4. Ten or fifteen days will be sufficient to regulate my domestic affairs, and take the necessary measures to conduct my family and myself away.

5. I will request of congress to pay from the national funds, those debts which I have contracted with some particular friends, which are not of great consideration, although congress left it to my option to make use of such funds as I thought proper; but I could not appropriate funds to my private use when necessities of the army and other public functionaries reached my heart.

88. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SPECIAL COMMISSION OF THE MEXICAN CONGRESS ON THE ABDICATION OF DON AUGUSTÍN DE ITÚRBIDE

[Mexico, April 5, 1823. Niles's Weekly Register, XXIV, 208. Published by H. Niles, Philadelphia.]

The special commission appointed to "examine the subject of the abdication of the crown" by Itúrbide made the following report. The emperor, accompanied by his family and a few friends, left Mexico for Italy, sailing from Vera Cruz on May 11 and reaching Leghorn, Italy, on August 2. He did not remain long in Italy, however, but left for England, where he arrived on January 1, 1824. On April 28 of that year the congress of Mexico declared his life forfeited should he attempt to land in Mexico. He sailed from Southampton on May 11 in the brig Spring, ignorant of that decree. Arriving at Soto la Marina on July 14, he was immediately arrested, tried, and shot at Padilla on the nineteenth of that same month. In 1838 his remains were removed to Mexico City and interred with solemn obsequies in its great cathedral.

The sovereign congress of Mexico recommended that:

1. The congress declares that the coronation of Don Augustine de Iturbide to have been the effect of violence and force, and of no validity.

2. Consequently, it declares all the acts that grew out of that measure, illegal and subject to the confirmation of the present government.

3. It likewise declares that there is no room for discussion relative to the abdication that he has made of the crown.

4. The supreme executive power shall effect, in conjunction with Don Augustine de Iturbide, his speedy departure from the territory of the nation.

5. The government shall, for that purpose, make arrangements for his departure from one of the ports of the Gulf of Mexico; freighting, on account of the nation, a neutral vessel, to carry him and his family to the place that may best suit him.

6. An annual pension, of twenty five thousand dollars, is assigned to Don Augustine de Iturbide during his life, upon condition that he establish his residence in some place on the peninsula of Italy. His family shall have a right to the pension that the law designates in case of death.

7. The congress gives to Don Augustine de Iturbide, the style of excellency.

8. The congress declares solemnly, that, at no time, it had a right to oblige the Mexican nation to submit itself to any law or treaty not made by itself, or by its representatives appointed according to the public law of free nations - consequently, it considers as not subsisting the plan of Iguala and treaties of Cordova, the nation remaining in absolute liberty to establish itself in the form of government that may be most agreeable to it.

[1839-1842. Madame Calderón de la Barca, Life in Mexico during a Residence of Two Years in that Country (1843), 26-29. Published by Chapman and Hall, London.]

Señora Calderón de la Barca was the wife of the Spanish ambassador to Mexico. She wrote a series of letters to the members of her family concerning life in the republic during the years from 1839 to 1842. At the request of William H. Prescott,

the celebrated historian, a selection from these letters was made and published in 1843. The two excerpts given below indicate the nature of Señora de la Barca's observations.

A. BREAKFAST WITH SANTA ANNA AT MANGA DE CLAVO

Yesterday morning at two o'clock we rose by candlelight, with the pleasant prospect of leaving Vera Cruz and of seeing Santa Anna. Two boxes, called carriages, drawn by mules, were at the door, to convey us to Manga de Clavo. Señor V- o, C-n, the commander of the Jason, and I being encased in them, we set off halfasleep. By the faint light, we could just distinguish as we passed the gates, and the carriages ploughed their way along, nothing but sand sand as far as the eye could reach; a few leagues of Arabian desert. At length we began to see symptoms of vegetation; occasional palm-trees and flowers, and by the time we had reached a pretty Indian village, where we stopped to change mules, the light had broke in, and we seemed to have been transported, as if by enchantment, from a desert to a garden. It was altogether a picturesque and striking scene; the huts composed of bamboo, and thatched with palmleaves, the Indian women with their long black hair standing at the doors with their half-naked children, the mules rolling themselves on the ground, according to their favourite fashion, snow-white goats browzing amongst the palm-trees, and the air so soft and balmy, the first fresh breath of morning; the dew-drops still glittering on the broad leaves of the banana and palm, and all around so silent, cool, and still.

