, 1870-02-10
pRxsEEr CoND1rloa OF MEXICO.

Colonel Evans, OF the IlssA L01(oFH9a.
Paymaatar Ganazp1 Of California. and veil |
known to many Of the people Of this city,
where he formerly resided, has just To-
turned from the extended tour OF pleasure
and observation through Mexico made by
Governor sewnrd's party. Colonel Evans,
from his Familiarity with Mexican society
and The Spanish language, enjoyed special
facilities for acquiring a rapid and correct
knowledge Of the country through which be
passed, and was prevailed on 10 accompany
The purity chiefly that some adequate pub!iea-
tion might be made Of the facts pertaining
to its present condition which came so
rarely and fully under observation in
the tour. This purpose he has already
carried out in ~ elaborate work On Mexico,
rs seen by Governor Stewards party, which
will soon be issued from the press Of
New York house.
The party were in Mexico four mnnths.
Lsndirg at Manzanillo, on the Pacific coast,
they were received ss the guests OF the Ro-
public, and thereafter, until they re-en1-
barked, no pains were spared to extend
the1n every facility nt the command Of the
government OF Of itz leading citizens for
acquiring as complete q knowledge OF the
state of the country as a like class Of visitors
! could have attained Of our osn country in
! an equally comprehensive tour Leaving
MauzaEilIo the5 ascended to Colina, md
visited tho worid-renowned volcano near
that point; went thecceto Gnuaa'averaaadto to
| Lien; thence to the vast and rieh silver
| miues of Guanoluato, to Queretaro, this
scene OF MariniIian'a capture, trial, aud e1-
ecutiop, and acquired from participants in
that tyugic event an original and vivid nc
count Of nil its aetails- Arriving IN Mexico
the party ta1riea in that most
ancient CITY Of the continent,-th
scere Of 60 much tbnt is beautiful, sad,
nad tragic that its history, as told BY Prea'
eott, reads Ike grand epic poem Up
wards Of forty days were spent here. and
Colonel Evans came away feeling that, By
,, as much rs We excel tho Nexicans in pro
/ ductive industry, the mecaanin nrts, ant
, government, they excel US In architecture
painting, end the ornamental arts. TIL
= same absorption Of vast landed estates b
a the few, resulting in the poverty Of tn
great mass, which Prescott describes a
characteristic of the Aztec senl-ciyihxatio
! three centuries ago, still prevails, and II
:. suits in the like oppressive cheapness
labor, while the tastes IS we'll as the uece
= sites of tho lower classes prompt them t
:. similar embroidery and feather-work, to t
worn by the senositas Of tho present day,
~ were worn by The daughters Of the ATT
~ Princes who were captured and enslavt
II BY Cortez-
~ This love Of art is no 1ouger dominate
:, over bJ the priesthood, or e1perded I
- imposing religious professions, cos'
t. churches, and church paintings. The Cal
~ ole Church, could it have let politics alo1
:: has many attractions for people WIN n
q, u4al,y reverence aSt and suti9uity, and I
W. W. still strong religious power over
- Spanish. Mexican women. But rs politi
:, power tho Church itself has been conquer
It's lands, which once absorbed thres-fd
~ Of the whole country, hsve been confsscste
~ II owns only its buildings for worship, q
~ a few even Of these nre given over by
~ authorities to Protestant congregatio
p,e The priests are forbidden to appear in p
for lie procetsicns, and even TO wear in
to public places their ''shoEel hat, !" as t
DON portion Of the pr1est1y garb is s.yl
the There are about forty Pr
rn- estant churches in nll Nexi
me, OF which twenty congregations are
.an- the City Of Mexico but the Indians, OF
vrt tees. who form G ,00o, 600 out OF the en-
,ors population ot $500, 900, taks as easl