Our Catlwlic H critage in Texas
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he nor Aldama could do anything to rectify the descried injustices. But Saenz was not easily dissuaded. He went to Aldama himself to make his plea. The most redress that he could get from Aldama was a promise to send to Lieutenant General Jimenez the diary kept by Saenz as proof of the services rendered and the poor reward received. If neither Aldama nor Father Salazar would help get rid of Casas, then they were of no use to Father Zambrano and his friends. A whispering campaign was begun. Remarking on the resemblance be- tween the uniform of Aldama and that of General d'Alvimar left the inference that Aldama was the friend of Napoleon. The innuendo was strengthened by calling attention to Aldama's silken shoulder cord supposedly worn only by those elected to the Legion of Honor. The presumption was, therefore, that Aldama was an agent of Napoleon. If he were not, it was still considered dangerous to permit him and Father Salazar to proceed to the United States to secure munitions and bring back Anglo-American reinforcements. The fear was voiced that the United States might exact as the price of aid the Province of Texas, which they shamelessly claimed as a part of the Louisiana Purchase. Overthrow of Casas regime. For several days the whispering cam- paign continued. The envoys had been in Bexar almost a week. During the night of March I mysterious figures moved about silently. Ten men made their way to the home of Zambrano by devious paths to avoid being noticed. The conspirators planned the steps necessary to restore the old regime, to remove the hated Casas and to destroy the envoys of J irnenez. Having agreed on a plan, the ten men filed out of the house close to midnight and made their way to military headquarters. The officer of the night watch had been previously won to their cause. He turned over the military forces without argument. Zambrano and his friends next organized a governing junta of twelve, duly elected by plurality vote. Zambrano insisted on all the formalities. Before daybreak the junta collectively and individually took a solemn oath to uphold and defend Ferdinand VII and the religion of their fathers, and to obey only those officers appointed by the Government of Spain. In this junta were Delgado and Saenz. March 2 was dawning as four hundred soldiers marched just after re- veille to the Government House to take Casas prisoner. The leader of the revolutionary government was completely taken by surprise. He realized the futility of resistance, but apparently did not comprehend the fatal
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