Mexico.
The Times, 1824-09-18T00:00:00

I a pail of our impression of yesterday, we were en-, abted to state the capture atid execution of the ill-fated qx-Emperor of Mexico. WVe had not then space or time to publish any thin g but an outlinie of the facts, and a small part of the documents which refer to this eveni, so irnpprtani te Mexico, and so curious to all wlo take an interest in bold enterprises or sympathize in striking vicis- sittides. We now, therefore, proceeed to give further details an(d documents, along with the republication of our yes- terday's account. rhe ease with which this attempt against the political independence and internal tranquillity of Mexico has been crushed-the cordial zeal withb which the newvs was transmitted from the coast to the capital, and from the capital to the coast-and the testimonies of satisfaction addressed to the Suprene Governsnent from the inhabitants of all the provinces wbere the fact was known, contradict rmore tlian one falsehood respecting the state of affairs in Mexico, and destroy more than one bad omen of Ameriean independence. The ex-Emperor set sail from -England on the 11th of May last; on the 17th of July he disembarked on a distant point of the Mexican werritory. His arrival on that point, though selected by himself, was not hailed by a single partisan. Hle was arrested by an old comrade as soon as his person wvas recognized: two days after his ap- prehension, he was condemned, andl shot, in confor- mity with a decree passed tbree months before; and the intelligence of his easy overthrow and death was published in an Exthaordiazry Gazette at Mexico on the26th of July,eight days after his landing froin the English vessel. Here the per- sons in auchority in one of the most remote districts oftthe Reptbluic are feund to have doine their duty, and the roads, vntcn we were taugnti to believe were infested with rob- bers, allow of an uninterrupted and comnparativelv rapid communication of the news thlrouAh several lintes of coutn- try. We know of no event which so nearly resembles in its circumstances the.fate of Murat, both in the imprudent temerity of the adventurer, and, the general apathy ef the people whose support he came to claim. From the capital the intelligence must have been transmitted with great des- patchl to Vera Cruz, (notwithstanding the ban4s of Gomez,) for we have Mexican papers to the 1st ofAugust in London in the middle of September, or at the distance of about six weeks. As all the circumstaances connected with the arrival, move- inents, conduct, and fate of Iturbide, may be interesting to many of our readers, we shall first give a translation of the chief documents in the Gazette Extmrordinary published at Uexico on the 26th of July, anid then subjoin such further particulars of.the state of Mexico and t,ue proceedisigs of the Governmnnit respecting the ex-Emperor's family as we gather fromL otur file of the Sol, which extends to the 31st of July. The despatches from Vera Cruz, enclosinig proofs of Iturbile's departure fromn England, show the vigilant eye wlhich the Goverunmenit has for scome time been keeping on Ihis movements. GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY OF THE SUPREMlE GOVERNMENT OF THE MIEXICAN FEDERATION, Juxr, 26, 1824. The Suprcnte Government has received the following despatches by an express, which arrived yesterday evening from Vera Cruz: DOCUMENT, No 1. BMost Excellent Senor,_l; transnmit to You the copy of a private letter, which an inlhabitanit of this place has this dav received from London, relative to the departure of Iturbide for this Republic, in order that your Excellency may communicate the same to the Su. preme Executive Power. With the same view I transmit to your Excollency a jaragraph, translated from a London newspaper, relative to the same subject, promising to send you the original paper by an officer who is about to proceed with the despatches, in which Don Francisco Borja de ldigoni speaks of the same events.-God and Liberty. Jalapa, July 23. MIGUEL BARRAGAN. To the Minister of W'ar and IMarine. DOCUMENT, No. 2. COPY OF 'rTIE LETTER UEFEERED TO ABOVE. "London, Mav 17, 1824. ' By the annexed you will see how I have learned thiat Itntbide embarked at Southampton on the 11th current, taking with him his wife, twosons, and servants. hle certainly proceeds to your coast. i send this information through various channels, and therefore can- not say much, because I am busy in transcribing copies to be direct. ed to you by different ways. (A true copy) "BARRAGAN." DOCUMENT, No. 3. [This is the translation of an article from the Public Ledger ef the 21st of May, inv which letters from Italy and Paris are referred to, which speak of the departure of Iturbide as an intrigue of the French Government. ) By an express, arrived at 6 o'clock this morning from the States of Las Tamaulipas and of San Luis Potosi, the following ac- counts have been received :_ DOCUMENT, No. 4. Hcrewith your Excellency will receive No. 1, the copy of the letter which the Secretaries of the Honourable Constituent Con- gress