216
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
inspired by the justice of their cause. Victory could not but crown their efforts. Mr. Ward, in his history 23 of this epoch, expresses the opinion that the revolution could have been repressed at this particular crisis, if the Viceroy had placed himself at the head of the troops which had as- sembled in the Capital and had vigorously pursued Iturbide, but such an opinion can hardly be supported by the real condition of the coun- try, because the desire for liberty had become so general and irresist- ible that it caused a total separation of the Creoles and Spaniards and left the cause of the Royalists without other support than their own expeditionary troops. The natives were never to be seen again co- operating with the forces of the King, and without doubt Iturbide's real motive in placing himself at the head of the revolutionary party was his perfect knowledge of the nation's deep feeling in favor of lib- erty and independence. He saw how easy it would be to break the colonial chains, and believing that it would not do less than place him at the head of a new monarchy he threw himself into the undertaking, enticed by the splendid rewards which he saw in the future. That he was impelled by the loYe of liberty or by a desire to promote the hap- piness of the people are motives and virtues which, in our opinion, the world has not conceded him, and which have not been claimed for him bY his friends. 0 We will not discuss the details of the struggle, because our present purpose docs not require it. It will be sufficient to say that the war was conducted weakly by the Royalist party and with poor success, while it was prosecuted by the Independents with unusual vigor and comtant success. At the beginning of the struggle the Spaniards in the capital deposed Apodaca on account of his supposed inability to extricate himself from the difficulties of the time, and placed Captain Francisco Novella at the head of the Government. However, this· change clicl more harm than good. His appointment caused a division in the Royalist ranks which somewhat abetted the insurgents. The King's party could not accomplish anything. Linan, at the head of the J\fonarchial forces, pursued the active and errant Iturbide, but in spite of all of his marches and counter-marches he was never able to overtake the cunning aml ever-wakeful liberator. Moreover, the revo- lutionary forces were filled with enthusiasm and strength at the sud- den reapprarance of Guadalupe Victoria. This invincible champion of their Country's cause had been in hiding for a long time in the moun- tains, but on hearing of the new revolution for liberty and independ- ence, ·he came out of his hiding plare and entered the field again. He took command of one of the divisions while Iturbide remained at the head of the other. It was impossible for the Royalists to resist two such commanders as these, supported, as they were, by the undivided forces of the country's native son;:. Bustamante, Barragan, Cor- tazar, Quintanar, Andrade and otheT native chiefs, who for a long time had fought against the liberty of their. country and assassinated thou- sands of their brothers, on seeing the inevitable result of the struggle, abandoned the King's cause and followed the standard of the Yictorious patriots. Negrete, Rchavarri and other Spanish officers followed their
"Ward, Sir Remy George, Mexico in 1821, London, H. Colburn, 1828.
Powered by FlippingBook