Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-13

palace, spacious building of massive con-
struction, where in the time of The Spanish do
mlnlon the Yiceroys dVeIt in semi-regal state.
MIR. Romero, the minister of finance had prom
lsed TO accompany us, and we called on him at
his cabinet in a corner of the building. where
we found him, as usual, closely engaged in the
business OF his department 1t is no holiday
TASK to have charge OF the exchequer of Mexico,
| the expenditures of which are greater than the
| income, and we wondered not that our friend
should have the look of one who is greatly over
Mofkedsand sbeset by many perpleXities. We
| followed him through spacious antechamberS
and long halls to the cabinet of the president.
ihe palace, in its present state, is large includ-
| ing several quadrangles; but twas considerably
| larger before the time of Macmillan, who
pulled down a considerable part of il, with a
| view of rebuilding it in style more conforma-
| BILE to his taste. He had just time to demolish
| but defeat and death overlook him before he
had time to rebuild.
We reached the cabinet of the president and
| found him expecting us, | was struck with his
| appearance. There stood before me a man of
| low stature and dark complexion, evidently of
the Aztec race, squaTe-built and sturdy in
| figure, with mild expression of countenanee
| yet with something in his aspect which indi-
| Gated inheXible resolution. He is Sixty-siX
years of age, but time seems to have dealt gen.
| fly with him; bis hair is not sprinkled with
| gray, nor his face marked with wrinkles. The
| image OF him which remains in my memory is
| that OF man not much older than fifty years
| had already seen three of his daughters at an
evening party, children of the lady of Italian
extraction whomI have already mentioned in
these letters. They seemed to me to be
| favorable samples of the blending of
| the European with the Aztec race
| He received us cOurteOusly. We spoke of the
signal defeat of the insurgents few days before
| by the government troops under General Rocha
the news OF which had been received with great
reioicings in the capital. sit is" he SAID "the
end of the revolt. We shall hear but little more
OF it. After the first of May, when the rainy
season begins, and the insurgents find them
selves without shelter, they will come out of
their hiding places in the woods and submit"
We talked of the state of the country. 1--WE
have, he said, great advantages of soil and
climate, but we want capital for enterprises i'm
portant to the country, and we want the strong
arms of skilled laborers to execute them" He
might have added that more than all the coun-
| try wants internal quiet. The revolt by which
| the republic is now disturbed will certainly be
| suppressed; the rebels will submit; the roads
Will be again safe from robberies perpetrated in
| the name of revolution but those who have
| lived for some years in the country do not feel
certain that the quiet will last. ''We shall have
/ peaceful condition of things" said one of
| them to me, "for about two years; then these
| fellows that are now running away from Rocha
will become uneasy again; we shall have an
| other pronluctdme1t0 and another revolt, and
| fresh robberies on the highways"
hope this anticipation will not become a re-
| atty. 1t is founded on the restlessness of the
/ mixed race in Mexico, who are about one-fifth
| part oil the inhabitants. The Aztec race, who
| form the greater part of the population, | was
| told, are generally mild, docile and submissive
| TO the government Hard working they are not.
| but nearly all the labor of the fields in Mexico
| is performed by their hands. 1t is they who are
| the handicraftsmen for the most part and the
regular industry of the country such as it is, is
theirs. In the mixed race, | was told are found
the men who will not work. and are ready TO
engage in revolt against the government
which gives them an opportunity of living by
eXtorting contribution. These fellows will fight
on any side unfortunately, and when beaten
enlist in the victorious army.
