Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-03
SOME MEXICAN HEROES
Associated With the Struggle
for Independence.
THE CRADLE OF FREEDOM
Stirring Events Connected With the
Town of Morelia.
HIDALGO'S FAMOUS SERMON
Trumpet Call to His Countrymen to
Throw Off the Spanish Yoke
Yturbide's Rise and Fall.
BY WILLIAM T. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

| ton in America. It was founded at the
| neighboring town of Patzcuaro In 1543 by the
| great bishop Don VascQ de Quiroga, and was
| removed to Morelia when this city became
| the seat of the bishoprc and the capital
of the state. 1t is to Mexico what har-
| ward or William and Mary College Is to
| our country and in its halls were educated
| or appeared as teachers several of the
| most famous men in Mexican history.
| Father Hidalgo, who first proclaimed the
| independence of Mexico. was formerly rec
| tor of the college. He was parish priest
| at the little town OF Moreles, station on
1 the Mexican National Railway, when on
| September IS, 1910, he uttered the cry of
| freedom from his pulpit This memorable
| sermon was called Eel Critic de Hidalgo,'
| and might be compared to the Boston tea
| party for its historical effect. Hldalgo
| gathered g. band of 300 men, armed only
with clubs and knives and carrying PIC
| ture of the Virgin of Guadalupe, when
| afterward became the banner OF 1ndepend-
| ence, and started toward the City of Mexico
He was driven back, however, and his UNI
| organized force was dispersed. He tried
| to make his way to the United States, but
| was betrayed, captured and executed, with
| two of his leaders, near Chihuahua. The
| Spaniards brought their heads down to
! Guiana and exhibited them the
| outer walls of the building formerly used
| as chamber of commerce, but now as a
| prison. The hook upon which Hidalgos
| head was hung may still be seen In the
walls
The execution Of this priest and this act
| of barbarism did more to arouse the lndlg-
| nation of the people than anything that
| could possibly have happened, and the en-
| tire country soon in revolt against
Spanish authority.
Morelos Succeeds Hidalgo.
| The mantle Of Hidalgo fell upon the
| shoulders of Jose Morelos, who had been
| his pupil at the College of st. Nicholas,
| and was native of this town. For four
| years he was the leader of the revolution
l.ary forces until he, too. was betrayed and
| captured, and, being priest, was turned
| over to the inquisition, which tried and
condemned him to death the 18th of
November, 1916 IAN unconfessed
hereto; abettor of heretics; a disturber
| of the ecclesiastical hierarchy; a profaner
| of the holy sacraments; a traitor to God,
| the king and the pope" Morelos was shot
on the 22d of December, 1916, and was the
| last American victim of the inquisition,
which was suppressed in the following year.
| The remains of Morelos and Hidalgo lie
| side by side in one of the chapels of the
great cathedral in the City OF Mexico, and
next to Benito Jaurez are they esteemed as
| the greatest heroes of Mexican history.
| Morelos was a native OF this city. He
| was born here September 30. 1855, and his
| birth occurred In a house which is marked
| by a tablet on the outside wall. His
| father was g. carpenter, poor, but respect
| able The house is on the Street of the
| Feathers" and the tablet reads:
| The Immortal Jose Morelos
Was Born in This House
September 80, 1895"
| The family residence, on the Street OF
| the Pretty Ones, is now occupied by a
granddaughter. DR.. Nicholas P; Morelos.
| physician and surgeon. tablet imbedded
| in the wall near the doorway Is inscribed
| as follows:
''Morelos. Tllustrel
Heroe immortal
En- esta Mansion que houro
Tu presencia. tie saluda agradiceda
En- pueblo de Morela."
| Until he was thirty years old Morelos
was an arriero, mule driver, and his
| business was to take charge of caravans
| of pack animals loaded with produce and
| conduct them over the mountains to the
| city of Mexico. He was eager for learn
! Ing however, and during his journeys spent
as much time as possible IN study. Some
| how or other Father Hidalgo, the rector
of the college, and the ambitious mule
driver formed an acquaintance and through
| the influence of the former the latter gave
| himself entirely up to study, entered the
| college, took a course in divinity and be-
came priest
Ocampo Adviser of Juarez.
Another hero of Mexican history, also a
native Of this town, Melchor Ocampo.
| He was the legal adviser of President
Juarez and wrote THE Laws of Reform"
| authority and power, its estates were con-
fscated and the religion of Mexico was
divorced from its politics. Ocampo was a
graduate of the College of St Nicholas
| and afterward rector of that institution.
He practiced law here at the same time
and exercised powerful influence in the
| community by reason of his high charac-
| ter and eminent ability. His son and
namesake inherited his law practice and
| his property, and occupies the same office.
He is regarded the leader of the bar
| In this section of Mexico and is said to
resemble his father both in appearance and
| In character.
| Ocampo was not military leader, but
statesman, and the adviser of Juarez but
he died martyr to the cause OF freedom,
having been arrested and executed on his
| own plantation at Tepeji del Rio, between
| here and Mexico, by order of the imperial
| authorities. His heart is preserved in
| Jar OF alcohol. inclosed In a casket resem-
| bling the coffin of a child. 1t lies within
| an altar in the library of the College of
| St Nicholas. 1t was presented to that In
| gtitution by his daughter, and the white
satin lining OF the casket was embroidered
| by her hands. With the heart Is lock
| OF his hair, the garments worn when he
| was shot and the manuscript of a letter
| addressed to his friends after he was con-
| demned urging them to keep up the strug-
gle for freedom. In this letter he makes
| disposition of his effects and gives his
| library to the College of st. Nicholas.
In the museum of that institution are
| many other relics of Ocampo and several
| letters addressed to him by Juarez There
are also several letters that passed be-
| tween Eidalgo and Morelos and other
| autographs and documents of great his
| toric interest. There is large collection
| of flags, arms. saddles, spurs. camp
| equipage and other military mementoes,
| silver table knife that was once used by
| Macmillan, the sword of Morelos the
| sword of Santa Ana. and. mfrabile dctu!
| wooden leg worn by that restless SOL
| der who was never at peace. This leg
| is booted and spurred, and, we are informed
4 by an inscription, was worn by him in bat
/ tie 1t offers a curious contrast to the
| heart of ocampo. The college has an In
Interesting collection of portraits of eminent
| Mexicans-one of the most valuable In the
| eountry-and the library, which formerly
| belonged to ocampo. was well selected.
Shot by Yturbide.
The hero Matamoras, another of the
earliest and ablest leaders of the revolution
against Spain, also a native of Morelia
| was shot in the plaza of this city by order
| of Gen. Yturb!de, former neighbor and
| friend who. at that time, was in command