INTERNAL TROUBLES AMEASSADORS AT QUERETARO. 429 



Mexico, California, and Yucatan from representation ; the two first 

 being in possession of the United States and the latter in revolt. 

 The disturbance in Yucatan which had been for some time ferment- 

 ing, broke out fiercely in July, 1847, and became, in fact, a long 

 continued war of castes. The Indian peones and rancheros, under 

 their leaders Pat and Chi, carried fire and sword among the thinly 

 scattered whites, until relief was afforded them by Commodore 

 Perry, the Havanese, the English of Jamaica and some enlisted 

 corps of American volunteers returning from the war. About Tus- 

 pan and Tampico on the east coast, — in the interior State of Gua- 

 najuato, — and on the northern frontiers of Sonora, Durango, and 

 San Luis, the wild Indians, and the semi-civilized Indian laborers 

 were rebellious and extremely annoying to the lonely settlers. 

 There were symptoms everywhere, not only of national disorgani- 

 zation, but almost of national dissolution. Yet, difficult as was the 

 position of the government, amid all these foreign and domestic 

 dangers, every member strove loyally to sustain the nation and its 

 character until the return of the ratified treaty. Money was con- 

 tributed freely by the friends of peace, who sought a renewal of 

 trade and desired to see the labors of the mines and of agriculture 

 again pursuing their wonted channels. The clergy, too, who 

 feared national ruin, annexation, or complete conquest, grudgingly 

 bestowed a portion of their treasures ; and thus the members of 

 Congress were supplied with means to assemble at the seat of 

 government. 



On the 25th May, a brilliant cortege of American cavalry was 

 seen winding along the hills towards Queretaro as the escort of the 

 American commissioners, who were welcomed to the seat of gov- 

 ernment by the national authorities, and entertained sumptuously in 

 an edifice set apart for their accommodation. The town was wild 

 with rejoicing. Those who had been so recently regarded as bit- 

 ter foes, were hailed with all the ardor of ancient, and uninterrupted 

 friendship. No one would have imagined that war had ever been 

 waged between the soldiers of the north and south who now shared 

 the same barracks and pledged each other in their social cups. If 

 the drama was prepared for the occasion by the government, it was 

 certainly well played, and unquestionably diverted the minds of the 

 turbulent and dangerous classes of the capital at a moment when 

 good feeling was most needed. 



Congress was in session when our commissioners arrived, and 

 on the same day the Senate ratified the treaty, which, after a 

 stormy debate, had been previously sanctioned by the Chamber of 



55 



