suniect, SAFE what rela;es Ia the gllries
OF s..ata Anna, aud the higher honors
which avail! him, The press are as silent
: as death. Every circumstance, howev-
er, points with uuerrng certainty to the
establishment of the empire, which,
It's supposed. will be proclaimed On Tie
i9th of she pr sen, month.
Is ia impossible TO realize the hopeless
condition of the crumbiDg Republic
Ga The Isl. Santa Annals preparatory
proclamation TO tie Empire was issued
i was uttered from he palace W tn a
great display OF military in every pan Of
The ely TO quiet any outbreak that an
exoiting population might be expected 10
be BETRAYED into. But neither HE troops
nor the police could restrain some doz
eus OF ragged men and boys with cane
STATS, shirt tails, solitary flag with de-
VICES, and a miniature bust Of Santa An
| ga held high IN the air, from paradNg the
streets and crying "Vtva ell lmperlo,"
Ado Santa Anna" &c. Of course
so long IS these steps are being taken.
pegolations upon which depend the sta
b,iity Of the whole Mexican structure
are too insignificant 10 be underlaken.-
The ruling spirit of Santa Anna's gov
ernmentis now Bonilla, disciple of The
Jesuils, who character American
progress and American institutions as
| the acme Of Goth aud Vandalism. His
opposition TO every thing which belongs
10 the United States is Of such a charac.
| ter lLat he would willingly drive his chief
10 the most desperate exlremities. He
is the reputrd author of the decree pro.
hibiing The introduction of Texan pa
per- on he frontier, and is now striving
hard, il is said, 10 ignore every paper
which does not re echo the praises OF
his peltfogglng acts. In Mexico he is
detested as the serpent which has envel-
oped in it's Shiny folds The fainllng form
OF the Republic.
Two severe shocks Of an earthquake !
were fell al Acapulco on the 18Th and
i6ih ult., attended with 70 other result, |
however, than causing great alarm, and |
VIC tHc CdtusHOplC
which overwhelmed that city abou: a /
year ago. were abou; to be renewed
In Coahulla persons are forbidden to
wear long hair. tie reason assigned being
having allowed their hair TO grow, they
disguised themselves as Camanches, in
order more easily to commit robberies
and other crimes, the inference being
that the last-named gentry enjoy cart
blanche in these amusemenis.
The ravages of lke Indians still con-
tinue nthe States 81 Zazatecas. Duran.
60 and Coahnila., they received
check in Zacatecas, and in an encounter
with some local troops lost some thirteen
killed--ihe troops losing four killed and
twelve wounded.
|
Shocking Casualty.
Four CHILDREN BuRHED TO DEATH
ON THE NIGHT OF THE 24TH INST. - Mr..