addressed to me, whereby, and by No. 2, the copy of the Commanding General's letter, your Excellency will learn thzat the evil-disposed Don Agustin de Iturbide-notwithstanding the decree of the Sovereign Congress, dated April 28 of this year, declaring :him a traitor, and placing him out of the protection of the law, if he should set foot on the territory of the Confederacy-has dared to contravene the said decree, and to introduce himsself, disguised, into the States, doubtless with the design of disturbing the public peace and tranquWity, as may confidently be inferred fron his past con. duct. These considerations, and the above-mentioned law, which de- finitely condemned him, without doubt induced this Hoonourable Congress to decree his decapitation, ordering me to carry the same forthwith into effect; and this proceeding being in conformity with the intentions of the Supreme Authorities of the Federation, I have nmade arrangements for fulfiUing the decree as soon as the traitor (Iturbide) shall be delivered to sne. I make this communication to your Excellency in order that it may be brought under the notice of the Supreme Executive Power, with the assurance that, according as circumstances may permit, I shall, for your information and further arrangemlents, report to your Excellency whatever occurs. God preserve your Excellency many years. Padilla, July 18. JUAN FRANCISCO GUTIERREZ. JOSE ANTONIO FERNANDEZ, Sec To the Secretary of State for H4ome and Foreign AfFairs. DOCU1MENT, No. 5. [This is the No. I referred to in the precedirng letter.] LETTER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE PROVlNCIAL CON-. GRLESS TO THE GENEERAL COMMANDANT OF THE STATE OP TAMIAULIPAS, DATED PADILLA, JULY 18. Excellent Sir,-On the information of the General of the Armies of the State, that Don Agustin Iturbide arrived at Soto-Marina in an English ship, this Congress bas decreed that the decree of the Sovereign Conigress General of the 28th of April last shall be carried into execution; in which decree it is declared that Iturbide is out of the pale of the law, under whatever title he presents him- self on the territory of the federation. This resolution is communi- eated to your Excellency, that you may cause it to be executed, charging you, upon your strictest responsibility, to see Iturbide de- eapitated, allowing the proper time toprepare himself for death liLe a Christian. The Congress likewise ordere you, that without lcing a moment you call forth all the civil militia of the State,and command it to,be ready for further orders. You will oomsnunicate these orders to the Supremne Government. DOCUMENT, No. 6. LThis is the No. 2 referred to in the preceding letter of Gatierrez.1 Mjost Exceliect Senor--On the 14th instant, the English brigan- tine Spring arrived off the bar of this port, after a passage of 64- days, from London. She was stated to have on board the foreigner Charles de Beneski, and a companion of his, come to Mexico for the purpose of treating with the Government on a plan of colonization, having to thsiat edeet powers from three Irieh capitslists, merchants in London. On the following day I was waited on by Beneski, whom I wished to interrogate respecting Don Augustir Itarbide, his views, and pro- jects on this country; and Beneski having assured mein a manner which appeared sincere, that at the time of hia sailing, Itsrbide was living privately with his family, he returned to the vessel to bring on shore his companion, whom he had left on beard. Yesterday, at 1 o'clock p.m., the Commandart of the detachment at the bar informed me, that Benesli was walking on sbore, with another person, who, being disguised, could not be known. I im- mediately marched with a party of troops, intending, if necessary, to examine Bene3ki and his companion. About half-past four in the evening I came up with them in the Paraje de los Arroyog, about six leagues froM this town- I discovered that the person dis. guised was Don Agustin Iturbide, wiho, addressing himself to me, stated, that all who accompanied him were his wife and two young children ; the rest of his family having been left in London. He was conducted thence to this town under a competent escort, and his security was elTfected to my satisfaction. Under my ovwn responsibility, notwithstanding what Is provided by the law of the 28th of April relative to this individual, and con.. msidefing th$ defeneelel ad RaWseBiVede mauna Wit Whicl he jtr Rented himself to me, as If relying only on his gowd faith, Iirae de- termined to send-him to the Hononrable Congsess of thiS State, tbhat they may resolve upon whalt js fit to he done; I shall ther6tW'e march this 4vening for PadiUa, the place of the sittings Bf thP honourable Assembly.