Civil Wars from 1868 to 1875.-In a country where civil war and the disturbances consequent to it had lasted for so long a time it was natural that everything should be demoralized, and thus even after our complete success against the French intervention and the so-called Empire of Maximilian, some uprisings took place, which were headed by dissatisfied Liberal leaders; and although they were not of a serious nature, and were easily subdued by President Juarez, they kept the country in an unsettled condition, and contributed to support the opinion that we were unable to maintain peace. The principal of these insurrections, that of La Noria, was headed by General Porfirio Diaz and other prominent members of the Liberal party, who were not satisfied with the policy of President Juarez, and who opposed his re-election in 1871, and proclaimed the principles of no re-election and a free ballot. His death on July 18, 1872, put an end to that insurrection, and the leaders submitted to the provisional government of Señor Don Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada, who, as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was the ex-officio President. A popular election took place in 1872, and Señor Lerdo de Tejada was elected Constitutional President. In the year 1876 he was a candidate for re-election, and that brought about the revolution of Tuxtepec, promoted by prominent leaders of the Liberal party, who again proclaimed the anti-election and free ballot principles, under the leadership of General Diaz, who placed himself at the head of that revolution. The battle of Tecoac, fought on November 16, 1876, decided the success of the Tuxtepec revolution, and General Diaz was installed as Chief Executive with full legislative powers. In April, 1877, he was elected Constitutional President, and since then he has been at the head of the Executive Department, excepting a four-years term, from 1880 to 1884, when General Don Manuel Gonzalez occupied the Executive office. The great progress which has taken place in Mexico in recent years is mainly due to the wise policy and earnest efforts of General Diaz. Among the many distinguished services that General Diaz has rendered to Mexico, perhaps the principal one is to have restored complete peace to the country. During the several terms in which he has filled the executive office he has earnestly encouraged the material development of the country, and firmly established peace and order. Material development always furnishes the best security that public peace will be maintained. It would be impossible, in the limited space at my command, to attempt, even, to give a superficial idea of the great services that General Diaz has rendered to Mexico, but as they are of recent date they are well known by all cotemporaries taking any interest in Mexican affairs. It has sometimes been stated that Mexico is ruled by an oligarchy, and if by this it is meant that the nation is divided into classes, and that one of these classes is the ruling power, then the statement may be taken as correct, as Mexico is ruled by her educated class; but if by it it is meant that a few families have the ruling power by inheritance and do not allow others to share it, then it is altogether incorrect, as the humblest citizen in Mexico, belonging to any race whatsoever, even the pure Indian, can hold the highest position in the land, if his talents, his services, and his character entitle him to it. A case in point is that of Juarez, who was by birth an humble Indian, and, after being educated, became the foremost man in the country. Disappearance of the Causes of Civil War.-It will be readily seen from this brief synopsis that the causes which brought about the civil wars in Mexico no longer exist. Ours was a contest for supremacy between the vital forces of the nation, between the old and the new ideas, which in other countries it has taken many years, and even centuries, to settle; but now our political problem is solved, the Church party is completely broken up as a political organization, and cannot cause again any serious disturbance, and the elements of civil war are now lacking. The conditions in Mexico during the Spanish rule and even after the independence, and more or less up to the issue of our reform laws in 1859, were very similar to those existing in European countries during the feudal system. The clergy and their agents and followers were, in fact, the Mexican feudal barons, and their power and influence in the country were as great as those of the European barons, as they not only monopolized the wealth and education of the country, but also exercised great spiritual or religious influence upon the minds of the people. The position of the Mexican barons was perhaps even stronger, because, instead of being at cross purposes with the king or ruling power, as the European barons often were, they had a kind of alliance with the temporal power, by which each agreed to support and protect the other. When it is considered how long it took the kings of Europe to subdue the