Summary
This morning we had a visit from our excellent friend Mr. L––, who was presented to the President in due form yesterday, and delivered his address extremely well.
He told us he had never been accustomed, in his own country, to so much form, and pomp, and state, and ceremony, as is observed by the Mexican President, and that–owing to this circumstance–and being rather taken by surprise in these particulars, he felt a little nervousness and trepidation which, however, soon passed over. By the account he gave us of it, the President of Mexico must assume much of monarchical state. Mr. –– said General Herrera was seated on a sort of throne raised on a platform at one end of the hall, under a splendid canopy, with many ministers and officers around him, the latter dressed in very costly and magnificent uniforms. “Such splendid and bedizened-out uniforms, to be sure; and,” he added, laughingly, “I thought it must all look just like Solomon on his throne, with his great courtiers round him.” Mr. –– had been offered the choice of coming to this country, or going to St. Petersburg. I think the grandeur and splendour of the Czar's court would have struck him a little more than General Herrera's republican royalty.
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- Travels in the United States, etc. during 1849 and 1850 , pp. 102 - 125Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009