anticipated and desired. He was confined in the hospital of San Lazaro-a most appropriate name. I have visited many hospitals in the United States, but never have I seen such an exhibition of loathsome disease. The brother of Mary and Martha would have been a healthy-looking and well-dressed gentleman, compared with any of the inmates of this hospital bearing his name. Mr. Kendall was quietly seated amongst the lepers, looking over some American newspapers which I had sent him the evening before. I took my seat by him, and became so much interested in conversation with him, that I did not think, for some time, of the danger to which I was exposed in breathing the very air of pestilence.

I went from San Lazaro to the convent of St. Jago, where the other prisoners of the Santa Fé expedition were confined. This convent is situated on the great square of Tlatilalco, and I stood on the spot where the Spaniards at last succeeded in capturing "the hero boy" Guatemozin, who made so glorious and heroic a defence of his country against the Spanish invaders. I know of no siege recorded in history which equals that of Mexico, in the indomitable spirit and stern fortitude which were displayed, and the extent of the sufferings endured by the besieged, nor a scene more touching, nor language more truly heroic than that of Guatemozin when brought a prisoner into the presence of Cortes; "I have done all which it was my duty to do in the defence of my country and people until I am reduced to my present condition, now do with me as you please."

At the period of my arrival in Mexico, the wife of General Santa Anna, who is since dead, was dangerously ill. The night after my arrival, the last ceremonies of the Romish Church, and the last consolations of that religion

were administered to her with a magnificent procession of all the dignitaries of the church, headed by the archbishop, and numbering altogether more than twenty thousand persons; amongst whom (I place them in the order which is that of precedence there) were all the highest officers of the church, the army and the government. She was spoken of by every one, even the bitterest enemies of her husband, as a lady of rare virtue, and with the benevolence which belongs to the character of woman everywhere, she had strenuously exerted all her influence with her husband for the release of the Texan prisoners. Under ordinary circumstances, I should have felt restrained by his domestic afflictions from urging the President for my presentation, but the vessel which carried me to Vera Cruz would be detained to take home my predecessor, Mr. Ellis, and the yellow fever was raging there with an almost unprecedented fatality. I felt great solicitude for the health of the officers and crew— and was anxious that their exposure to the pestilence should be as brief as possible; I felt, too, that every moment which Kendall and other Americans were unjustly confined in Mexico, was a reproach upon their government, and although I did not for a moment suppose that I could do anything in their behalf-which, under the circumstances, would not have been done by the worthy and most faithful minister who then represented our country in Mexico-yet, I was apprised that the Mexican cabinet looked with much apprehension upon what they supposed the instructions of the new minister, and the high ground which they anticipated that he would take. I was anxious to avail myself of this state of feeling, and to enter upon my duties at the earliest moment. Notwithstanding the dangerous illness of the Senora Santa Anna, an audience was granted me. I had intended to have delivered my address

66

upon my presentation in English, but a circumstance occurring which it is not necessary to mention, determined me to risk my Spanish. I, of course, had to allude to the President's wife, and in doing so I spoke of her, ast son estimable esposa," your estimable wife; I sen no English copy of my address to the United States, but it was published in Spanish papers of the city, some of which came to this country, and the bungling translator for some of our papers translated the words " son estimable esposa," your estimable spouse. Now, although the word "spouse" is pure old English, perhaps it is a little too old, and I was a good deal ridiculed for using it, but the ridicule was due to the translator, not to me; I did not choose to correct the mistake, thinking of the story of Alcibiades and his dog-and I think I have cause of congratulation considering that I was only two years in Mexico, and that during that time so many important and difficult questions were thrown upon the mission, if this was the only cause which I gave for censure or ridicule. When I was presented, General Santa Anna and all his cabinet ministers were dressed in rich military uniforms. I was struck with the contrast to the simple unostentatious habits of our own Chief Magistrate; but it was illustrative of the difference between the two governments, the principal points of resemblance between which are in name. If Mexico ever has been a Republic, it has been a military Republic.

General Santa Anna has for the last quarter of a century played so conspicuous a part in the drama of Mexican politics and civil war, as to have attracted the attention of the world, and to have made his name in some degree historic. No history of his country for that period can be written without the constant mention of his name; indeed, I regard him, as more than any other man, the author and finisher of

the last and successful struggle of Mexico for Independence and a Republican form of government. The first abortive effort which was commenced in 1809, by Hidalgo and Allende, had not for its object the establishment of a Republic, or of free institutions; if, indeed, free institutions can exist under any other form of government. That movement had its origin in feelings of enthusiastic and devoted loyalty, which up to that time was the ruling passion in the heart of every Spaniard. The abdication of the legitimate monarch of Spain, the atrocious perfidy by which it was obtained, and the transference of the sovereignty of the country to the Emperor of France, which country had for centuries been regarded as the hereditary enemy of Spain, were the true causes of the insurrection in Mexico in 1809. It was begun under the auspices of the Spanish viceroy, and had for its object, real as well as professed, the saving of that portion of his dominions for Ferdinand VII. Although that movement was commenced by Hidalgo, a priest, and afterwards prosecuted by Morelos, another priest, yet the great body of the clergy were opposed to it, and it of course failed. I say of course failed, for a residence in a Catholic country has thoroughly satisfied me that no political movement can succeed where that religion prevails, to which the priesthood is opposed. And it will constitute a new epoch in history whenever that priesthood is not opposed to any great movement in favor of human liberty. I know no sympathy which is stronger than that of the Catholic clergy with despotic power-nothing so fatal to these pretensions as the unshackling of the human mind by the spirit and the influence of free institutions. The struggle was continued with ever-changing leaders, and various results, until 1821, when General Iturbide, a Spanish officer in command of a large army intended to crush the small remnant of the pa

triot forces, and to extinguish the smouldering embers of the revolution, went over to the cause of the patriots, and at once changed the whole face of affairs. In truth, the defection of Iturbide was in itself the revolution. The independence of the country was achieved without a single battle, or a blow being struck by Spain. But the real patriots of the country very soon discovered that it was not the liberty of their country which they had achieved, but only a change of masters. In one year and three months after the adhesion of Iturbide to the cause of independence, he usurped the supreme power, and was declared emperor by the army and a wild mob of ragged leperos. Although there was a large number of republicans, and as enthusiastic and devoted patriots as any country ever produced, the revolution was really no more a movement in favor of liberty than was that of 1809. Its real authors were the priests, and therefore it succeeded. Certain decrees of the Spanish Cortes, confiscating the estates, and otherwise encroaching upon the prerogatives of the church, caused great excitement amongst the Mexican clergy, and they put the ball of revolution in motion, never dreaming that it would roll as far as it did. The basis of the movement was what was called the plan of Iguala, or the Three Guarantees, which was drawn up by Iturbide, and submitted by him to the chiefs of the army on the 24th February, 1821, who were then assembled at Iguala. This paper sets forth the three great objects of the revolution :

1. The preservation of the holy Catholic religion. 2. The intimate union of Creoles and Europeans.

3. The separate independence of Mexico.

The form of the government was to be a limited monarchy, and the crown to be offered to Ferdinand VII. As I before remarked, the defection of Iturbide consummated