thought themselves lost. Peraza, who commanded the guard over the prisoners, ordered his men to point their muskets at the prisoners. Guillermo Prieto dissuaded the soldiers from firing, and they left the room. Landa and one Morett tried to obtain from Juarez an order for the faithful troops not to fire against the mutineers, but he impassively replied that, being a prisoner, he could give no orders. Landa finally agreed to an arrangement that Juarez and the others should be set free and allowed to leave Guadalajara, exempt from recapture within the radius of ten leagues from it. The party had a narrow escape from falling into the enemy's hands again on their journey to Colima, when Juarez not only showed the utmost coolness, but great abnegation.47

Juarez arrived at Sayula on the 23d of March, and found there General Rocha with his force. Before reaching Colima, news came that Parrodi had on that day surrendered in Guadalajara without resistance, 19 and thus failed the coalition of the states in the interior.

48

Santos Degollado, who had hitherto had only the portfolio of government, was now also intrusted with that of war, and with the chief command-incompetent as he had shown himself for high commands— of the constitutionalist army yet to be organized. He was also clothed with ample powers in financial affairs connected with that army. 49

Juarez now resolved to establish his government in Vera Cruz, where he could make his action better felt. Accordingly, on the 14th of April, he embarked at Manzanillo with the other members of his cabinet, namely, Melchor Ocampo, of relations; Man

47 Full details of the affair at the inn of Santa Anna, Acatlan, appear in Juarez, Biog. del Ciud., 24-6, 47-8; Juarez, Cartas, in Circulares Leg. Mex.,

452-3.

18 Parrodi capitulated to Osollo and Miramon. Tepic accepted the reformed plan of Tacubaya March 27th. El Eco Nac., March 28, Apr. 10, 1858; Diario de Avisos, March 29-31, Apr. 5, 9, 10, 1858.

49 Decrees of Apr. 5th at Coliina. Dublan and Lozano, Leg. Mex., viii.

on the coast to prevent supplies reaching Vera Cruz; and the liberals procured the desertion of the enemy's soldiers, before whose minds was constantly kept the fear of death by black vomit.

Miramon marched slowly, having with him about 3,000 men with a large supply of artillery and ammunition. He was incessantly harassed by guerrillas. At Paso de Ovejas he granted amnesty to all who would retire to live peaceably, and promised death to every man taken in arms three days after the date of the proclamation. Negrete marched from Orizaba, by the Tejería road, and joined Miramon, who now had about 5,000 men, and established headquarters at Medellin on the 2d of March, awaiting Marin's arrival to begin his attack. Success was by no means certain, for the reason that the steamer Indianolaunder the United States flag-which had been chartered by Juarez to watch Marin's squadron, came into port and anchored with other vessels of the same nationality under the fortress of San Juan de Ulúa, thus indicating their intention to take part in the defence.

At this time negotiations were opened between Medellin and Vera Cruz that came to no result, the proposals of both presidents being rejected. These negotiations were initiated by Captain Aldham of the British war ship Valorous, who obtained a pass from Juarez to visit Miramon and hand him a note from the British foreign office, in which was manifested a desire that an armistice of six months or a year should be agreed to by the belligerents, to allow time for a general assembly empowered to give the country a government of respectability and order, together with civil and religious freedom. The British government threatened, if its proposition were unheeded, to demand reparation of damages to its subjects inflicted by either belligerent. Miramon assented to the armistice, under the joint mediation of England,

France, Spain, and the United States. Juarez rejected the proposition, and issued a declaration against compromise in any form.

There were lying in Vera Cruz, besides the steamers Indianola and Wave, under charter to the liberal authorities, the United States frigate Savannah, and corvettes Saratoga and Preble. Marin's squadron, composed of the steamers General Miramon and Marqués de la Habana, was descried in the offing at halfpast two o'clock in the afternoon of March 6th. The ships steamed along the coast from La Antigua and anchored in Anton Lizardo at four. On passing San Juan de Ulúa, they had been signalled to show their colors, which they did not do till opposite the Spanish vessels. By the time they reached the anchorage, they were boarded by several of Miramon's officers. The Indianola and Wave had been ready to tow the Saratoga. Captain Jarvis, commander of the frigate and senior officer present, sent a lieutenant and 80 men to the Indianola, and another officer with an equal number of men to the Wave, each officer at once assuming command of the steamer he was on. La Llave went on board one of the steamers. The attack on Marin's ships was successful; at midnight the two vessels were a prize of the United States naval force. The General Miramon made some resistance, and then, in trying to escape, got aground. The Marqués de la Habana attempted no defence. The Saratoga fired 90 shots. The prizes were afterward sent to New Orleans to be adjudicated on by the admiralty court.