- God an* Liberty. Soto Ia Marina, July 17. PHILIP DE IjA GAZ (ZA | To the Secretary of State for the Afrairs of IVar and -aie tsnrtae- DOCUAIENT, No. 7. Mest Excellent Senor,-In conforrnity with what I stated so yot" Excellency under the dtte of the 18th, the Citizen-General DO's Philip de la Garza arrived here yesterday, haviag in custody DIt= Agustin de Ittrbide, whomn he Immediately placed at the di5poS : of the Hon. Congress of this State. The Congrese, desiring tbe ful- filment of the sovereign decree of the 28th of A-pril, by which thc said Iturbide is proscribed and outlawed, directed that theCitizen- General should order the punishment of death so be inflicted,S as WR5 his duty, according to the aforesaid decree; and thesame Was cCt. ried into afRc. by shooting the prisoner yesterday at 6_jj2 the evening- This event wilU cert4inly suppress all the corimotidons which were every moment to be apprehended from the proselytes of Iturbide, and wiU give unifornity anil concentration to public opinion infavoiur of the system which we bave happily adopted,, for, one of the cautes of vacillation bing removed, its effects must necessarly cere. ? therefore hasten to make this communication to your PeeflencYi it order that the Supreme Exectitive Power, on being informea rbere' of, may be Dleased to sanction this proceding with its spprob n sir'4 and at the same time to direct what is to be done with thefa il , suite of Iturbide, who are dletained in Soto la ar!ieina until the adJ-N termination of the Government be known. I leave it to the Ctizen- General, as he is most proper, to give your Excellency an accoUnt of the whole transaction, as he is best acquainted with nll the detatl5 (God preserve your Excellency many years. JOSE BERNARDO GUTIERRPZ DE LARA- JOSE ANTONIO FERNANDEZ, Secrete.-. PadilLa, July 20. UJOCUIlRNT, - No. U. Most Excellent Sir,-I wrote yon from La Marina tnder dac Of hle 17th, in what circumstances I arrested Don Agustin Iturbitdei mnd that it apcaring to me proper to mitigate the law of the 2(1115 Df April, in consequence of the cir.umstatices in which I founilhiins. I proceeded to present him to the honourable Congrese of the Srate; At eight o'clock this morning I arrived at thc city; at three inii.h' sfternoen was delivered to me the declaration conformably to the! said law of the 28th of April; and at six on the sme evening it was necessary to ereccute it, as appears by the certificates a hich I en. close, writhout depositions or other examinations, lest public feeling sbould be compremised if it was delayed. I beseech your Excel- lency to make known this intelligence to the Government, and te- press to the country the sacrifice-of my regret. Padilla, July 19. (Signed) PHILIP DL LA GARZA. To the Alinister of War. DOCUMENT, No. S. In the city of San Antonio de Padilla, on the 19th of Ju - the illustrious Junto of the said city being met, we dedre Jon ti force of truth, that we certify as far as can be done, that e h ? ? Don Agustin de Iturbide as a prisoner enter our city on date, conducted by citizen General Philip de la Ga, ca, a't4t 'ici in conformity with the decree of the28th of April, --f'es'ea'irt: transmitted by the Constituent Congress, was shot :e esm>- day, at six o-clock in the evening. W'e deciare thi: to be certain, and that we haye seen his dead body; and that it may be p?oved, we have, on the request of the Citizen.General, given our pre,4nt certificate, with which we pledge our faith, and which we sign wvth the above date. JOSE RICARDO ACEBEDO. JOSE ANTONIO PAZ, First Regidor. IGNACIO SENA, Second Regidor, JOZE LUIS DE LA FUENTE, ProcurorSyndic. DUCUMENT, No. 10. I, citizen, priest, Jose Miguel de la Garza Garcia, member of the Honourable Congress of the State of Tamaulipas, and curate of the city of Padilla, certify that a dead body, which is deposited in a house Dear the parish church of this city for the purpose of interment to-morrow, is the same as the body of the person of Don Agustin de Iturbide, whose entrance I observed this morning, and whom I saw shot in the evening. That there may be no doebt upon this sub- ject, I give the present certificate at the request of the General wbo commands the army of this state. (Signed) JOSE MIGUEL DE LA GARZAA GARCIa. July J9. DOCUMENT, No. 11. LThis paper nmerely states that General de is Garza was about to return on the 19th to Soto la Alarina, to see if the family papers and baggage of Itutbide had been landed.] DOCUMENT, -No. 12. TO T5SE MIXISTER OF WAR. Most excellent Sir,-As I mentioned in my letter of yesterday, which I transmitted by an extraordinary coarier, the necessary ar- rangements were made, that the armesl force of this state should oc- cupy the frontie-rs In the same manner, all the garrison of this ca- pital was prepared to march this afternoon attwo o'clock, for the pur- pose of advancing upon Iturbide wherever he was to be found; but the whole of these movements have been suspended, on rry having re- ceived from the honourable Congress an official notification that the said Iturbide had been shot in Padilla on the 20th current. (In the other stutements the l9th is mentioned.) Penetrated with the danger which the appearance of Irabride on the territory of rhe republic presented, and the neces. sity of crushing his views before they met with any support, I did not hesitate for a moment to make the object of my expedition his overthrow at aU hazards ; and if I *ras so resolved from the nature of the case, I found myself no less secure of the result in corse- quence oftlie zeal and activity with which I was seconded by all thc authorities, and the enthusiastic desire which all tbte officers of the garrison testified to arrive at a state of things in wvhich we could Sit, down without risl-, and say that we are free and indePendent. 