This little document provides an interesting and valuable view of one corner of early republican Mexico. The district of Tulacingo, today the southeastern section of the state of Hidalgo, which includes the state capital, Pachuca, was part of the great state of Mexico in 1825. Francisco Ortega, the political prefect of the district, compiled this compedium of facts on topography, water, climate, minerals, plants, animals, population, agriculture, industry, commerce, public instruction, taxes, the civic militia, and industrial plants. He clearly aspired to be the local Humboldt, and he produced a report that is unpretentious and trustworthy. René García Castro rescued this document from the archive of the state of Mexico, deciphered the script, converted it to typescript, and wrote an excellent, brief introduction.
One learns that the lengthy struggle for independence damaged the mining industry (silver production in 1825 was less than one-quarter of the output before 1810) and reduced the district’s population. The revival of the mining economy was under way, thanks to foreign companies. Becuase most of the population was Indian and peasant and consumed most of what it produced, the nonmining economy was close to nonexistent. The creole attitude toward Indians was undisguised; the reader is informed that la clase indígena lived in ignorance, was dominated by the vice of drunkenness, and was so attached to backward customs that it did not know what was good for it.
This is the third document of this type that Ediciones de Casa Chata has published, and more are promised. CIESAS, the most fecund academic press in Mexico, should be congratulated for initiating this important series and strongly encouraged to bring to light more reports like this one.
