295
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
believed in the solemn declarations of the traitor, though everyone but himself lmew Santa Anna's crime. 'rhe same thing happened with regard to the Minister Estrada, who, at the time of writing the said despatch, did not doubt the good intentions of the Usurper, but after- wards, when he was convinced of his crime, energetically opposed this treacherous act, solemnly and publicly protested against it, and mak- i,ng a declaration to the nation to prove that he himself had been de- eeived, withdrew from the Cabinet and even left the country. The Governor, like the :Minister, however, was cured of his credulity as soon as the traitor commenced his march, and being a patriot of intrepid courage placed himself at the head of the Civic :Militia and went out to meet him. A sanguinary battle took place between the two forces on the 10th of May, and although fortune and triumph did not incline to either one side or the other, some of their own officers, among them General Andrade, betrayed the cause of Zacatecas, bribed by the gold of the invader. The contest ended in favor of the tiger of Mango de Clava, who executed more than two thousand of the unfor- tu,nate citizens who had taken up arms. This decided the destiny of that" State. Zacatecas was not only forced to surrender to the victors, but was treated as a conquered province, stripped of more than 2,000,000 pesos which became useful in the war which the tyrant commenced shortly afterwards against the only State that resisted his power. Thus fell the noble and republican State of Zacatecas, the victim of treach- ery and force, conquered by the gold of the Clergy and the arms of the Tyrant. His surrender was followed by the Plan of Toluca (June 1835) which ended the revolution, centralized the government, and secured the sanguinary despot in power. After the surrender of Zacatecas Santa Anna returned to the City of Mexico· making his shameful triumphal entrance into the capital hidden in a carriage preceded by three others filled with priests who looked as though they were conducting him in lugubrious silence to the gallows, which he had deserved so often. His stay in the City was brief, and for the third time he went to Mango de Clava where he planned all of his conspiracies, and busied himself with maturing can- nibal projects against the obstinate State of Texas.
' No. 2419. LAMAR TO ____2 8
[ About 184- ?1
[Translation from the Spanish]
MY DEAR 29 Cous1N- I have to offer you many congratulations and good wishes at the beginning of the New Year. If Heaven condescend to listen to my prayers, there is nothing that you ask that will not be granted you instantly. May all the desires of your heart be realized; nothing be lacking to you; but for the present the thing most appropriate and important is to express my eager desire that you continue enjoying good health until I have another occasion, like the present, of renewing my congratulations, and of telling you how much I love you. With respect to myself my greatest anxiety is that the friendship which for :so long a time has existed between us may become as durable and firm
'"Appended to No. 2418. 211 Lamar uses cara here for qu.erida.
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