The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-08-27
THE SIEGE OF MEXICO.
Dreadful .Suferings ct the Inhabitants

THE SIEGE OF MEXICO.
Dreadful Snferings q the Inhabitants.
A correspondent of the London Times, writ
ing on June 26, gives an account of the siege
of Mexico. He says:
During the sixty seven days the siege lasted,
no food entered the city, containing over 200,-
600 inhabitants. Necessaries of life, therefore,
| rose to a fabulous price, bread being from los
to rs per pound; meat of lean mich cows, As
per pound; horse flesh, from Sd to Is. Indian
corn or maize, which is sometimes sold for IS
corga of 800 pounds, was G30; lean fowls, IS
each; eggs, three for rs. Many of these prices
we're merely nomina it was often impossible to
get -four or maize for love or money, as there
was regular sale Of them 10 the markets.
Those who had them were obliged to keep it
profound secret, for Immediately it was known
the Government pounced upon them, and gave
it to their soldiers; they had in fact, the power
to enter any house to search for provisions.
have seen soldiers 20 into the miserable huts
of the poor and bring out few handfuls of
maize that the inmates had carefully boarded
up Hundreds, if not thousands, died of star
walton, and those who were left had hardly
strength to crawl up TO you in the streets to ask
for aims. The scenes at the panaderias, or
bread shops before their stocks were exhausted,
which happened about three weeks before the
termination of the siege, was most heart-rend
ing. There were only three open in the whole
| city; the doors crowded at or two o.
clock 10 the morning in order to get good
place by the time they opened; all day the
| streets leading to them we're crowded. Outside
one near where live five persons were found
dead one morning, having dropped down from
exhaustion; many others persisted by the crush,
or by the swords of the soldiers put there to
Iarl 81 o
portunity of leaving the city, of which thou
sands awaited themselves at the risk of being
shot on the way; in fact, seven women and chill
dren were killed by one shell while halt. way
! between the two camps, for white flags received
DO respect, the only chance being that both
sides were wretched marksmen.
While the poor suffered so fearfully the rich
bad also their share; for loans never to be paid
| and contributions following in quick succession.
Those who refused to pay were put In prison,
without anything to eat or drink, until they did;
while others who hid themselves had their
houses guarded to prevent the entry Of any food
| for their wives and children. Nearly half the
money, moreover, thus collected went into the
| pockets Of the chief officials. All commerce,
! OF course, was suspended, the only life in the
streets being the movement of troops from
point to another, the pressgang going about
| searching houses for horses, and the carriage of
| the wounded to the hospitals. tits needless to
dwell on all the horrors which are common to
all seiges.
| An incident occurred at the intreuchmcnts
! Of the two camps. The Liberals, or besiegers,
stuck up dead horse, with large placard, with
| meat for the traitors. The besieged, or Impe-
| rails, answered by putting up an old woman who
| had died of starvation, with meat for the
ards, singing reproach for their not properly
attacking the place instead of trying to starvc
it out. Amid all this misery an anomalous
| scene presented itself every evening in the
| Plaza, or princi pal square, where the baud
played. Crowds of. cauuUeros and senoritas,
decked in their best, walked about utterly in
different to the roar of the cannon, which did
not make bad accompaniment to the music,
often coming in right for the bass drum part
! Marquee, appointed Lieutenant 4 General by
the poor Emperor, while he was at Querataro was
less man than demon, aud a demon possessed
of inveterate hatred to the English. 1t was he
who murdered the English doctors at Tacubaya,
a town near here, ordering them out to be shot
while attending to the wounded, and who broke
open the seals of the English Legation some
years ago, taking out 100000. This appoint
ment of the late Emperor was the greatest fault
he ever committed; but dearly has he paid for
it, for nearly all unite in saying that had it not
been for the obstinate resistance Of Mexico, car
ried on FIVE weeks after the fall of Querataro
his life might have been spared This resis-
lance was effected by Marquee by the vlest lies
his assuring the Austrans, chivalrous set
of men, 700 strong, who fought only for their
countryman, that the capture of the Emperor
was Only an invention Of the Liberals, although
be had received official reports of the facts four
days after it occurred. .-
He actually on the dag of his condemnation
to death, ordered public rcjoicngs TO be cele-
brated for his victory, said to be gained over
the Liberals. Five days after these rejoicings
June FL, the Austrians in the meantime being
officially convinced of the fall of Querataro, and
having come to terms with the Liberals, the be-
seigers entered the city, to the joy of all, in
splendid order, without the slightest tumult or
| least act of violence.
I GRANT AND THE PREs1DENcY.-It may be