408 



MEXICO. 



terra of 3 years, being ineligible for a second term ; a Vice-President, chosen in the sam» 

 manner, and for the same period, presides over the Senate. The legislative department is 

 composed of the 2 Houses of Congress, a Senate chosen for the term of 3 years, and a House 

 of Representatives chosen annually. The President nominates, and with the consent of the 

 Senate, appoints the principal executive officers ; but the judges are elected by joint ballot of 

 the 2 Houses, for terms of 4 years. 



10. History. The Spaniards established a post at Bejar, in the year 1681, but it continued 

 to be a mere military post until 1719, when a colony of Canary Islanders was seated here. 

 The province was at this time called the New Philippines, and several missions and presidio^ 

 or military posts existed in ditTerent quarters. A party of patriots conmianded by Gutierrez, 

 captured the Alamo and Bahia in 1S12, but were soon after defeated under General Toledo. 

 The republic of Fredonia, proclaimed at Nacogdoches in 1819, was a short-lived state. The 

 American immigration into the province began in 1821, when Austin obtained a grant of a large 

 tract of land from the Mexican government. As the number of immigrants increased, they 

 became desirous of forming a separate State ; but their request was rejected, and when the 

 federal constitution was overthrown by violence, in 1834, the inhabitants refused to acknowledge 

 the new government, and established a provisional government for themselves. In the follow- 

 ing spring, Santa Anna, the President of the Mexican liepublic, invaded the province in per- 

 son, and captured the Alamo or fortress of Bejar ; but was defeated and made prisoner by 

 General Houston, on the San Jacinto, April 21. Meanwhile, a convention composed of dele- 

 gates from all the districts, had assembled at Washington, and declared Texas to be a free, 

 sovereign, and independent State (March 2), and a constitution was adopted on the 17th of 

 that month. 



CHAPTER LIV. MEXICO. ^ 



1. Boundaries and Extent. Mexico is bounded on the N. by the United States; E. by 

 the United States, Texas, and the Gulf of Mexico ; S. by the Republic of Central America ; 

 and W. by the Pacific Ocean. It extends from lat. 16'^ to 42^ N., and from long. 87° to 124° 

 W., being about 2,000 miles in length from N. to S., and from 150 to 1,200 in breadth, with 

 an area estimated at about 1,300,000 square miles. 



2. JVIountains. The country is traversed from south to north by a chain of elevated moun- 

 tains, which is composed of several branches. The Central Chain enters the country on ihe 

 south, and bears the local names of the Cordilleras of Jlfexico, the Sierra JlJadre, Sierra 

 Jllindres, &c. ; passing into the United States, it is known as the Rocky Mountains. It con- 

 sists, strictly speaking, of an elevated table-land from G,000 to 8,000 feet high, from which, as 

 from a base, rise irregular ridges and lofty summits. Some of the most elevated summits of 

 this chain are the Popocatepetl^ or the Mountain of Smoke, a volcano covered with perpetual 

 snow", its elevation being 17,835 feet above the level of the sea ; and the Istaccihuall., or the 

 White Woman, having an altitude of 15,700 feet. These mountains are distinctly visible from 

 the city of Mexico, and the snow with which they are covered is of an extraordinary brilliancy. 

 The JYevado de Toluca is another colossal summit, 22 miles to the southwest of Mexico. It 

 is 15,156 feet above the level of the sea. The Citlaltepetl, or the Star Mountain, called also 

 Orizaba, is visible from Vera Cruz ; it is 17,376 feet above the level of the sea. The JVauh- 

 campatepetl, or the Coffer of Perote, is 13,514 feet above the level of the sea. There aie 5 

 volcanoes in activity near the parallel of 19° N. ; Orizaba, Popocatepetl, Tustla, Colima, and 

 Jorullo. The Volcan de Jorullo is of recent origin. It sprung up in 1759, in the centre of a 

 vast and beautiful plain in the intendancy of Valladolid, and the air around it is still heated by 

 the action of the small funnels or ovens. This chain of mountains is remarkable for its rich 

 silver mines. Near Guanaxuato it sends off two branches, the Eastern, or Sierra of Catorce, 

 of which the JMasserne Mountains arc a continuation, and the Western, which sinks down in 

 California. Another chain rises in the Californian peninsula, and passes north into Oregon 

 District. 



3. Rivers. The Mexican rivers rise in the central plateau or table-land, and flow easterly 

 mto the Gulf of Mexico, or westerly into the Pacific. In the south, where the distance from 

 the mountains to the sea is small, there are no considerable rivers. In the north, are the head 

 waters o\ the Red River and the Arkansas, which pass into the TTnited Stales. The Rio dd 



