issued an address to the garrison, and Rincon and his followers sub. mitted to him without resistance; and it is said that their conduct was applauded in the Mexican capital. We ought not to conclude this account of the affairs of Mexico, without observing, that the naval forces of Mexico, under the command of commodore Porter, have been successfully employed in cruizing against the merchant ships of Spain, in the gulf of Mexico, although no general engagement has taken place with commodore Laborde and the Spanish squadron. CHAPTER VIII. Central America-Constitution of the States-Origin of the Civil Wars— Meeting of an Extraordinary Congress-President Arce convokes a Convention-Disturbance in Guatemala-New Government organized-Salvador makes war upon Guatemala-The Salvadorenos beaten and repulsed-Arce marches against Salvador-The latter submits-Peace restored-Canal of Nicaragua. CENTRAL AMERICA has recently been convulsed by civil dissentions of the most alarming character.They had their origin in events which transpired towards the close of the year 1826, to which it is proper we should revert, in order to lay before our readers a connected and intelligible account of the subsequent incidents. It is to be understood, that, although the federal constitution of the republic was adopted in November, 1824, yet it was some time before the constitutions of the several states were completed. In the United States, the several colonies which composed the old confederacy, and now constitute the federal union, had long been accustomed to the exercise of legislative and executive powers, within themselves. Hence, at the opening of the revolution, the colonies each completed the organization of state governments, The more or less perfect; before the feature of the federal constitution, which prescribes the general outline of the several state constitu. tions, and on which each of the states built the fabric of its own domestic government, according to its peculiar wants and condition. Salvador established its constitution first, in June, 1824; Costarica followed in January, 1825; Honduras in December, 1825; and lastly, Nicaragua, in April, 1826. Hence, at the expiration of 1826, had no extraordinary occurrences transpired, the government could hardly have acquired the easy movement necessary to insure tranquillity. The first congress of the repub. lic terminated its regular session. in June, 1826. By repeated acts of the constituted authorities, for the time being, the seat of the federal government had been fixed in the city of Guatemala. But early in the first session of congress, the inhabitants of Salvador began to manifest a jealousy of the state of Guatemala. They conceived, or professed to conceive, an idea that the principal persons of Guatemala were conspiring with the general government to revolutionize the republic, and to change the federal into the central form. They represented the continuance of the federal authorities in the city of Guatemala as tending to this object, by imparting undue influence to the Guatemaltecans, and facilitating the absorption of the powers of government into the hands of the supposed central party. Hence, in March, 1826, the assembly of the state of Salvador, addressed a memorial to the congress, praying that the federal authorities might be transferred to some place at least forty leagues from the city of Guatemala. Soon afterwards, certain inhabitants of the town of Aguachapan, in the state of Salvador, petitioned congress to remove the seat of government within the limits of that state; which was followed by a like petition from the inhabitants of Metapan, in Salvador. However much the Guatemaltecans might be opposed to this change at heart, they declared their willingness to accede to it, if it should be for the public good. Still the congress did not deem it expedient to comply with the wishes of the Salvadoreños. By an article of the constitution, the senate is authorized to convoke the congress on extraordinary occasions. What these occasions shall be, the constitution does not prescribe, leaving it of course to the discretion of the senate. Exer. cising this discretion, the senate, by decree of August 25th, 1826, summoned the members of congress to meet in extraordinary session, at the usual place, on the first day of October next ensuing. The decree designated various important subjects for the consider tion of congress, some of which were of a nature to demand immediate at tention. At the appointed time, it seems that only seventeen members of congress appeared to take their seats, although twenty-one are required by the constitution to make a quorum. Of course, the members assembled could not regularly perform any acts, except such as related to the organization of their body. On examination, it was found that of the absent representatives, seven belonged to the state of Sal ador. The members assembled immediately took measures, as usual in such cases, to require the attendance of a sufficient number to constitute a quo rum. Several of the absent deputies alleged sickness as the cause of their detention. But two deputies from the state of Salvador, Marcelino Menendes and Buenaventura Guerrero, openly signified their determination not to attend. Menendes, particularly, referring to the previous attempts of Salvador to procure the removal of the seat of government, said he should not attend until the transfer took place. He alleged also, that the congress was illegally convoked, because, as he pretended, none of the subjects, set forth for its consideration by the decree of the senate, came within the constitution. al description of extraordinary oc casions. The legislature of the state of Guatemala, hereupon, alleging apprehension of hostile intentions on the part of Salvador, which the language of the Salvadoreños, respecting the seat of government, partly justified, ordered a body of militia to be raised, by the name of defenders of the constitution. Congress continued its preparatory sessions, from day to day, until October 10th, when a decree of the president, Arce, was communicated to that body; which gave a new tura to the course of events. Its preamble recited the public grievances, which called for the decree; such as the disorganiza. tion of the state of Honduras; disturbances in that of Nicaragua; attempts made by the government of Guatemala to usurp the powers of the republic; and other subjects, requiring the interposition of some authority, superior to what the execu. tive possessed. It farther alluded to the conduct of the delegations from the state of Salvador, in withdraw. ing themselves from congress; and stated, that as the senate of the republic had not the constitutional number of members, this body was incompetent to afford relief in the emergency. For these reasons, the decree convoked an extraordinary national congress, to be fully authorized by the people to re-establish the constitutional order, and to provide for the necessities of the |