Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-06-11
otter from Mexico.
MEXICO, MAY llth, 1881.

NJ
MI. INC features of my visit to Mexico
inter The observance of the character
has U,'eoculiarities of its inhabitants, While
anu 'r advanced so far i'll the race OF
haNime ess rs to have established for them
prss remblican form of government.
l, I'm almost every other pastlcular they
le ,sn 80 essentially different from the Amer
arr c,tizen. that have thought letter
r" rn this subject can scarcely fail to in
ul "o"t your readers. 1t we are disposed to
!! Ter, into the reason of things, this dis
IinrIi;I.rity IS not surprising, Having
sI. from national fountains whose
ssipnt;yc genius is unlike our own, is in it
t l'it almost enough to afford an eXplana-
.ian But it should also be remembered
that rs the physical characteristics and
climate of country, fosters Il peculiar
vegetation and governs the variations and
deyrlopment of animal life, SO indeed do
fine same influences impress themselves
mon the features of 4 people and temper
their characters and dispositions. nc
origin and historical movements OF thio
npEnle form not the least interesting page
IN history Of nations, but il Is not TO thls
rhase of the subject to which aspire
iesire to convey, if possible, in the COM
mass of = letter, an intelligent description
nftbe leading features OF the Mexican
,onul.rc ~ have seen il. One OF the
trtt thin~s which q stranger or traveller
~ Neyic0 notices in regard 10 its people
- tLat thcv are evidently combination OF
two nationaliticS of widely different char
n,,eristics. These two elements are the
native McXcanS or Indians and the Span
i.h. The former l. the original lnhaDl-
raut of the country, but has almost passed
ant of existence t. distinct people. In
come remote districts | have been told
they still preserve their identity in small
villages. The latter is the cOnQuerOr and
intruder. But the two have long since
b,,ome rcconciled and like the meeting OF
streams are blended and flow on together.
Upon the basis Of nativity then the
Mexican pOpulacc can be divided into
three classes. The first are those III whom
the Indian blood predomina;cs, This is
evInced by the deep copper color OF the
complexion, by the long straight coal
black hair, and by the irregular features
and low foreheadS characteristic of this
diversion of the human family. The Sec
ond is Il numerous class in whom it would
ic difficult To say which element l. in eX-
cess, and the thirG are those in whom the
Spanish blood predOminites and they are
to be easily recognized by their appear
anCc. Their complexion is light with
dark hair often having tendencyt 10 curl.
Their features are more regular and Sym-
metrical, and they are happy in the pos
session of the possibility of full beard,
which in the others is rs a rule very m
frequent. Now if there he added 20 these
a Sprinkling of foreigners of almost every
nation of the earth, from the negro and
CAinaman up, the inhabitants of Mexico
will be sufficiently included for any prac-
teal purpose.
PHYSICALLY they are not a strong and
robust people. In those more nearly al
lied to the Indian have noticed a tcuden-
cy TO greater bodily strength and develop
ment. Tie facilitating climate, and L
suspect few pounds Of innate lNineSs,
together nith the prevalence Of smallpox,
various diseases of malarial origin, and
another still worse in its dctcriorating cf-
fcct> than either of these is probably the
explanation OF this.
III regard TO the comparative prominence
in a social, political and commercial point
of view, of these classes OF the Mexican
pouulace IL can he said that their position
and influence is clearly defined. The
Spanish element is the Lord of the Land,
the other the servant, bat fortunately not
the slave and hence the language OF the
country is the spanish and the religion the
Catholic. The former represent 10 cduca-
ted and wealthy classes. They are the
owners of the land, the professional men,
the instigatOrs of all enterprise that i'll
wolves capital, and the more prosperous OF
the merchants aud general business men.
These lead easy and inactive lives and
generally reside in the larger towns and
cities.
In regard to the social customs and do
mcStic regulations OF these ariStocratS,
the part of the country i'll which we have
been at work has not afforded me much
opportunity OF Observing but in ten days
the locating corps with which | IN con-
nected expect to reach the city of CObima,
where | shall endeavOr to see something
of high life in Mexico. But ut the y"ri-
Gus villages in and near which we were
obliged To camp to be- convenient 70 wa
ter, have Satr,led my desire Of obServa-
ton among the other classes and as these
constitute more than two thirds of the
people ! might aS well divide my satiation
with my friends Of the Register. These
people a. 4 rJ:le vary in complexion from
deep copper color 10 light yellow and
everything about them is 80 peculiar and
characteristic that | am IL Il loss where
Ia begin the description. In the obScr-
vance of a more natural method | will be-
gin from the ground up" Their houses
are such rs require no skilled mechanic
10 build. The most simple are erected
b. planting stout poles in the earth 10 the
tops OF which are laShcd others which
serve Us rafterS; upon these are placed
tiles, dry grass or the leaves of the palm
tree. which serves 10 protect theM from
the heat OF the day and dampncss of the
night Of the dry season and 10 shed The
abundant rain of the wet season. The
sides of these buildings are walled up af-
ter the same manner. These palaces are
one story structures and are models OF
convenience in regard To the arrangement
Cl the various parts OF the house such rs
parlOr, Kitchen and bedrooms. Their
study of domestic economy has resulted
in the adoption of 4 house with one room,
which supplies all their wants and to
which is admitted without remonStrance,
their fellow animals such as hogs, chick
ems and'a family of dogs. The furniture
OF one of these hOuscS consists OF a reed
bed, a stone to grind their corn upon and
q number of carthcn vessels in which they
do their cooking. Suspended from the
roof By Il lasso is frequently TO be found 4
box, which ''necesSiy the mother of in
ycntion" has hung there in the absence
of a civilized cradle. As an advance upon
this manner of architecture in the larger
villages where the houses are meant To be
more permanent, they are constructed OF
sun dried bricks and are divided into sew
ctal rooms, and as an evidence of still
greater prosperity to wealth there are to
lie found spacious dwellings of more sub
Stantial construction. The people who
inhabit these houses are laborcrS, servants,
and mechanics and | do not cXaggerate
when | say that at least one half of them
are merchants on Il small scale, whose
stock of goods consists of half Il dozen or
moro arliclnS in cnmmnn uSc. Among