Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-31

EhaA4 NLA AlN prs nElH NC AlNNAAA-
YTURBDE-
Don AugUstin T. De Yturbide writes a
note 10 the EUeHemeHt of Paris, in order
TO state some facts connected with his
family which he presumes { o be of inter
est 10 the public. This presumption is,
perhaps, GDropOS Of reports lately circn-
lated. that the Emperor Macmillan
either has adopted, OF intends 10 adopt,
an heir apparent Of the imperial name OF
YturbiEe. as heir presumptive Of the i'm
perial crown Of Mexico. The person Sc
iected hv public rumor for that honor is
a son Of Salvador, third son Of the Empe-
Tor AuCustin, aud is now pursuing his
studies ar the college of St. Barbes, in
Paris. AuEustin 7. De Yurbide is the
nth and youngest SOL. Coming nearer
10 the founder of this imperial line, he
probably thinks himself a more available
person for Maximilian's purpose than the
student of St. Barbe. But there is still
another brother, Angel, who married a
Mexican lady, by whom he has a son
nearly three years OF age.
AUgustin de Nturbide, whose romantic
life and tragicsl death have, even more
than his imperial station, clothed his
name and memory with a painful inter-
est ~ as "a UaAlhE Oh hAleG4OAA4 Ln 0LEAllO-
He was of pure European descent, and
this fact perhaps accounts for his having
AT first embraced the royal or Spanish
cause when the political troubles broke
out. The Mexican revolution, which was
originally a revolt of the aboriginal and
mixed races, and Of the lower clergy
against the white race, assumed only in
latter years the phase Of q movement for
national Independence, in the sense in
which We use that term. Until it took
that form il never had any chance of per-
manent success. Il took that shape only
when the ambitious natives of European
descent saw in the revolution the means
of achieving power and distinction.
NuIrbide wasa al first devoted TO the cause
Of Spanish supremacy. BY his valor and
conduct he rapidly rose in rank, until in
eighteen hundred and sixteen he had
acquired the command of the northern
army which occupied the provinces Of
GusnaKUatO and NallsdoI5d. At this
time he was accused Of infdelity TO the
royal cause. He was acquitted of tins
charge, but retired from the army in dis
gust. He remained in retirement for
four years, until in eighteen hundred and
twenty we find him again in the field.
At this time many Of the principal men
in Mexico had become thoroughly alien
aUed from the Spanish Government
They determined 70 embrace the patriot
cause, and selected Yturbide as their
agent and leader.
At Guerrero be joined his forces with
those OF one Of the patriot chiefs. He
then advanced 10 IgUala, from which
place he promulgated the declaration
which, under the name Of the Plan
Of lguala, y gave the death blow to Span
=A1 Lrrrawnu-11-r - Nj. tn
of this instrument, by which the three
main conflicting ideas of the country
were temporarily recoBcilE-d and COM
bined, were the mdepende nee Of Mexico,
the protection of religion and the
union Of the NsLicRDs Of all races. At
the same time an offer of the crown was
made 70 terdlnapd VII, OF 10 any other
member OF the royal family Of Spain.
When the hiCerOy O'DOnOju suisse
quenuy arrived from Europe, he found
the country 50 thoroughly united in sup
port Of Nugrbide and the Plan of
lguals,n that he prudently resolved to
abandon the unequal and hopeless coz
test He therefore, on the twenty-fourtb
Of August, eighteen hundred and twenty
one, signed a treaty at Cordova, by which
he acknowledged the independence Of
Mexico. Gturhide fastened TO the CAPT
tai, OF which he took possession in the
name Of the nation.
The failure Of Ferdinand and OF the
ether members Of the roval family of
spain 10 accept the tender of the Next
can crown LEFT the way clear for Ytur-
bide He was the idol Of the peopIe-the
founder Of the nation. On the eighteenth
Of May, eighteen hundred and twenty
Two, he was proclaimed Emperor by the
garrison and people Of the capital under
the tile Of Augustin I. This choice -.ras
ratified by se~venJy-seven out Of pira-
four Of the deputies 10 Congress- -hainc
about half Of the whole nurlbrr me-
crown was declared 10 be Hereditary in
me family q tue Emperof, and the title
@ Pr,r.ce" was b~estov.ed on his father
and his sons. But hts reign was of short
duration. Disputes with the Congress
soon broke out, The ambitious officers
by whom he nad been supported aban-
d0ued his cause and eonspired against
him. santa Anna and Victoria, with
their troops, rose in insurrection. Even
Echavarrl, the cOmmander-in-chief of
his forces, deserted him and Joined the
insurgents. Gturbide could not make
head against the general detection. He
assembled the dispersed members Of Con-
gress al the capital and rendered to them
his abdlcation Of the crown. HIS re-
nUnciatioH was accepted on the twenty
sixth of March, eighteen hundred and
tWeuiy-three. This was the ommence-
meut Of the series Of violent revolutions
which ave afflicted Mexico from that
day until the accession Of Macmillan.
HtUrbide agreed to leave Mexico for (
ever, and was 20 receive a yearly pen-
sion Of twenty-five thousand dollars. !
lie went 10 Leghorn, where he resided
until the memory Of his lost dignities
stimulated him % make an effort for the
recovery Of the Mexican crown. Heem- 1
barked from LeghOrn for Mexico ON the |
eleventh Of May, eighteen hundred and
t~Wenty-fOur, precisely one year from the |
day on which he sailed from Vera Cruz /
Such was his confidence in his popular
ity, thathe landed at Soto Ia Marine. i'm
the state Of Iamaulipas, with but a
single attendant He was immediately
arrested by Felip de Cara, the COM
mandant OF the state, aud sent TO
Padllla, the provincial capital. The
Legislature, fearful, perhaps, Of the effect
Of This presence upon the public, ordered
him 20 be immediately executed. ard
b sentence was carried into effectwith-
out delay.
But this severe measure did not destroy
MS popularity. No other name has SO
a hQiG on the Mexicans IS that of
Aturbp.e. He seems 10 be regarded 1
: ather as a martyr and a patron saint
than as an usurper and a criminal.
Theaters, and public squares, and hotels
are named after him ; and no one ven
lures to cast o%pprobrium on his name or
his memory. II is perhaps on account Of
this fact, as much as Of the Odor Of i'm
periali=m hanging around the name Of
1turbide, that Macmillan has resolved
10 adopt u Of his descendants 81 her
70 the crown Of the newly established
.v.-E-l ]