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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
constitution. General indignation against the Emperor because of his usurpa- tion. Santa Anna rises up against him. Progress of Republicanism. The people do not support the declaration until Victoria appears. They place this veteran at the head of the revolution. Santa Anna's jealousy. Guerrero and Bravo enter the field. Their capture and flight. Battle of Jalmolonga. Guer- rero wounded. Death of Sanchez. The war unites the Province of Veracruz. Santa Anna makes l\fanlacia a prisoner. He marches against Jalapa. He is repulsed. · He abandons his troops. He reaches the national bridge. Victoria reprimands him. He goes to Veracruz where he arrives two days before his troops. He renews peaceful relations with Davilla. He makes an attack upon Cordova. He is repulsed. He retires to Veracruz. Echavarri,. Lobato and Cortazar besiege him. These leaders betray the Emperor. They make a treaty with Victoria and Santa Anna and join the revolution. Santa Anna goes ,to '.l.'ampico and from there to San Luis Potosi. CHAPTER VII. Santa Anna's declaration against Iturbide will seem to many per- sons a bold and fearless act, but it was not done in the height of des- peration, for Santa Anna had many reasons to believe that public opinion would support him. It would have been impossible for him to bring about a revolution by his own power and personal influence, because no one, not even Iturbide, had faith in his fidelity, stability or patriotism. Nevertheless, when a nation is prepared for a revolu- tion a villain can start it the same as a good patriot. :Many things had happened from Iturbide's rise to Santa Anna's declaration which had made him so hateful in the eyes of the nation that any movement against him would be popular. Therefore, the risk that Santa Anna ran in revolting was not as great nor as imminent as may be supposed. We will show some of the causes which contributed to his unpopularity. lturbide's ambition did not end with his ascension to the throne. On the contrary, his love of power made him each time more insati- able and immoderate. Only an absolute and unlimited despotism would have contented him. The provinces made no resistance to his elevation; moreover, they approved it, and if he had governed with moderation, reconciled Congress and manifested some respect for the rights of others and the will of the nation, he might have been able- who knows ?-to perpetuate his dynasty; but instead of this, he did everything to the contrary. He renewed his disagreement with Con- gress, and demanded the power of vetoing the proceedings of that body, of appointing and renewing at pleasure the judges of the Su- preme Court, and of establishing a military tribunal which in truth would have been nothing more than an instrument of personal ven- geance. To grant these extraordinary powers would have been fatal to all the hopes of liberty, and because of this his pretensions met with strong opposition on the part of Congress, in spite of the troops which were daily stationed in the galleries to direct their deliberations. That body made him some concessions for the sake of peace, but on seeing that nothing would satisfy him but the total yielding of all power into his hands, it became inflexible and maintained its rights and those of the country. The Emperor, exasperated, arrested four- teen of the most influential representatives on the 16th of August, hoping, in this way, to alarm the rest. This only helped to widen
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