GUERRERO'S ADMINISTRATION.

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the general rejoicing, there was a lull in the attacks on the government, but only of short duration. Several administrative acts, one of which was an attempt to check the abuses of the press, again exasperated its enemies. The president's good intentions being now doubted, a coalition of states was formed to oppose the administration. The enactment of a law of taxation produced even worse results, and it was made a point of honor to interpose every possible obstacle; every state refused to obey it. For from this time the states began to ignore the authority of the federal executive, and virtually exercised a veto power to suspend the execution of measures emanating from it. At this crisis, when an exhibition of energetic will tempered by prudence was absolutely necessary, Guerrero vacillated. His motive was undeniably good, but his action was weak. He sought allies from among his opponents in order to secure peace for his administration, and thereby, as he hoped, for the country. Moreover, he tried to disarm his enemies by clemency. He decreed on the 15th of September a pardon to the generals and other officers exiled for the affair at Tulancingo. This act was likewise disapproved, and repaid with black ingratitude.

Another point-upon which there may be some difference of opinion-was the president's course in regard to the dismissal of Poinsett, the American minister, on the ground that his presence in the republic was injurious to its peace and interests. 33 Under the pressure, Bocanegra, the minister of relations, was directed to request the government of the

32 Atleta, 1830, Jan. 30, 165. Bravo, Barragan, and others came back from New York before they knew of the amnesty, in their eagerness, they said, to aid in the country's defence against the Spaniards. Zavala, Revol. Mex., ii. 195; Suarez y Navarro, Hist. Méx., 164; Bustamante, Voz de la Patria, v. no. 1.

The states of Puebla and Mexico were among those demanding it. The legislature of the latter gave as a reason that Poinsett had fine and agreeable manners, and used them to delude the Mexicans.' Zavala, Revol. Mex., ii.

HIST. MEX., VOL. V. 6

United States to recall Poinsett, which request was granted. Zavala and his friends looked on this as a grievous mistake; indeed, it was a glaring sign of weakness. Still greater was the error he committed in consenting to the acceptance of Zavala's resignation at what was nothing less than the dictation of the state legislature of Mexico. This gave his enemies a signal victory.

34

Valentin Gomez Farías was called to replace Zavala, but having refused the office, Bocanegra was transferred to the treasury, and Agustin Viezca took charge of the portfolio of relations. After Zavala's

retirement the partisans of Guerrero, much divided among themselves before, now broke out into open discord, and the president weakly sent away from him every man against whom public opinion was pronounced. Many who had hitherto stood firmly by Guerrero now turned away from him, some of them even joining the opposition. The fears of an impending change daily increased, and revolutionary plans were attributed to the generals of the army quartered at Jalapa. Santa Anna having visited that town, both he and Bustamante were accused of plotting to bring about a change in the form of government. They then issued a joint manifesto to disabuse the public mind, assuring the nation that no such project had been entertained by them, or any one, and promising to preserve the peace, the institutions, and national unity. Subsequent events proved that Santa Anna was then sincere. Bustamante's disloyalty, however, does not admit of a doubt; he well knew that Muz

34 Zavala was governor of the state of Mexico, when by express leave of her legislature he became a minister. At the time in question the legislature revoked that leave, forcing Zavala to resign his position in the cabinet. He told Guerrero, 'Me retiro cansado de sufrir ingratitudes y calumnias. Una tempestad amenaza á Vd dentro de poco tiempo.' Public attention was particularly attracted by the strange course of the legislature of Mexico in this matter, which while calling Zavala away from the cabinet to resume his gubernatorial functions, at the same time instructed the lieut-gov. not to deliver the office to him till specially directed so to do; this without any charge having been preferred against Zavala. Suarez y Navarro, Hist. Méx., 165; Zavala, Revol. Mex., . 198.

HISTORY OF YUCATAN.

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quiz and José Antonio Facio were preparing a plot to overthrow Guerrero's government, and all authorities disposed to uphold it.

It will not be out of place to give here a brief sketch of the history of Yucatan, since I have made little mention of that province since 1708.55 From that time till the end of the Spanish domination the country was ruled by thirty governors, holding also the office of captain-general, who were ap pointed by the crown, besides a few others that held the position ad interim to fill vacancies.36

During the rule of Governor Vertiz in 1717, the English occupants of Isla de Tris, later named El Cármen, were driven away. The mariscal de campo, Antonio de Figueroa, who governed from 1725 to 1733, winning golden opinions for his generosity to the poor during a terrible famine and epidemic, exerted himself successfully in driving away the English usurpers of Yucatan territory at Belize. He burned Wallix or Belize, and rebuilt it, leaving it only when he believed it safe from further incursions. After his death, however, during a truce allowed by a treaty of peace between Spain and England the wood-cutters and turtlecatchers reoccupied the place, and wood-cutting and smuggling became the established business. Several attempts to eject these interlopers, made subsequently by governors of Yucatan, had no results.

