Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-09-13
HERNANDO CORTEz.

In the year of 1904, at the small coun-
try town OF Medellin, in Spain, there
lived an idle, dissolute youth of seven.
teen, who was the torment of his pa
rents, and the leader of all the mischief
going on in that neighborhood. His
parents were of the highest respecta-
bility, though reduced in circumstances
and they had given their son tho est
education within their means. During
his infancy and childhood, he had been
so scklY that no one expected he would
live to mature age but as he grew older
he grew stronger, and at seventeen he
was a man of stature, and sufficiently
robust. He was then at home, having
left the college of Salamanca without
permission, and was passing his time in
dissipation, regardless of the remon-
straDces of his father and the entreaties
Of his mother. When, therefore, he
declared his intention of sailing for
America, the good people of Medellin
were not sorry to hear it. His father
had intended him for the legal profess
sion, which the youth disdained. No
career attracted him except one Of adj
venture in the New World, which had
been discovered ten years before.
He was only nineteen when he tool
passage in a merchant vessel, and, after
most tempestuous passage, reached
the island Of Hispandola, then the seat
Of Spanish power in America. He was
at that time a very handsome young
man, graceful, self-eonfident a superior
swordsman and horseman, and highly
accomplished in all warlike exercises.
On leaving the ship, he went at once to
the house of the governor, a friend Of
his family. The governor being absent
upon an expedition, his secretary re-
cetved Cortez with politeness, and, by
way OF encouraginga new conner, assured
him that the governor, upon his return,
would doubtless allot to him q liberal
tsSct of land.
"Iand p said Cortez. 'I come to find
gold, not to plough the ground like
peasant"
Nevertheless, when the governor
offered him portion of land and num-
Der Of Indians as slaves, there being
nothing better to take at the time, Cortez
accepted them, and became planter.
The governor also named him notary of
the town, an Office of some little emolu-
ment. Without entirely neglecting his
business, he now resumed his dissolute
habits. After seven years of life like
this, he joined the force destined to the
conquest Of Cuba under Velasquez, and
displayed, in that affair, SO much dash,
activity, courage and gaiety, that he be-
came favorite with Velasquez, who
named him secretary.
This friendship was soon changed into
fierce hostility. Cortez had given q
promise Of marriage to a young lady,
which he was not inclined to keep.
Governor Yelasquez insisted on his full
filling the promise. Cortez, angry at
this interference with his pleasures.
joined himself to the enemies Of Velas-
quez, and prepared to go to Spain to
intrigue for his recall. The governor,
discovering the plot, arrested Cortez,
and would have hanged him, it is said,
but for the intercession of friends. He
threw him into prison, and caused him
to be chained. Twice Cortez escaped,
and was twice recaptured, and at length
was glad enough to accept his liberty on
condition of marrying the girl. The
governor endowed the young couple
with an extensive tract of land in CuDa,
and large number of Indians. Being
now married man, he carried on his
plantation with great vigor, imported
cattle from Spain, and raised better
crops Lnan MS nelghbors. Gold having
been discovered upon his land, he kept
many of his Indians at work in mining
it, and 30 gradually became a man of
wealth. He is said to have been a hard
taazmaster. In such labors his life
passed until he was thirty-three years
of age, and there was no prospect, at
that time, of his ever emerging from
obscurity. So far as we know, he ex-
pected to live and die a planter and
miner.
But in 1913 there returned to Santiago
Chill, after an abser ofseveral weeks
a small feet which Velasquez had sent
out to explore the coasts of the adjacent
continent. This feet brought wonderful
and most thrilling intelligence. Mexico
had been discovered "a land inhabited,
not by poor and ignorant savages, but
by people considerably civilized, who
possessed spacious and costly edifces,
temples, rich garments, ornaments OF
gold; people too, who were ruled by
powerful monarch, with q disciplined
army, and yet were so debased by su-
perstition as TO appease the imaginary
wrath of their idols by sacrifices Of hu-