Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-01-03
The Valley of Mexico.


remarkable purity of the atmosphere of the
valley of Mexico, and the peculiar rich
tlnts with which the1igbt, passing through
the thin medium, invests every object, pre-
senting to the eye one of the most glowing
and delicious views that ever met the ad-
miring gaze of man. There probably is no
city in the world which presents such nat
ural charms around it rs that of Mexico,
and we can easily conceive of the delight
which they impart when they first break
upon the vision of the beholdcr. Invading
armies have momentarily paused at the
sight, impressed by the splendor OF the
view, and the hearts of the grim warriors
have felt their stern purposes relaxing, as
they gazed upon the enchanting scene,
which even the decay of time aud the des
olation ofwar cannot deprive of its match
less beauties. Prescott pictures the proud
conqueror, Cortz, standing on a command
inc height, above the luxurious home of
Montezuma, the scene of ba9baric splendor,
and looking with unspeakable delight up
on the rich prospect spread before him in
the valley below, where the romotest OBJ
jects possessed a brilliancy of coloring and
Il sharpness of outline that seemed to an
initiate distance. The scene, though sad
ly changed since then, and now exhibiting
the marks Of decay which time, neglect,
and the hand of violence have impressed
upon it, possesses much of the natural
beauty that then distinguished it. The
same hills, valleys, lakes, mountains,
streams and towering cedars that greeted
the intoxicated vision of the Spanish con-
queror, and clothed the view with such
charms, met the eyes of our own brave
countrymen, as they approached the Aztec
Capital. But the aspect of the city itself
is entirely changed, and would not be rec
ognized at this day as the proud place hich
once, by its magniticence, astonished a
warrior accustomed 10 the splendors Of one
of the richest countries of the eastern con-
tinent. The Lake o. Tezcuco, winch once
entirely surrounded and traycrsed with its
canals, the imperial city, has receded sey-
eral miles. Then it was only approachable
through narrow causeways, built OF solid
masonry; the houses themselves standing
on piles in the water-nol1, the city stands
upon the main land, high and dry. Then
villages lined the shores OF the lake, aud
floating gardens danced gently on the un-
duations of the waves. More than orien-
tai splendor was everywhere visible, the
ruins Of which are still to be traced by the
cautious traveller The aspect OF the city
is now Spanish; a Christian cathedral rears
its front where the horrid teocoli once rails
ed it's internal alters, red with the blood Of
human victims, devoted alive to the sacri
fetal knife by the barbarous religion Of the
country, to propitiate the deities that were
supposed to preside over the dcstinies of
Mexico. These changes were effected by
the people whose descendants seem devoted
to the same fate that awaited the ancient
Mexicans at the hands of the Spaniards.-
Three hundred years of rule in American
hands, would present probably as broad a.
contrast, but how different in its character
from that the Spaniards createdl The
country would be improved iu every re-
spect, under the domination of the indefat-
ic.Sofu Yankee, who never puts hand to any
thing susceptible of improvement, without
altering its character for the better; its rich
resources would be DEVELOPED. and applied
to the relief Of human wants and the in
crease of human comforts. A population,
increased manifold in numbers would be
spread over the country, and race Of en-
lightened, independent people would add
their strength to the perpetustlon OF free
and republican prihci piles in their purity
and power.--Pc. Ledger
The abuse ofmoney is worse than the
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