An event worthy of mention was the revolt in November 1761, of the Indian Jacinto Canek, with a large number of followers, because Bishop Parada's constitutions, which greatly favored the Indians, had been suspended, and their serfdom and condition as tribute-payers had been reimposed. The rebels were, however, defeated, in their stronghold of Cisteil and Jacinto and his chief accomplices punished.37

See vol. iii., cap. viii., this work.

36 Their names may be found in Ancona, Hist. Yuc., ii. 386, 536, passim, iii. 5-194, passim.

37 Jacinto 'fue condenado á morir atenaceado, roto, y su cuerpo quemado

A crime that caused much consternation was the murder, in the night of the 25th of June, 1792, of the captain-general, Lúcas de Galvez. The deed was wrongly attributed to an officer named Toribio del Mazo, a nephew of the bishop, who, with others, was conveyed to Mexico, and immured in dungeons of San Juan de Ulúa, where they were confined for eight years, undergoing trial without any convicting evidence being found against them. At last the instigator of the crime made confession, and both he and the actual murderer were captured, and the innocent victims released.3

38

39

To Governor Benito Perez Valdelomar, who took charge of the government in 1800, Yucatan owed much improvement, particularly in public instruction and facilities for trade. During his government there came to Yucatan, in 1810, an emissary of Joseph Bonaparte, then king of Spain-a young Dane named Gustav Nordingh De Witt, who was made much of by the governor and society; but when his business was discovered, he was arrested, tried, and executed.40

Yucatan, like the rest of New Spain, experienced the effects of the new institutions resulting from the short-lived constitution of 1812, and the re stored one of 1820. The governor, Miguel de Castro y Araos, was deprived of his office, and Mariano Carrillo was made captain-general by the diputacion provincial; but though highly recommended to the court, Carrillo was not appointed, and Juan María de Echéverri came out as gefe superior político and captaingeneral.

y echadas al aire sus cenizas.' He suffered his punishment. Others received 200 lashes, and had one ear cut off. Cisteil was razed to the ground. Peon, Crón., 453.

38 14,000 to 17,000 folios had been written, and $40,000 expended. Busta mante, Supl. to Cavo, Tres Siglos, iii. 107; Id., Notic. Biog., 6; Aranza, Instruc., MS., 78-84.

39 Echánove, Cuad. Estadíst.; Regil, Mem. Instruct.; Barbachano, Mem. Camp.

40 The execution took place on the 12th of Nov. 1810; Ancona, Hist. Yuc., ii. 517-25.

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During the period thus briefly glanced over, Yucatan was ruled in ecclesiastical affairs by a succession of bishops, some of whom left grateful memories, others the reverse, while of many others but little information is extant. One of the most famous of these prelates was Pedro Reyes, an austere Benedictine, who, in his efforts to check the abuses of the clergy and improve their morals, experienced great difficulties, both with his subordinates and the governor. Juan Gomez Parada, who won the love of the Indians for his great exertions to benefit them, succeeded Reyes. I give below a list of his successors."

The events that occurred in New Spain by which the Spanish domination was brought to an end produced the change in Yucatan without political commotion, thanks to the prudence and wisdom of the last Spanish governor, Echeverri, who, refusing to adopt coercive measures, placed the province in charge of its diputacion, and then went away. Emperor Agustin sent out as gefe político and captain-general Melchor Álvarez, who took possession of his offices without opposition. He was a strong Iturbidist, and subsequently, when the empire was swept away in Mexico, endeavored for some time to hold power, and counteract the effects of the famous plan de Casa Mata. He was compelled to desist, however, and the province after a while joined the federation of states.“ The declaration of war by Mexico against Spain in

41 Parada's death was in 1728. Juan Ignacio de Castorena y Urzúa, 1730; Francisco Pablo Matos de Coronado, 1736; Friar Mateo Zamora y Pinagos, 1743; Friar Francisco de San Buenaventura Martinez, 1746, who established the seminary; Doctor and Friar Ignacio de Padilla y Estrada, 1753; Friar Antonio Alcalde, 1763; Doctor Diego de Peredo, Jan. 1773; Antonio Caballero y Góngora, 1776; Friar Luis de Piña y Mazo, 1780, an irate man, constantly meddling in affairs not of his province, and causing much trouble; Doctor Pedro Agustin de Estevez y Ugarte, from 1801 to May 8, 1827, when he died. Iglesias y Conventos, 326-7.

12 In fact, Mérida and Guadalajara were the two first cities that proclaimed the federal system in 1823, for which Yucatan was rebuked by Lucas Alaman, then minister of relations of the provisional government. He qualified the act as immature, uncircumspect, and anarchical, and as one that might imperil national independence and safety.