Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/543

 APPENDIX. 503 tion of the Constitution, in return for t^iis benefit, sacked the town of Orizava: every European who has since fallen into the hands of the rebels has been put to death, even at the very gates of the capital ; nor has there been one example of a single individual belonging to the rebel armies having recognized your Majesty's authority, or laid down his arms out of respect for the Constitution. Yet they affirm in the twen- tieth Number of the Correo Americano del sur, of the 8th of July, 1813, that the Constitution has been violated ; that it is for this that they are in arms ; and that upon its strict observance depends the peace of America. 4.5, But the effrontery with which they change their ground, in order to excuse their conduct, is scandalous. 46. Your Majesty may judge of what they think of the Constitution by what they say of its authors. 47. In the Correo, Number twenty-one, they affirm, " that the Cortes of Cadiz are composed of men so impious and immoral, that the very natives of Geneva (aun los Ginebrinos) would be ashamed of own- ing them as associates. They have abolished a tribunal which will one day judge them, and they are preparing to give a death-blow to Religious Orders, and to the treasures of the Church, at the same time." 49, In the Correo, Number twenty-four, of the 5th of August, they return to the charge, and say, that " the Government of Cadiz, is a bar- barous, factious, and impious Government, more the enemy of Ferdinand than the French themselves." 51, Your Majesty must not think that these Proteuses think more highly of the Constitution than those by whom it was framed ; they wish, indeed, as well they may, that it should be established in those towns which they do not occupy, because of the assistance which it affords them in their projects ; but far from adopting or desiring it for themselves, one of their principal chiefs, Jos^Osorno, stated in a procla- mation of the 26th of last December, " that he and all his followers would perish, or succeed in giving to Mexico a constitution which should ensure the happiness of her sons." 55._^The rebels have never desired a constitution from Spain, al- though it came down from heaven : as to Independence, they repeat the term because it was used by Hidalgo, whose disciples they are ; but this only proves that some men, better informed than the rest, invoke it be- cause it suits their views. They know the difficulty of establishing it, in despite of the most constant nation in the world: they know, too, that the heterogeneous classes of which the population of New Spain consists, could never form a regular government. Their own interest is their only motive, as was proved by Hidalgo, when he fled to the United States with six millions of dollars. 57 Nor has the Constitution been productive of better effects in those provinces, which, being occupied by our troops, are unable to fol-