THE AMERICAN CONSUL. 231 



Savage attack was made upon our excellent 

 Consul, Manuel Alvarez, Esq., who had al- 

 ways taken an active interest in the welfare 

 of American citizens. 



A few minutes after the governor had de- 

 parted for San Miguel, to encounter the Tex- 

 ans, a fellow named Martin, his nephew and 

 confidential agent, aided by a band of ferocious 

 sans culottes, and armed with a large knife, se- 

 cretly entered the house of the Consul, who 

 perceived him in time, however, to avert the 

 blow ; yet he received a severe wound in the 

 face during the scuffle that ensued : the rab- 

 ble rimning in at the same time, and vocife- 

 rating, " Sdquenh afuera! mcitenlo r-^Bra 

 him out ! kill him ! Mt Alvarez doubtless 

 owed his preservation partially to the conster- 

 nation with which the failure of their clandes- 



his life inspired the cowardly 



the 



ruffians. Instead of being punished for 

 diabolical act, the principal assassin 

 contrary, was soon after promoted in the army. 



The outrage did not end here, however; 

 for on the Consul's demanding his passport 

 for the United States, it was refused for near y 

 a month ; thus detaining him until the cold 

 season had so far advanced, that, of his party 

 (about fifteen in number), two perished from 

 the cold ; and not one arrived without being 

 more or less frost-bitten— some very severely 



besides suffering a loss of about fifty ani- 

 mals from the same cause. 



Although these and other daring outrages 

 have been dnlv represented to our Govern- 



