The houses of Congress are again opened. The Ministers presented themselves in the Chamber of Deputies, and a short account of the late revolution was given by General Almonte, who, by the way, was never taken prisoner, as was at first reported. He had gone out to ride early in the morning, when General Urrea, with some soldiers, rode up to him and demanded his sword; telling him that the president was arrested. For all answer, Almonte drew his sword, and fighting his way through them, galloped to the citadel. Urrea, riding back, passed by Almonte's house, and politely taking off his hat, saluted the ladies of the family, hoped they were well, and remarked on the fineness of the weather. They were not a little astonished when, a short time after, they heard what had happened.
Madame de C—— and her daughter were out riding when the firing began on the morning of the revolution, and galloped home in consternation.
7th.—A long discussion to-day in Congress on the propriety of granting extraordinary powers to the president; also a publication of the despatches written by Gomez Farias during the revolution. He speaks with the utmost confidence of the success of his enterprise. In his first letter, he observes, that General Urrea, with the greater part of the garrison and people of the capital, have pronounced for the re-establishment of the federal system, and have, by the most fortunate combination of circumstances, got possession of the palace, and arrested the president. That troops have been passing over to them all day, and that the triumph of the federalists is so sure, he has little doubt that the following morning will see tranquillity and federalism re-established. The different accounts of the two parties are rather amusing. It is said that Gomez Farias is concealed in Mexico….
8th.—Paid a visit to-day, where the lady of the house is a leper; though it is supposed that all who are afflicted with this scourge are sent to the hospital of San Lazaro….
We rode before breakfast this morning to the old church of La Piedad, and, on our return, found a packet containing letters from London, Paris, New York, and Madrid. The arrival of the English packet, which brings all these nouveautes, is about the most interesting event that occurs here.
LETTER THE TWENTY-SIXTH
Visitors—Virgen de los Remedios—Encarnación—Fears of the Nuns—Santa
Teresa—Rainy Season—Amusing Scene—"Esta a la Disposocicion de V." —
Mexican Sincerity—Texian Vessels—Fine Hair—Schoolmistress—Climate—Its
Effects—Nerves—Tours de Force—Anniversary—Speech—Paseo—San Angelo-
-Tacubaya—Army of "The Three Guarantees"—Plan of Yguala—A Murder—
Indian Politeness—Drunkeness—Señor Canedo—Revolutions in Mexico—The
Penon—The Baths—General——Situation and View—Indian Family—Of the
Boiling Springs—Capabilities—Solitude—Chapultepec—The Desagravios—
Penitence at San Francisco—Discipline of the Men—Discourse of the Monk—
Darkness and Horrors—Salmagundi.
August 30th
In the political world nothing very interesting has occurred and as yet there is no change of ministry. Yesterday morning C—-n set off in a coach-and-six for the valley of Toluca, about eighteen leagues from Mexico, with a rich Spaniard, Señor M—-r y T—-n, who has a large hacienda there.
Last Sunday morning, being the first Sunday since the revolution, we had forty visitors—ladies and gentlemen, English, French, Spanish, and Mexican. Such varieties of dresses and languages I have seldom seen united in one room; and so many anecdotes connected with the pronunciamento as were related, some grave, some ludicrous, that would form a volume! The Baron de ——- having just left this for your part of the world, you will learn by him the last intelligence of it and of us.