Captain Jarvis' proceedings were protested against by the commander of the Spanish war brig Habanero, on the 13th of March, claiming the Marqués de la Habana as Spanish property. The commander also

31 Much correspondence passed from March 12th to Apr. 21st between Miramon's government and the legations of England and France as well as Captain Aldham. Diario de Avisos, Apr. 20, 1860. The proposed assembly was to be composed of men that had filled public trusts from 1822 to 1853.

32 The casualties on both sides were 40; one of the wounded was La Llave.

fruit, and embellished with a lake to which, for its limpid waters, the people have given the romantic name of Lago Encantado. Here in this spot was born the champion of Mexican liberty and independence, Benito Juarez, on the 21st of March, 1806.1 He lost his mother at his birth, and remained in charge of his grandmother first, and of an uncle next. The poverty of his relatives and the isolated position of his home prevented the boy from receiving even the first elements of instruction, and thus at the age of twelve years he could neither read nor write, and was ignorant of the Spanish language.

The people dwelling to the north-east of the sierra bore a name for honesty and industrious habits, which made them much sought after by the wealthy families of the city for servants, whose compensation was indeed insignificant; but then the boys and girls desiring it had an opportunity to attend school. Juarez followed the example of his companions, and in 1818 entered the service of a worthy and charitable citizen named Antonio Salanueva, who became so much attached to the bright and studious Indian boy that he resolved to educate him for the priesthood, and in due time entered him at the ecclesiastical sem

inary. The young student's application was truly remarkable, and his conduct exemplary in every respect. He made rapid progress, and had already finished the first year's course of theology, when he threw off the robe, never having taken kindly to the ecclesiastical calling, and went to study law in the instituto de

1 The certificate of his christening at the parish church of Ixtlan on the following day states that he was born in wedlock, both his parents, Marcelino Juarez and Brígida García, being pure Indians; their worldly goods consisted of a hut, a little piece of land, and a few domestic animals. They were therefore in not very comfortable circumstances, and could offer their son only a life of toil. Baz, Vida de Juarez, 22-3.

Tercero del Cármen que tenia escuela pública en Oajaca.' Castellanos, Refutacion, in Arrangoiz, Méj., iii. ap. 98. Others say he was a bookbinder, and it is barely possible that he occasionally had a book to bind or repair. I am speaking of 1818. Baz, Vida de Juarez, 24; Rivera, Gob. de Méx., ii. 591. Zerecero, Mem., 533, calls him a bookbinder, and a tercero descubierto de la tercera órden de San Francisco,' one who, without having taken the vows of chastity and clausure, yet wears a habit similar to that of the other friars.

small guerrilla parties gave them much annoyance in waylaying their supplies. The plan of a fusion was fostered by the few remnants still left of the moderate party and by property holders, most of the latter for their own private ends. Miramon listened to them, and sent a communication to General Ramon Iglesias, commander of the forces in Vera Cruz, offering to pursue the most rational course to bring about a peaceful arrangement. Negotiations followed, but no understanding was arrived at, because of Juarez' refusal to do anything that was not in accord with the constitution of 1857, under which he was acting as president. Moreover, he would not give his consent to foreign intervention in the adjustment of the country's affairs. 35 Miramon, on his part, accepted no amendment.

The besiegers threw bombs into the city, and continued the exercise from the 15th to the 20th of March, doing but little damage.36 Miramon's casualties from warfare and disease had been large. At last he saw that he was foiled, and concluded to retreat. The retreat commenced in the morning of the 21st, Miramon's object being to reoccupy his lines of Orizaba and Jalapa, where the guerrillas allowed him no peace and many of his men deserted and joined the liberal ranks.

Miramon reached Mexico on the 7th of April, and both there and on the route avoided unusual honors,

35 It had been agreed that there should be a truce under the guarantee of the U. S., England, France, Spain, and Prussia, who were also to say what was to be done with the treaties entered into with foreign powers by both contending parties. The whole nation was to decide the points at issue. Here was the stumbling-block. Juarez demanded that the constitution of 1857 should be recognized as the supreme law, and that every act done should be pursuant to its requirements. Miramon could see in this only delay in military operations, without any advantage for his party, or the least probability of the civil war coming to an end. The French govt had instructed its minister to attempt a pacification through a national convention, leaving out the religious question, as the English proposition had been unpalatable to the conservatives. Juarez would not trust European mediators, whose partiality for the reaction had been marked.

36 It was calculated that 5,000 balls and 500 bombs were thrown, and that the besieged hurled about 6,000 grenades.