462
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
his family; whom he had not seen since his release from San Juan de Ulua. 'fhis privilege was denied him, and he was obliged to leave there without visiting his family. The vessel which carried him, was not out of sight, when his wife arrived at Sisal seeking him, having news of his arrival in that city. She could not bear the shock; and after much suffering died of grief.- Yucatan became reconciled, and again united itself to the Federation.- Zavala thus expelled from Yucatan returned to Mexico in order to perform his duties as Governor.- The country was producing am- bitious aspirants who were seeking their own glory without considering the good of the nation. Among this class, was a Colonel of the army (whose name I do not remember) who went to the house of Senor Zavala to propose to him some project or design that was infamous and perfidious. This man and Zavala had been intimate friends for many years; nevertheless the Senor Zavala could not permit this in- dignity and insult without resenting it. Before giving him any re- sponse, he took out his pistols, and presenting one to his friend, spoke to him thus- "traitor take fhis for thy defense- I will show you that I am capable of vindicating my honor, and likewise of punishing your treason."- The Colonel unprepared for such reception, and having much apprehension of the consequences, lost no time in making honor- able reparation; and in a few minutes both friends were taking choco- olate in observance of their friendship.- After concluding, Zavala rose from the table, and said to his visitor- "my friend let us leave off our disputing; but as a sentinel over the liberties of the people, I am impelled to say that if you do not retire from this Gity in less than twenty-four hours you will lose your head." A word to the wise is sufficient. These friends separated; and after many years, Zavala saw the Colonel again; but he was then a corpse on the field of San Jacinto.- We have reached the most important period of Zavala's life.- During the first years of the presidency of Guadalupe Victoria, the nation enjoyed the greatest tranquillity; but toward thti end of his ad- ministration of the government, -the country began to be divided into two factions of a most ferocious character, that finally took up arms against each oth~, and involved the nation in a series of civil wars, which have not terminated to the present day. These factions were called Escoseses and Y orkinos; the first sustaining the principles of monarchy, and the other vindicating the principles of a. Republican government. The contest was between aristocracy and democracy- between the power of the few, and the rights of the many. Senor Zavala was a founder and leader of the Y orkinos, and he believed that the liberties of the nation depended upon the triumph of his party. The competitors for the presidency were Guerrero, who was supported by the Y 01+inos, and Peuraza the candidate of the Escoseses~ Pedraza ,vas elected by a very small majority.-Zavala regarded the election of Pedraza as the death of his hope for }Texico; because in his opinion, it demonstrated that wealth was more powerful than truth, and that the Church was Rtrongcr than the people; and looking at the subject in this light, he did not vacillate in taking arms against the victors. His voice called the inhabitants to war, and in a brief period the Revo- lution of the Acordado shook the nation as an earthquake. The im-
Powered by FlippingBook