that it was identical with the independents, and the partiality which he displayed, far from appeasing the spirit of discontent, only served to fan the flames by undesigned encouragement. It was as cunning a by-play as the age can boast, and most successful withal. [1] And all the while the good old prelate was thus unwittingly playing into the hands of independence, he was in truth intensely loyal to Spain. Money he sent without stint, and money was always Spain's most chronic desire. Besides obtaining large donations, he surrendered all the surplus funds of his ecclesiastical revenue, and even threw in his salary. [2]
On the 26th of July an Englishman, Andrew Cochrane, arrived in Mexico, the bearer of an order from the junta central of Spain for the sum of three million pesos, on behalf of the British government. The treasury was empty, and again the colonists were asked to give, give! [3] The viceroy appealed for a loan; the call was answered with astonishing promptness, and by the 7th of August $2,955,435 had been subscribed by the commercial class and other persons of wealth. The remainder was soon made up; and the commissioner, after being royally entertained, returned to his vessel, bearing with him the three million pesos, and a high appreciation of the wealth of Mexico [4] and the
- ↑ Lizana was by no means a supporter of independence, except by accident, and without knowing it. 'Este prelado en ningun sentido podia llamarse amigo de la independencia; pero testigo de los escesos cometidos en muchos meses por los Españoles, aprensores de Iturrigaray, habia concebido por ellos una conocida aversion.' Mora, Mej. y sus Rev., iii. 303.
- ↑ 'He cedido gustosamente para las urgencias de la corona el sobrante de mi renta episcopal; y cedo gustosisimo para el mismo efecto los sueldos del virreynato.' Gaz. de Mex., xvi. 700.
- ↑ Cancelada, Tel. Mex., 32. Consult also Gaz. de Mex., xvi. 619-20, 703; Diario de Mex., xi. 119-20.
- ↑ Gaz. de Mex., xvi. 761-4. Among the subscribers of large sums to the loan, I notice the names of Antonio Bassoco, $200,000, Domingo de Acha, $150,000, and Prior Francisco Alonso Teran and his brother Antonio, $200,000. The total, as given by Cancelada, Tel. Mex., 36, was $3,210,435. Cochrane was entertained with great hospitality. At Puebla he was presented with two valuable paintings by Murillo! Alaman, Hist. Mej., i. 304. This last author states that $400,000 of the above contribution were forcibly taken from the house of the duke of Terranova, marqués del Valle, and a descendant of Cortes. Id., 3056. Bustamante, however, informs us that Lizana had received orders to confiscate the property of Terranova, who had attached himself to the party of Joseph Bonaparte. The sum which was seized, as
