interfered with the proposed annual renewal of the enterprise.[1]
The preceding observations apply especially to the central provinces, comprising the greater part of the population, yet the north and south are not altogether an exception, although here the war of races on the one side, and the devastating ravages of wild Indians on the other, spread a great blight. There were also the common afflictions attending the inroad of cholera in 1850,[2] and the agitation of parties blind to everything but their own ambitious purposes. Their dissension and strife extended to the congress itself, obstructing, neutralizing, defeating every effort to aid the government in its all-important task of reorganization and reform. Against such indifference and opposition, even the best of men could not have succeeded, much less the somewhat incongruous and experimental body under Herrera, varied during a period of two years and a half by sixteen different changes in the finance ministry, and eight in those of relations and justice. Herrera was a man of proverbial honor and rectitude, well meaning, and full of beneficent projects; but he lacked energy and firmness to carry them out, and not having sufficient discernment to select and retain the most fitting advisers, he yielded too readily to more positive minds like Arista's, which were intent rather on their own aims, or unable to cope with the task undertaken. Nevertheless, when we con-
- ↑ The project adds another to the many laudable efforts of the able Lúcas Alaman, at this time president of the abused conservative monarchical ayuntamiento of the capital. So eagerly was it received by the people that 379 objects were sent in the first day. Alaman accordingly formed a Junta de Fomento de las Exposiciones, and prepared to open the second fair in May 1850, when the cholera came to stop the preparations. His death and later wars proved additional checks. For reports of the exhibition, see Monitor Rep., Oct. 31, 1849, et seq.; Tio Nonilla, Nov. 5, etc., with awards; also Cortina's review, in Discurso Cient., pt. xiii. 1-12; and Arrangoiz', Méj., ii, ap. 7-16, as one of the committee.
- ↑ The deaths from which were estimated by Oct. at 14,000. Precautionary decrees had been issued as early as Jan. 1849. Méx., Legisl. Mej., 1849, 6. Round Fresnillo a failure of crops gave rise to outbreaks among the afflicted, Variedades Jurisp., i. 286-305, and Mexico suffered in March 1850 from a heavy fire. Rivera, Mex. Pint., ii. 271-2.
