The Struggle for lndepe11dence, z835-z836
2 59
up by the Constitution of 1824. The liberty-loving people of Zacatecas rebelled, but Santa Anna moved quickly. In a battle near Zacatecas, he defeated a force of five thousand troops led by the governor of the state, and, as an example to other rebels, allowed his men to plunder the defenseless capital. 2 Conditions in Tezas. An ominous quiet prevailed in Texas during these years. The shock of Austin's arrest was somewhat softened by the relatively liberal policy of both the Federal Government and that of the several state governments. But the violent disagreement between rival political factions in Saltillo and the scandalous land speculations to which they gave rise had their repercussions on Texas and made separation from Coahuila all the more desirable. Early in March, 1833, the State Legislature passed a decree tem- porarily removing the capital from Saltillo to Monclova.. Shortly after the officials were installed in Monclova, the decree was amended by deleting the words "for the present." This amendment implied the change was to be permanent. At the same time the militia guard of thirty men at Saltillo, paid out of State funds, was abolished. Although Saltillo was much exasperated by this action, open conflict between the two cities did not break out until the next year. The occasion for the break was the proclamation in Morelos of the Conservatives' Plan of Cuernavaca in May, 1834. Reactionary leaders denounced the liberalism of Gomez; Farias, demanded the assumption of power by Santa Anna, and loudly protested the changes respecting religion. When on June 24 the Governor in Monclova called a meeting of the Legislature for August to defend the federation against pro- nunciamientos which invoked religion as a "pretext" to disturb the public order, the Saltillo malcontents saw their opportunity to court favor with Santa Anna and to regain control of the State government. Saltillo came out for the Plan of Cuernavaca on July 19, set up a rival state government, and declared all acts of the Monclova legislature null and void. War between the two cities was barely avoided by the agree- ment of November 6, 1834, to submit the matter to Santa Anna for arbitration. The crafty politician rendered his decision on December 2. He declared that Monclova should continue to be the capital, that Governor Elguezabal should remain in office until new elections were held, and 2 Frank C. Hanegan, Santa Anna, Tlte Na'floleon of tJ,4 West,· W. H. Calicott, Santa At1na; H. H. Dancroft, Hi.story of Alexico, Vol. V.
Powered by FlippingBook