1076
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
're1nedy them of themselves witliout waiting any longer, on the ground that self prese1·vation rendered such a step necessa1'Y and would justify it. The vice president construed this into a threat, and a personal insult, and we both parted in anger, and in very great irritation-I wrote the letter of 2d October to the AyuntamLo_ became cool again-persevered in getting the remidies-reconciled the vice president and parted with him on the 10th December in harmony and with the best of feelings and the most sincere respect. The Ayuntamto of Bexar changed the face of things and revived the passion of the vice president by sending my unfortunate letter of 2 11 October. Individuals who were unfriendly to me because I opposed a terri- tory for Texas, and others who were unfriendly to all foreigners, improved this opportunity to inflame the minds of the vice president and his ministers against me, so that on my return to :Mexico as o. prisoner, he was the most violent and bitter enemy I had. I be- lieve him to be an honest man and a true federal democratic repub- lican in principle, but he believed, or was led by others to believe, that the political situation of :Mexico required something like o. Robespierre system, or reign of terror. No one was executed, but hundreds were banished and imprisoned. vVhether this system was the result of the vice president's own inclination, or whether he was led into it by his councellors and friends, I cannot say. Some think it was all his own policy, and others that he was forced into it con- trary to bis wish, by the power of circumstances, and by the excite- ments of the day. His administration was unfortunate for the nation, and for the federal party, for no one who has any sence of justice, or of common humanity can approve of an illegal, unconsti- tutional and arbitrary system of banishment, and imprisonment. The religious prejudices of the people were also alarmed by the measures of that administration to a great degree-hence the reaction that is now operating all over the nation, and which some think will shake the federal system, tho I am not of that opinion, for I do not believe the President Santana has designed to change the system, or to do anything more than to get a Congress together in J anY next, with the character and powers of a national convention freely elected by the people in order to reestablish or revive the Constitution, which has been so dreadfully outraged by all parties, that none respect it. .A. great personal animosity is said to exist between the President Santana and his friends and the vice president Gomez Farias and his friends. I believe there is no harmony between them and much hatred. But to return to my own affairs, which I presume are much more interesting to you than the family political quarrels of this republic- I remained in the inquisition untill the 15th of June, when the mili-
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