Death of an Ex-Empress.
An Ex-Empress died in
Philadelphia last week.
We refer to
Madame Huate de Yturbide, widow of the former
Emperor of
Mexico, whose decease took place on Thursday last, at her lodgings in Broad street. This estimable lady, who had resided in
Philadelphia since the execution of her husband by the
Mexican Government, in 1824, belonged to a distinguished Spanish family long resident in
Mexico.
Her misfortunes, as well as her good qualities as a woman, had secured her the regard of the society in which she moved.
A pension from the
Mexican Government enabled her to educate her family liberally, and she has performed her duties as a mother and a member of society in a faithful and exemplary manner.
One or two of the sons of
Madame Yturbide have, we believe, resided in
Mexico of late years, and have held offices under the
Government.
Her daughters were unable to be present at the funeral, which took place on Saturday morning, at St. Joseph's Church.--The service was of the simplest, most unostentatious kind.
There were none of the kindred of the noble lady, who once wore a crown, to follow her remains to the grave.
A few gentlemen of
Philadelphia, whose social position had brought them into intimate relations with the family in past times, attended the funeral; and scarcely one in ten thousand of the vast population of the city where she had long resided, knew that the grave had that day closed over one who once held rank as an Empress.
The sad affliction that has thus befallen the family of
Madame de Yturbide recalls to the memory the heroic career of her noble husband.
He was the great man of the best days of
Mexico.
He was the author of her separation from
Spain, and the
Mexican people, in the first flush of their gratitude, fairly thrust upon him the crown, which he had designed, in the famous "Plan of Iguala," for a Spanish prince.
He was proclaimed
Emperor with the title of "Augustine the First," on the night of May 18th,1822. For a long time he refused the proffered crown, and it was only after the
Congress had voted for him by a vote of 77 to 15, that he accepted it. In the following month the
Congress voted unanimously for making the crown hereditary in the family of Yturbide, and soon after he was solemnly crowned.
But the fickle and faithless
Mexican people did not stand by the monarch they had chosen.
The military leaders that have been the curse of the country, began to conspire against the
Government.
A civil war arose, in which
Santa Anna soon became a prominent leader against the
Emperor.
A republic was proclaimed, and, on the 20th of March, 1823, after a turbulent reign of less than a year, Yturbide abdicated.
Permission was granted to him to leave the country, and a pension of $25,000 a year was allowed him. He went with his family to
Italy, but returned, in 1824, to
Mexico, where, in the meantime, he had been proscribed as a traitor, though he did not know the fact.--
Gen. Garza, the
Governor of Tamaulipas, pretending friendship, betrayed him to the
Congress of that State, and he was immediately arrested, and, without a trial, was sentenced to death.
The sentence was carried into effect at
Padilla, July 19th, 1824, less than a week from the time of his landing on the coast, and before an appeal could be made to the
General Government at
Mexico.
He died like a hero, addressing some manly words to the soldiers, and himself adjusting the bandage over his eyes before he was shot.
Mexico has never had a braver man or a purer patriot in her Government.--
Philadelphia Bulletin. 