President Juarez dismissed me with words
which may cite as a characteristic example of
Spanish courtesy. Taking both my hands in
his, he said: Remember, Senior. that in me
you have servant and friend. If at any
time you have occasion for my aid, apply TO me
confidentially, and the service you desire shall
be performed
To understand the nature of the revolt which
now seems to have received its deatb-blow if
should be remembered that at the last election
of president in Mexico there were three candi-
dates-Juarez, who now fills that post; Lertlo
now the principal judge of the highest tribunal
in MeXico and Porfrio Diaz, who had distin-
guished himself as an able general in the war
| which ended in the overthrow of Macmillan,
| Juarez obtained the office; his rivals complained
| OF unfairness in the eection Lerdo and his
| friends submitted, but Porfirio Diaz took IN
arms, issued a prOnaacidBleRtO, and attempted
TO seize upon the government by force. He
| drew TO his standard the desperate men who are
| too numerous in Mexico, and who saw in the
revolt an opportunity of living by contributions
wrung from the people. They have met the fate
which they deserved; few of their chiefs vet
seem 10 hold out, but their principal leader,
whose military fame and proves were their
boast and their great reliance has disappeared.
and whether he be dead or concealed in some
hiding place in Mexico, or have run away, no.
body knows. tei.. ~ 4-
OF course Mexico cannot prosper until these
disturbances cease without a probability of
their being renewed. Capital will not flow into
Mexico without some assurance that il shall he
secure and that its earnings shall not be wrested
from the hands of the owner. Skilled laborers
will not seek employment in Mexico unless they
eau be sure of keeping the accumulations Of
| their wages. len years of perfect quiet would
| make an immense difference in the condition of
| The country. Capital would enter from other
| regions and bring with it the skilled and ener-
| getlc labor that is wanted. Railways would he
constructed and safely guarded; highways
would be opened; the waters that fall ON the
mountains would be gathered in great reSpr-
Volrs on the declivities, and in winter led in
rNnletS over the fertile valleys which for half
the year are now beds of dust, and would keen
them through all the dry season green and OVER
spread with perpetual harveSts The only
difficulty which see in the way of these enter
prlses is certain jealousy of foreigners which
influences, to some extent, not the government.
but the mass of the people. At one time since
the Independence of Mexico was declared, the
expulsion Of all foreigners from the republic
was decreed, and in obedience 10 the fierce de-
mand of the populace they were all driven ont
mat feeling has since been greatly moderated
but it is not yet wholly extinct
! asked an intelligent member of the Mexican
congress how it was that Instead of submitting
quietly to the result of an election as we here
submit, even when it is pretty manifest that the
successful party has used unfair MEANS his
countrymen SO often resort to the sword as if
the question of fairness could be settled nv cut
ting each others throats. ut is in our blood
he answered; lit is owing 10 the impatience of
our temperament. The cure must be to invite
emigration from countries like yours, where the
popular vote decides the matter and the beaten
party takes its revenge by obtaining the MAORI
| ty at the next election" The remedy is a sure
one, but there is this difficulty in APPLYING it
that the emigrants will not arrive until the evil
shall be already cured, and the country in state
| of perfect quiet
Yet there are changes going on in Mexico as
| great as wonld be this of quietly submitting to
/ an election without an immediate revolt
| once heard Mr.. Peter Cooper, the New York
philanthropist, relate an incident which hap
pened some years since, while his brother was
residing for few moIsAhs in the city of Mexico
A procession passed through the streets bearing
the host, Or conSeeTated water, probably TO some
sick person. All the people in the street kneeled
save an American who kept little shoe shop
and happened to be standing at its door. One of
the crowd struck at him to make him kneel on
which he retreated into his shop. This so en-
ragged the people in the street that several rushed
after him into the shop. and one of them with a
dagger gave him mortal wound. The Ameri-
can consul was informed of the murder without
delay, and he applied to the proper authorities,
requiring them to bring the offender to Justice.
lie was told that nothing could be done, for
such was the temper of the populace that if any
steps were taken TO punish the guilty man. The
house Of his victim would undoubtedly he
pulled down and its inmates torn in pieces
Such was Mexico not long since. This SAVAGE
fanaticism has had its day. Now the host IS not
permitted TO be openly carried through the
streets; Protestant worship is held in churches
with doors opening upon the public way, and
the worshippers are not molested.
have heard of method taken 10 put ape nd
to these demonstrations Of reverence for the host
in the streets, which is more remarkable for IFS
ingenuity than its decorum, After the laws of
reform had required the host to be carried only
in close carriage, the priests made the driver
lay aside his hat while he passed slowly on his
way. The populace were given to understand
Al