Post by TRK on Jan 4, 2008 15:14:50 GMT -5
While looking for other things in the 1849 New Orleans Daily Delta, I found this article in the October 15 number, which some here may find of interest. It was likely written by a Louisianan traveling the Mexico route to California:
"General Urrea.-- A correspondent of the Alexandria (La.) Democrat, a paper among the best of our exchanges, writing from Durango, Mexico, says:
'" The most interesting incident connected with our stay at this place, has been a visit to General Urrea, at his hacienda, four miles from the city. Gray, Calliham, and myself, with some American residents, made up the party. The old revolutionary chief is at present the military commandant of the department of Durango. his style of living is simple, his manners plain and unpretending, affable, and even familiar in conversation, and perfectly innocent of the Castilian arrogance and ostentation, the 'God and Liberty' self-glorification, without which the Mexican character almost loses its identity. We were most courteously received. The General is partial to Americans, and I am convinced that his satisfaction at the compliment paid him was unaffected. I reminded him, in the purest Castilian at my command, that the day we had devoted to our visit to him, was the anniversary of our birth as a nation, the 4th of July. His reply was somewhat facetious, and sounded, when translated into good and lawful English, very much like 'Tell me something I don't know.'"
[The rest of the article notes that most of the conversation revolved around political topics and what Urrea called the "degraded" state of his country but his optimism for its future, as well as conditions and prospects of California.]
"General Urrea.-- A correspondent of the Alexandria (La.) Democrat, a paper among the best of our exchanges, writing from Durango, Mexico, says:
'" The most interesting incident connected with our stay at this place, has been a visit to General Urrea, at his hacienda, four miles from the city. Gray, Calliham, and myself, with some American residents, made up the party. The old revolutionary chief is at present the military commandant of the department of Durango. his style of living is simple, his manners plain and unpretending, affable, and even familiar in conversation, and perfectly innocent of the Castilian arrogance and ostentation, the 'God and Liberty' self-glorification, without which the Mexican character almost loses its identity. We were most courteously received. The General is partial to Americans, and I am convinced that his satisfaction at the compliment paid him was unaffected. I reminded him, in the purest Castilian at my command, that the day we had devoted to our visit to him, was the anniversary of our birth as a nation, the 4th of July. His reply was somewhat facetious, and sounded, when translated into good and lawful English, very much like 'Tell me something I don't know.'"
[The rest of the article notes that most of the conversation revolved around political topics and what Urrea called the "degraded" state of his country but his optimism for its future, as well as conditions and prospects of California.]