1, pleaeed, therefore,to assure the Supreme Government that the gar i son -of San Luis Potosi has given an unequivocal proof ofits lovc for liberty, and recommend to its high consideration the zeal and obe- dience of which it lhas given so many proofs in the last days of the re- volution.-God and liberty! Luis Potosi, July 23. JOSE ARMIGO. DOCUIMENT, No. 13. 12TH BATTALION OF THE LtxE.-TO THE XTY7STER ronl FOREIGIZ AF?5I}nS. By the extraordinary despatches which your Excellency will re ceive along with this, I have been informed that the traitor Don Agustin de Iturbide is on our soiL Your Excellency may asgure the Government, tnat I shall have the glory of being the first, if neccs.. sary, to fly to the extermination of the monster.-God cad Liberty ! (Signed) JOSE JOAQUIN DE AYESTARAN. San Luis Potosi, July 22. DOCUMENT, No. 14. [This is a despatch written by the same zealous chief, declaring that the news of Iturbide's execution was received at San Luis Po- tosi with tears of joy.] Such is the short history of this striking miscalculation of talent and means-of this most nerveless of all effor- - to recover a usurped throne. Had Iturbide got to tht ivest instead of landing on the east, and hadt he arrived on the Mexican territory about the time he was setting out from England, he might have had iome chaitce of sue-. cess from the zeal of his friends and the distracted state of parties; though he has shown by the result of his opera. tions that he never could place much reliance on his own experience of mankind, or the resources of his own mind. But by the overthrow of his partisans in Guadalaxara, all -his hopes had been biasted in that quarter; and the Ge-. verninent having been made awnare of his desins, and pro v *.ided for his apprehension ill case of landing, had mae it iamost certain death for him to appear on any part of the eastern coast. It will be seen by he above documents, bov the intelligence of his arrival and execution was communi. cateE end received in the province 'where he tisembarlkeal In Mexico the news seems not to have been welcomed with any unseemlv exultation over a faUen enemy, or any turnuj. tuous feeling of recovered security. The Sol only pusblisheg the official bulletins, and gives not a word of commaent the first three days. On the 29th of July it containsthe fo1. lowing temperate and generous remarks " We have received various, communications rela- tive to the aeath of Iturbide; but we think that we ought to insert nonse of them' in our paper. Hu. nianity and policy equally counsel us not to disturb the ashes of the dead. His misfortunes ought to nB us forget his previous conduct, since he has expiatF,s by his death whatever offences he had committed ag- his country. Such, at least, shallU be our conauct o, present occasion. 'Whilst Itarbide lived arnd vas dat. ous, we constntly endeavoured to expose the mance, of his pttitaos t put the nation on its guard against them, and events have confLrsiied our predictions. 1e i now dead, and this circumstance changes the etate of things. Let us commiserate bis misfortune, anh lit us elQ. deavour to sink into oblivion the mournful divisions into which we were about to be plungaed. Let this be theepoch of reconciliation; and, foreting t'ne niunber of partier which drag us to our ruin, let there be no party but the nation-no desire aming us but that of consolidating it5 beneficent institutions." aThe Sovereign Congress and the Governineat seem to be ahtuated by the seane feelings of inoderatiois anD, mercy. 1Thi1e addreisses were arriving frofp'the provanees conlrat.ulating them on the adventurer's ifato we find a considerable party in the Congress disposed to,upr5vide m., bermlly for his widow and children. On S proposition being mnace in the sitting of tbe 27th of July, to authorize the Government to send this widow and her children out of the country to any place they thought proper,; many Mfemniers delivered their opinions. The Minister for Fo. reign A?airs said, that the lixecutive Vwas far from wishing to aggravate the Iitery of an unhappy family; but it con- sidered, that till their institutions were consolidated, it might be dangerous for this family to inhabit the Republic of' Miexico, or any place from wbich they might easily re- turn to it. A Senor Bastamente was of the same opiniioni. He thought that the fatetious should not be allowed such a rallying point as the eldest son of the Pretender, who, he lieard, was of perverse inelinations, and disposed to follow Up bis father's tyrannical ideas. Several Members admitted the propriety of banishing the family, but denied the riglht of Congress to fix their residence in another country. After a good deal of diseussien, the. first article