Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-11-21
EVENING STAR.
THE coNDI1 ION OF MEXICO.

On Friday last, We presented our read
ers with some extracts from work soon
to be published, purporting to be s'Notes
Of Tour in Mexico in 1854; by a Citi-
zen of New York" We now furnish the
following, which We have been allowed
to copy from the Ms. of the author. q
His Serene Hghness, the Dictator, had
intended to re-enact Louis Napoleon's s
coup d'etat, but he was thwarted by the
few energetic patriots of the republican
party who were prepared for counter
revolution and his banishment, had he
not abandoned his intention. Since then,
Santa Anna has adopted the plan of ban.
iShment or execution of these men in
detail. Afraid to trust himself at the
Capitol, he has sneaked out to Jacubaya
where he receives daily reports from his
emissaries and spies. His parasites and
flatterers tell him he is secure, but every
we'll informed man in the country is con-
vinced that his Serene! Hghness is walk
ing on the brink of volcano which viii
burst forth in few months. His troops
are badly paid, clothed and fed and, in
fact, except few Pr@torian cohorts, the
Government is several months in arrears
to the whole army. He keeps strong
garrison, or rather a numerous garrison,
at Vera Cruz, but the officers and men
are continually manifesting dissatisfac-
ion. Scarcely q week elapses but some
impudent officer is 'weeded out" las
trite phrase here as &c crushed out" IS
in the United States, and sent off, either
out of Mexico or to some place in it al
which he can do no harm. Whilst the
soldiers are thus left unpaid. Santa has
now in Vera Cruz about 100000 wait
ing for shipment to Europe, being part of
His Serene Highness's share of the I ,OOO,-
900 paid by the United States for the new
boundary.
General Basadre, who, l have men,
toned before, is now one of his chief
favorites-I call him general, for nearly
all here are generals-as common as
major in Georgia or colonel in New
York. Basadre has no portfolio, but he
is sort of kitchen cabinet secratmio to
his Serene Highness. B. is an impudent
scamp, and, like the kings fool, tells
wholesome truths 10 all. It seems he
had admonished his august master from
time to time that he was most assuredly
going to the devil in this world, if he
did not change his course and kick some
of the ours in Office out of public employ
ment. The Cabinet found this out, and
sought to countermine him, charging
Basadre to the Dictator with being the
prime disturber of the public tranquil
ity," IA great phrase here, and demand
ed his banishment from Mexico; but to
make it easy proposed the continuation
of his salary of $4,000 year. At the
end of the recent quarrel between them
and Santa Anna, when the latter threat
ened to appeal to the people, but found
out his blunder time enough to back out
and make up, the Cabinet insisted that
the deportation of Basadre was sine Qua
non. Santa Anna acquiesced at first,
and sent for his confident to hear his
sentence. He stated the decision, and
then said
"Well, Basadre, where will you 90 !!
Not to the United States, I hope-and.
indeed, l cannot allow that. Your sal
ary will support you in Europe like q
prince. What do you have to say a.
make your choice.
"No, no, General" said Baradie, I" /
won't go to Europe. l won't go SO far.
If you please, will go into exile, but it
must be to some place nearer dear Mex
leo and nearer you" g Well, well, where
do you wish to 60 2" interrupted Santa
Anna. why, General, if I must 90, l
greatly prefer Cartagena, where 1 will
certainly meet you before long :" reioined
Basadre. "Caraio!" exclaimed his Sc
rene Highness, for this is the place to
which Santa Anna retired when he was
expelled from Mexico but in a few mo-
mentS he became soothed, burst in fit
Of laughter, and taking his favorite by
the ear, "a la Napoleon lie Grand be
said, Rel good; excellent, per Dios !;
you are an impudent scamp, but can
not help liking you. Go to your Office,
and mind your business hereafter. Don t
meddle with those fascals of the Cabinet.
I'll manage them"
The conduct of the Mexican officers to
the United States is anything but cour-
teous. A deep feeling prevails among
Santa Annals partizan's against our citi-
zens. The officers pay no respect to con-
sular seals, or even those of the Depart
ments at Washington, or private letters
from the United States which come into
their hands. They plunder the property
of travellers and merchants of the United
States, and the United States will ere
long have to make another overhauling
of these scamps. -.a s :
HE MOUsTACHE At A PREMIUM. AT a
meeting of Town Commissioners, held in
Longford, England, lately, Mr. Dwyer
moved-That as the street scayengers
were obliged to be often in very often
sive atmosphere, rendering " hair lip
most beneficial for the purification of the
noxious gases they were compelled to