The huts, though poor, were clean; no windows, but a certain subdued light makes its way through the leafy canes. We procured some tumblers of new milk, and having changed mules, pursued our journey, now no longer through hills of sand, but across the country, through a wilderness of trees and flowers, the glowing productions of tierra caliente. We arrived about five at Manga de Clavo, after passing through leagues of natural garden, the property of Santa Anna.

The house is pretty, slight-looking, and kept in nice order. We were received by an aide-de-camp in uniform, and by several officers, and conducted to a large, cool, agreeable apartment, with little furniture, into which shortly entered the Señora de Santa Anna, tall, thin,

and, at that early hour of the morning, dressed to receive us in clear white muslin, with white satin shoes, and with very splendid diamond earrings, brooch, and rings. She was very polite, and introduced her daughter Guadalupe, a miniature of her mamma, in features and costume.

In a little while entered General Santa Anna himself; a gentlemanly, good-looking, quietly-dressed, rather melancholy-looking person, with one leg, apparently somewhat of an invalid, and to us the most interesting person in the group. He has a sallow complexion, fine dark eyes, soft and penetrating, and an interesting expression of face. Knowing nothing of his past history, one would have said a philosopher, living in dignified retirement, one who had tried the world, and found that all was vanity, one who had suffered ingratitude, and who, if he were ever persuaded to emerge from his retreat, would only do so, Cincinnatus-like, to benefit his country. It is strange, how frequently this expression of philosophic resignation, of placid sadness, is to be remarked on the countenances of the deepest, most ambitious, and most designing men. C-n gave him letter from the Queen, written under the supposition of his being still President, with which he seemed much pleased, but merely made the innocent observation, "How very well the Queen writes!"

It was only now and then, that the expression of his eye was startling, especially when he spoke of his leg, which is cut off below the knee. He speaks of it frequently, like Sir John Ramorny of his bloody hand, and when he gives an account of his wound, and alludes to the French on that day, his countenance assumes that air of bitterness which Ramorny's may have exhibited when speaking of "Harry the Smith."

Otherwise, he made himself very agreeable, spoke a great deal of the United States, and of the persons he had known there, and in his manners was quiet and gentlemanlike, and altogether a more polished hero than I had expected to see. To judge from the past, he will not long remain in his present state of inaction, besides having within him, according to Zavala, "a principle of action for ever impelling him forward."

En attendant, breakfast was announced. The Señora de Santa Anna led me in. C—n was placed at the head of the table, I on his right, Santa Anna opposite, the Señora on my right. The breakfast was very handsome, consisting of innumerable Spanish dishes, meat and

vegetables, fish and fowl, fruits and sweetmeats, all served in white and gold French porcelain, with coffee, wines, &c. After breakfast, the Señora having despatched an officer for her cigar-case, which was gold, with a diamond latch, offered me a cigar, which I having declined, she lighted her own, a little paper "cigarito," and the gentlemen followed her good example.

We then proceeded to look at the out-houses and offices; at the General's favourite war-horse, an old white charger, probably a sincerer philosopher than his master; at several game-cocks, kept with especial care, cock-fighting being a favourite recreation of Santa Anna's; and at his litera, which is handsome and comfortable. There are no gardens, but, as he observed, the whole country, which for twelve leagues square belongs to him, is a garden. The appearance of the family says little for the healthiness of the locale; and indeed its beauty and fertility will not compensate for its insalubrity.

As we had but a few hours to spare, the General ordered round two carriages, both very handsome, and made in the United States, one of which conveyed him and C―n, the Señora and me. In the other were the little girl and the officers, in which order we proceeded across the country to the high-road, where the diligence and servants, with our guide, Don Miguel S——, were to overtake us. The diligence not having arrived, we got down and sat on a stone bench, in front of an Indian cottage, where we talked, while the young lady amused herself by eating apples, and Cn and the General remained moralizing in the carriage.

Shortly after, and just as the sun was beginning to give us a specimen of his power, our lumbering escort of Mexican soldiers galloped up (orders having been given by the government that a fresh escort shall be stationed every six leagues) and announced the approach of the diligence. We were agreeably disappointed by the arrival of a handsome new coach, made in the United States, drawn by ten goodlooking mules and driven by a smart Yankee coachman. Our party consisted of ourselves, Don Miguel, the captain of the Jason and his first lieutenant, who accompany us to Mexico. The day was delightful, and every one apparently in good humour. We took leave of General Santa Anna, his lady and daughter, also of our hospitable entertainer, Señor V- o; got into the diligence doors shut - all right — lash up the mules, and now for Mexico!