Our Catliolic Heritage in T ezas
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Americans. Civil and ecclesiastical officials and the people were to take the same oath before the upraised crucifix. Martinez transmitted the orders to the City Council, who dutifully replied on July 17 that they were ready to take the oath, if such was the will and desire of the Commandant General and the Governor. Thus, at Arredondo's request, the officers and people of Texas had solemnly and formally declared their adherence to Mexican inde- pendence in July, 1821. 54 Re.si.gna,;on of A"edundo. The hero of Medina and Soto la Marina, who had for nine years successfully crushed all attempts at rebellion, had been compelled to embrace the cause of the Revolution and hail the attainment of independence. Less than a month later, sick and weary of the struggle, he resigned his post as commandant general of the Eastern Interior Provinces. It was fitting that Arredondo be replaced by an ardent Revolutionist, for such was Colonel Gaspar Lopez. He had fought for independence since the early days of the conflict. An ardent Republican, he admired the hero of Iguala but condemned his monarchial leanings. Lopez hastened to inform Governor Martinez of his appointment and to solicit his cooperation. 55 In exile, Jose Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara, the true and stout cham- pion of Mexican independence, was not forgotten by the other leaders of the Revolution in the hour of triumph. Lopez wrote to him on Au- gust 10, 1821, to invite him to return "to receive the honors to which his constancy entitled him." The new Commandant General declared: "The time has come, now that the independence of the Mexican Empire has been proclaimed under the plan proposed by Agustin Iturbide, commander in chief of the Imperial Army of the Three Guarantees, for you to be restored to your country.... Please make known to all the natives of our country now in exile the attainment of the desired end and urge them to return, assuring them of a hearty welcome by the liberal government of their country, whose chief concern is the common welfare and happiness of its citizens." 54 One may well imag- ine the joy with which this enthusiastic invitation must have been received by Gutierrez. S4Arredondo to Governor Martinez, July 3, 1821 ; Martinez to the Ayuntamiento of Bexar, July 17, 1821; Ayuntamiento to Martinez, July 17, 1821, Nacogdoches Archives, XXI. SSGaspar Lopez to Martinez, Monterrey, August 4, 1821, Nacogdoches Archiv11s, XXL ULopez to Gutierrez, Monterrey, August 10, 1821, Nacogdoch11s Archiv11s, XXI.
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