Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/477

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MOSQUERA
MOTA-PADILLA

Buenos Ayres settled in Asuncion, where his descendants still live.


MOSQUERA, Tomás Cipriano de, Colombian statesman, b. in Popayan, 30 Sept., 1798; d. in Coconuco, 7 Oct., 1878. He entered the patriot army in 1813, and in 1816 was taken prisoner by the Spaniards, but escaped to Jamaica. On his return, early in 1819, he joined the patriot forces again, and took part in all the campaigns of Colombia and Peru, the latter under Bolivar, who promoted him to the rank of general in 1829, and sent him as envoy to Peru. After Bolivar's death he emigrated to the United States, and travelled through Europe, returning to his country in 1833 to occupy a seat in congress. He became a skilful and distinguished soldier in the civil wars of his country, and played an important part in her history. He was senator, secretary of state, minister to foreign countries, and president of the republic. Under his administration, from 1845 till 1848, the country prospered in every respect. In 1859 he was eommander-in-chief in the revolution that overthrew the conservative government of Ospina. He summoned a convention for the constitution of a new government, according to the federal system and on the most liberal principles. Capital punishment was abolished, religious toleration was proclaimed, and freedom of the press was established. Congress granted Mosquera in 1863 the title of grand-general, and in 1864 an annual pension of $12,000. In 1866 he was again elected president, but in May, 1867, by a successful revolution, he was deprived of his office, tried, and banished to Lima, where he was crowned with honors and granted a pension. After three years he returned, and became governor of the state of Cauca and member of congress. He was a member of several scientific societies, and wrote a “Vida de Bolívar” (New York, 1853) and a “Memoria sobre geografía física y política de la Nueva Granada.”


MOSS, John Calvin, inventor, b. near Bentleysville, Pa., 5 Jan., 1838; d. in New York city, 8 April, 1892. He received a common-school education, and became a printer, publishing “The Colleaguer” in Washington, Pa. Meanwhile he became interested in photographic chemistry, and devoted considerable attention to the subject of photo-engraving. He experimented for many years, and finally, while in Philadelphia, obtained a relief plate from which printed impressions could be made. In 1863 he came to New York and continued his experiments in perfecting the process. Having interested various persons in the enterprise, he founded the Actinic engraving company in 1870, and became its superintendent. In 1872 he became the superintendent of the Photoengraving company, which office he held until 1880, when he established the Moss engraving company, of which he became president and superintendent. The present corporation owns the largest plant of its kind in the world, and its work is a substitute for wood-engraving, accomplished by chemical means. Mr. Moss was the first to make photo-engraving a practical business success, and while his methods have never been patented, he is known as the inventor of what is called the “Moss process,” “Moss new process,” and the “moss-type process.”


MOSS, Lemuel, educator, b. near Burlington, Ky., 27 Dec, 1829. He was a printer for nine years in early life, but, deciding to enter the Baptist ministi-y, was graduated at Rochester, N. Y., university "in 1858, and at the theological school there in 1860. He was secretary of the U. S. Christian commission in 1863-'5, and alter holding theological professorships in Lewisburg, Pa., and at Crozer seminary, near Philadelphia, was in 1874-'5 president of "the Univei-sity of Chicago, and in 1875-84 of Indiana university. He received from Rochester the degree of D. t). in 1868 and that of LL. D. in 1883. Dr. Moss edited the "National Baptist" in Philadelphia in 1868-72, and has written "Annals of the United States Christian Commission" (Philadelphia, 1866) and various articles on educational and religious subjects. He edited "The Baptists and the National Centenary" (1876).


MOSS, Thomas, Canadian jurist, b. in Cobourg, 20 Aug., 1836 ; d. in Nice, France, 4 June, 1881. He was educated at Upper Canada college and the University of Toronto, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1861. He became a partner of Hector (now Sir Hector). Cameron, and afterward of James Patton, and still later became a member of the firm of Harrison, Osier and Moss. In 1871 he was appointed equity lecturer for the Law society, in 1872 became queen's counsel, and in the same year declined the offer of the vice- chancellorship. In 1873 he was elected to the Dominion parliament for west Toronto. He was re-elected in 1874, but, on being appointed a judge of the court of appeals, he left parliamentary life. He became president of the court of appeals in 1877, and, at the death of Chief-Justice William H. Draper, chief justice of Ontario in 1878.


MOTA, Alonso de la (mo-tah), Mexican R. C. bishop, b. in the city of Mexico about 1550; d. in Puebla, 15 April, 1625. He was graduated at the University of Mexico and appointed pastor of Chiapa, which pai'ish is still known as Chiapa de Mota. He afterward went to Spain, and was nominated successively by the king for the deaneries of the cathedrals of Michoacan, Puebla, and Mexico. He declined the bishopric of Nicaragua and Panama, but was obliged to accept that of Guadalajara, which he occupied from 1599 till 1607, when he was appointed coadjutor of the bishop of Tlaxcala. In 1601 he pacified the Indian tribes of the Topia mountains, and on his return visited the warlike Tepehuanes, converting many of their caciques by means of their Aztec interpreters, which language he spoke fluently. He also founded in the city of Puebla the College of San Ildefonso for the Jesuits. He wrote " Historia y Descripcion de la Nueva Galicia, sus Ciudades y Puertos, Indios tributarios y de encoraienda," the manuscript of which is in the Royal library, and " Relacion del alboroto y pacificacion de la "Sierra de Topia," which was published by Father Torquemada.


MOTA-PADILLA, Matias de la, Mexican historian, b. in Guadalajara, 2 Oct., 1688 ; d. there in 1776. Very little is known about his youth, but it is believed that he studied in the College of San Jose de Gracia. On 4 May, 1711. he was graduated in law in Mexico. From 1713 till 1739 he obtained different employments, and he was then appointed treasurer of the audiencia of Guadalajara, and from 1744 till 1748 served as associate judge of the criminal court. He began the establish