barons, how many efforts the people had to make to accomplish that end, and what protracted and bloody wars had to be fought before it was accomplished, which was not wholly until the French Revolution, it is rather a matter of surprise that Mexico and the other Spanish American countries similarly situated should have destroyed their feudalism in comparatively so short a time. Mexico for nearly twenty years has been free from political disturbances and enjoying all the advantages of a permanent peace. Those who took part in former revolutions have either died off, disappeared, or are now interested in the maintenance of peace, because they are thriving in consequence of the development of the country. case President Diaz's guidance should fail Mexico, I am sure peace would still be preserved, because there are very strong reasons in its favor. Railways and telegraphs are great preservers of peace. In case of an insurrection it was not long ago that it took months before the Government could reach the insurgents, and in the meantime they could organize and fortify themselves and make considerable headway before they were confronted by an enemy. Now the Government can send troops at once to quell an insurrection. Peace in Mexico is as assured as it is in any other country, and life and property are as safe there as anywhere else. Public opinion seems to share this view, and capital, especially foreign capital, which is so conservative and timid, is now being freely invested in Mexican enterprises. Conclusion.-I intend to show that the Mexican revolutions have not been, as many have believed, the result of the turbulent character of the Mexican people and of their incapacity for self-government, but the necessary consequence of sociological laws, which, operating in a community with opposing interests and tendencies, produced in Mexico -as they have produced in almost every country under similar circumstances serious crises which have been the necessary conditions and the preliminary steps toward the final political organization of the country. In fact, to judge Mexico, which is a young country, by the standard of older ones, like the English nation, for instance, which several centuries ago passed through similar crises, would not be reasonable. Several centuries passed before the Magna Charta could become operative in England. During her reign, Parliament yielded the most abject submission to the arrogant despotism of Queen Elizabeth, and later to the strong will of Cromwell; and Protestant intolerance there showed itself no less fierce than Catholic intolerance did in Spain under Philip II., and yet England has passed through crises similar to those of Mexico, until finally she has reached a normal condition of things, and is now perhaps the country where more real freedom is enjoyed, and where life and property are best protected in the world. To judge Mexico, which has been struggling to attain that condition after many years of war and disturbances, by the standard of England in her present condition, or of any other equally old country, would be unphilosophical and unjust. RULERS OF MEXICO FROM THE MOST REMOTE PERIOD UP TO THE PRESENT TIME. First Period. Before the Conquest; Kingdom of Tula (Tollan). The Toltecs were 117 years making their journey from Huehuetlapallan to Tollan. The Toltec monarchy lasted 449 years-from 667 A.D. to 1116 A.D., and the successive sovereigns who reigned during that period were: Chalchinhtlatonac, founder of the dynasty; Izacatecatl, Huetzin, Totepeuh, Nacaxoc, Mitl, Queen Xiuhtlaltzin, Tecpancaltzin, and Topiltzin. During the reign of the last king the destruction of the kingdom took place (1116), and the Toltecs were no longer a nation. Kingdom of the Chichimecans (afterwards of Acolhuacan). The Chichimecans made their appearance in the plateau of Anahuac in the year 1117 A.D. Their capital was at first Tenayuca, then it was Texcoco. The kingdom of Texcoco, or Acolhuacan, ended with this sovereign, who was the most faithful ally of Cortez. Aztec Kingdom. The Aztecs settled in Anahuac in 1243 A.D., and after many years of servitude succeeded in establishing the City of Tenochtitlan in 1325. Before they established this city their leaders had been Huitzilihuitl and Xiuhtemoc, Then their kings succeeded each other as follows: By the taking of the capital by the Spaniards in 1521 and the execution of Cuauhtemoc in 1525, the kingdom of the Aztecs or Mexicans terminated. Second Perioa. From the Conquest until the End of the War of Independence. 1. Hernando Cortez, Governor and Captain-General..... 2. Luis Ponce, Governor... 3. Marcos de Aguilar, Governor... 1521 1526 1526 4. Alonso de Estrada and Gonzalo de Sandoval, Governors.... 1527 5. Alonso de Estrada, Governor... 6. S Nuño de Guzman, Juan Ortiz Matienzo, First Council..... 1527 1528 6. Pedro Moya de Contreras, Archbishop of Mexico.. 1584 7. Alonso Manrique de Zuñiga, Marquis of Villa Manrique 1585 8. Luis de Velasco, the second.. ... 1590 9. Gaspar de Zuñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey......... 1595 |