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PAPERS OF__MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
turned their backs upon them in favor of power, which they trampled under foot; and, with the exception of Calleja, Cruz and a few others, they were more ferocious, inhuman and cruel in the persecution of their own countrymen than the Spaniards themselves. This will not seem natural, but it is easily explained, for it is known that in all civil wars no man fights with such fierceness as the one who betrays the country of his birth and rises against the life and liberty of his fellow- country men-a crime which no one can commit without first abjuring all feeling of shame, piety and remorse, and converting himself into a monster. The scenes of horror, cruelty and crime which darken and disfigure the annals of that revolution were not due solely to the Span- iards, but many of them were committed by the Creoles themselves; and if it had not been for these, Spain would not have been able to maintain her authority in Mexico a single month. This is certain and undeniable; and the reader will see in the course of our narration thaJ after the independence of the nation was assured, the same Creoles who committed the greatest atrocities in th_e Revolution undertook to establish a despotic government. They were always opposed to the freedom of the people, and they were the authors, with the Spanish royalists, of nearly all of the subsequent disgraceful events in the nation. Note this act. The Junta, or Central Government of Rayon was established on the 10th of September, 1811 in the town of Zita- cuaro, and received the general approbation _of the Creoles. It w11s composed of five members elected by the citizens who could come to- g-ether for that purpose, Rayon being at their head. It is recalled that one of their first acts was a notable manifesto which was sent to, the Viceroy, containing proposals of peace and a strong remonstrance against the sacrifice of prisoners and other acts of wanton cruelty. The only response made was an order that the manifesto should be publicly burned, and another order that a strong army should march against the place from which it had been sent. Zitacuaro was well fortified and was a natural stronghold, so that the independents had been able to hold it for more than a year against several enemy at- tacks; but the present attack (January 2, 1812) ended by the capture and destruction of the place after several hours of severe fighting. Calleja commanded the Spanish forces, and upon entering the public square he decimated the inhabitants, confiscated their property, and destroyed all the buildings and houses in the town with the exception of the church. The .Junta escaped to Zultepec where it resided until the installation of a Congress which was afterwards formed at Tulancingo. About this time the celebrated Morelos commenced to figure. At Valladolid (October 1810) Hidalgo had appointed him to the office of Captain-General for the provinces of the S!rnthwest coast, where he, im- mediately went and organized a thousand men. On the 25th of Jan- uary, 1811 he surprised and dispersed a large army under the com- mand of Don Francisco Paris, taking 700 prisoners whom he treated humanely, and capturing 800 guns and a considerable sum of money. This was the beginning of that brilliant career which placed him at the head of the revolution and shed such glory on the Mexican arms. After marching from victory to victory, destroying and dispersing all the forces arraying against him, he finally began his march against
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