Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/251

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A THREAT.
231

reducing it to the richer classes alone. This concession has apparently produced no effect. It is said that the government troops continue to desert, convinced that a revolution in which Santa Anna takes part, must triumph. Four new generals have been made by the President. . . . .

6th.—We went out to Tacubaya, and found it impossible to procure a room there, far less a house. This is also the case in Guadalupe, San Joaquin, in fact in every village near Mexico. We are in no particular danger, unless they were to bombard the palace. There was a slight shock of an earthquake yesterday.

10th.—On the 7th, the President offered an amnesty to the pronunciados. Whatever might have been the result, the evening concluded with a terrible thunder storm, mingled with the roaring of cannon, which had a most lugubrious effect. Many people were killed on the street. We had gone out in the morning, but met the Ex-Minister H——a, who strongly advised us to return home directly, as balls were falling, and accidents happening all round.

Soon after, a proclamation was issued by General Valencia, purporting that if the President would not yield, he would bombard the palace; and that if the powder which is kept there were to blow up, it would ruin half the city. This induced us to look at home, for if the palace is bombarded, the Casa de Moneda cannot escape, and if the palace is blown up, the Casa de Moneda will most certainly keep it company. When the proclamation came out