MEXICO IN 1827. BY H. G. WARD, ESQ. Cat HIS MAJESTY'S CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES IN THAT COUNTRY DURING THE YEARS 1825, 1826, AND PART OF 1827. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1828. PREFACE. IT is difficult for a person who is desirous to lay before the Public an impartial view of the present state and capabilities of Mexico, to determine exactly at what point to commence his undertaking. Three years ago, nothing was questioned that could tend to enhance the opinion entertained of its resources. Now, the most cautious assertions are received with a smile, and facts, however well demonstrated, are hardly admitted to be such, if they militate against a preconceived opinion. This state of things is, perhaps, the natural consequence of the advantage that was taken of the first removal of those barriers, which so long separated the Old World from the New, by men, some of whom were themselves enthusiasts, while many had no better object than to turn the enthuSKESTE of others to account Both, andortunately, concurred in exciting the imagination of the ignorEIS by pictures of a state of things, that could have mofoundation in nature or trata Viewed through the median of deinsive hope, Spanish America presected nothing but prospects of red advantage. Great and instaDENNIS success was to attend every enterprise there, without the empugment of those means upon which the experience of the world has haberte proved success to depend Time, industry, perseverance. a knowledge of the scene upom which operatio were to commence of the men by whom they were to be conducted of the language and peanarities of the country, in which they were to be carried on: all these were stated to be considere tons of minor incertante: capital alone was megmesented as wanting and facts, important in themselves, were so warped and distorted, in order to favour this theory, that when its fallacy was demonstrated the facts fell to the round with the Superstructure which had been raised upon them. Unexumpled cradling amongst the disappointed. was succeeded by obstinate unbelief. Transatlantir |