for empowering the Government to dispose of tlhe ex-Emperor's family was agreed to. On-the following day (July 29), the debate was resitmed on the tnode of disposing of Iturbide's widow and 3hi'dren, when the following proposition was made and discuased namely, "The Government shall punctu- #11Y pay to D'o'na Ana Hecarte, 8,000 dollars annually. And her children, on her death, shall enjoy i correspond- ing allowance under the rules of military pensions. Se- veral members supported this propositioti, on the ground dlat the crimes of Iturbide furnished no reason why his fomily shlould be deprived of the decent provision made by in 'anterior Congress. Public decency dlictated that somne Mvision should be made for persons who were, for reasons of' State, condemned to reside out of their native lan(l. One member proposed as au aacndment, that the above :Aum of 8,000 lollars imnould be allowed, but should be lodged in the bank of Philadelphia, and drawn only so long as the famnily should roside in the republic of Colom- bia. 'Phe Sec,retary of State for Foreign Affairs saw no Jpposiltion between this amendment asd the original 'prOPosition. The Government tvould of course reserve to itaelf the right of withdrawing the pension, if 410 family neglecteA to observe the condition of residence 'on W'hich it was granted. Two members objected to the -granting ofany pension, on the groun(d that other widowvs and Orphans deserved better of the republic, an(I ought to 'have their claims first attended to. The first part of the proPOsitiorn, granting the pension to Madame Iturbide, was agreed to. The latter part of it, extending the same to her family ulfter her death, was postponed for further consider.- atiOn-, and we {save not the result in the papers before us. The fo3,Aowing at ca few of the miscellaneous facts in these i ournals :-The Sovereign Congress have passed a decree, which has received the sanction of the Executive, U-ao'wledging the debts of Mlexico under the Vice-regal Governments, up to the declaration of independence. ' le taine decree acknowledges the (lebts contracted by the In- detiendeiat Chiefs before the reign of Iturbide. Let Fer- fiuandl of Spain look at this, and justify his refusal to ac- tiow1edge his obligation to the creditors by whom lie was -e1b1ed and fedl under his constititional sway. A robber has appearedi in one of the missions of Sierra Gorda, wlho promises to be as adroit anda celebrated as Go- mez2 on the highway from Vera Cruz to Mexico. *rhe disturbances in Yucatan and Tabasco had not been entirel' appeaseld on the 22d of June, as appears from a atter dated Camnpeachly, inserted in the Sol of the 15th of JlttAy The agitators were soon expected to be overpowered. (0t'neral Bravo, after putting down the disaffected of the Guadalaxara, and restoring the country to returned to Mexico on the 27 tll of July, where e wais received with great distinction and applause. In a dliscussion whiclh took place in Congress on the 13th of July, a proposition was made to approximate the Go- vernment of Mlexico to that of the United States, by creat- ing one President instead of an Executive of three persons. If this project be carried, it is supposed that General Bravo will be appointed first President. EXTRACT Or A LETTER FROM lMEXICO, DATED JULY 28. 'The important events of the arrival, apprehension, and execution of the ex-E1nperor Iturbide will of eourse cause great sensation with you. Here they were all an- nounced at one and the same moment, so that, most for- tunately for the quiet of this country, there has been no time to concert any meas-ares to favour his designs. By the 'Gazette, which we enclose, you will findl all the details made known to the public. TChis well-timed and energetic measure, adopted by General Garza, who wasin command in theprovince where Iturbide landed,has given the death- blow to the hopes of all parties who wishedI to arrest the march oftthis country towards establishing a rational inde- pentlence. There is no one powerful enough here to moe- nace the tranquillitv of the state, wlhich had hitherto only succeeded under the pretence of restoring the Emperor. The hopes of the oldl Spaniardls have long since been dissi- pated opreconquering this territory, and the intrigues of the Bourbons, or indeed of any of the IPotentates of th0- Holy Alliance, are not worth mentioning, so long as Eng. land maintains its present defensive attitude in favour of Ainerican liberty. " In a financial point of view, the death of Iturbide is of incalculable advantage; for if he hall advanced to the capital, so much (lisorder would have been created, that it would have been next to an impossibility to collect the various branches of the revenuc. " The insurrectioti in Guadalaxara and Oajaca were very fortunately put dowtiI in time. A nephew of Iturbide, Gar- cias, with some other rebels, were salot by order of General Bravo there. Another of his nephews, and a priest, have bcen arrested at Taampico, and orders have been sent off'for tlheir immediate execution." MEXICO. CAPTURE AND EXECUTION OF ITURBIDE.