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GENERAL URREA.

377

tives; but on the contrary, nothing has been received but assurances of fidelity, and of support to the government cause. I believe that the English packet will be detained till the conclusion of this affair, but should it not be so, you need not feel any uneasiness in regard to us. Our house is full of people, money, jewels and plate our stables of horses and mules. Amongst the diamonds, are those of the Señora L, which are very fine, and there are gold rouleaus enough to set up a bank at San Agustin. Santa Anna seems in no hurry. to arrive. People expect him to-morrow, but perhaps he thinks the hour has not come for him.

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26th. The proclamation of the Governor of the department of Jalisco is published to-day, in which he observes: "The nation cannot forget that this Urrea, who has brought so many evils upon his country, this faithful friend of Mr. Carlos Baudin, and of the French squadron which invaded our territory, for whom he procured all the fresh provisions which they required, is the same man who now escapes from prison, to figure at the head of a tumultuous crowd, whose first steps were marked by the capture of his Excellency the President." Firing continues, but without any decided result. It is a sound that one does not learn to hear with indifference. There seems little doubt that ultimately the government will gain the day, but the country will no doubt remain for some time in a melancholy state of disorder. Bills are fastened to-day on the corners of the streets, forbidding all ingress or egress through the military lines, from six in the evening till eight in

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AWKWARD BLUNDER.

the morning. Gentlemen who live near us, now venture in towards evening, to talk politics or play at whist; but generally, in the middle of a game, some report is brought in, which drives them back to their houses and families with all possible haste. Señor

-, a young Spaniard who is living with us, returning here late last night, was challenged by the sentinels at the corner of the street, with the usual "Quien viva?" to which, being in a brown study, he mechanically replied, "Spain!" Fortunately, the officer on duty was a man of common sense and humanity, and instead of firing, warned him to take better care for the future.

Last night, the Archbishop paid a visit to the President, in the convent of San Agustin, to intercede in favor of the pronunciados. The mortars have not yet played against the palace, owing, it is said, to the desire of the General-in-chief to avoid the further effusion of blood.

The tranquillity of the sovereign people during all this period, is astonishing. In what other city in the world would they not have taken part with one or other side? Shops shut, workmen out of employment, thousands of idle people, subsisting, Heaven only knows how-yet no riot, no confusion, apparently no impatience. Groups of people collect on the streets, or stand talking before their doors, and speculate upon probabilities, but await the decision of their military chiefs, as if it were a judgment from heaven, from which it were both useless and impious to appeal.

27th."Long live the Mexican Republic! Long

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Thus begins the

live the Supreme Government!" Government Bulletin of to-day, to which I say Amen! with all my heart, since it ushers in the news of the termination of the revolution. And what particularly attracts my attention, is, that instead of the usual stamp, the eagle, serpent and nopal, we have to-day a shaggy pony, flying as never did mortal horse before, his tail and mane in a most violent state of excitement, his four short legs all in the air at once, and on his back a man in a jockey cap, furiously blowing a trumpet, from which issues a white flag, on which is printed News!" in English; and apparently in the act of springing over a mile-stone, on which is inscribed, also, in English "100 to New York!"

"We have," says the Government, "the grateful satisfaction of announcing, that the revolution of this capital has terminated happily. The rebellious troops having offered, in the night, to lay down arms upon certain conditions, His Excellency, the Commanderin-chief, has accepted their proposals with convenient modifications, which will be verified to-day; the empire of laws, order, tranquillity, and all other social guarantees being thus reëstablished," &c. Cuevas, Minister of the Interior, publishes a Circular addressed to the Governors of the Departments to the same effect, adding, that "in consideration of the inhabitants and properties which required the prompt termination of this disastrous revolution, the guarantees of personal safety solicited by the rebels have been granted, but none of their pretensions have been acceded to; the conspiracy of the fifteenth having thus had no other effect but to make manifest the general wish

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MADAME DE STAËL.

and opinion in favor of the government, laws and legitimate authorities." A similar circular is published by General Almonte.

Having arrived at this satisfactory conclusion, which must be as agreeable to you as it is to us, I shall close this long letter, merely observing, in apology, that as Madame de Staël said, in answer to the remark, that "Women have nothing to do with politics; "-"That may be, but when a woman's head is about to be cut off, it is natural she should ask why?" so it appears to me, that when bullets are whizzing about our ears, and shells falling within a few yards of us, it ought to be considered extremely natural and quite feminine to inquire into the cause of such phenomena.

LETTER THE TWENTY-FIFTH.

Orders

Plan of the Federalists - Letter from Farias - Signing of articles - Dispersion of the "pronunciados " — Conditions of General Valencia - Of the Governor- Address of General Valencia - Departure of our guests - The Cosmopolita State of the palace and streets Bulletin of the firing — Interior of houses Escape of families - Conduct of the troops - Countess del Ve Santa Anna - Congress - Anecdote - Discussion in Congress - Leprosy.

28th July.

TO-DAY is published the plan which was formed by the federalists for the "political regeneration of the republic." They observe, that it is six years since the federal plan, adopted freely by the nation in 1824, was replaced by a system which monopolizes all advantages in favor of a few; that evils had now arrived at that height, in which the endeavors of a few men, however illustrious, could have no effect in remedying them; rendering it necessary for all Mexicans to unite in one combined and energetic force to better their situation; that salvation can only be hoped for from the nation itself, &c. They then proceed to lay their plan, consisting of ten articles, before the public.

The first restores the constitution of '24, the national interests to be reformed by a congress, composed of four deputies from each state. By the second, the reformed constitution is to be submitted

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