overthrown all constitutional authority throughout the country, had established Centralism and made himself supreme; and that he was making preparation to invade Texas for the purpose of repossessing himself of the soil by driving the incumbents beyond the Sabine. A law was made by the same Congress, co11- dem11ing all who should be taken in arms, to be treated as pirates. Of the existence of this law I was enti-rcly ignorant, and presume the rest of Fanning's army were, at the time of capitulation. In the spring, infor- mation was obtained, through some Americans, who had made their escape from the interior, of the hor- rible massacre at Zacatecas, where Santa Anna, haYing marched an army into the place for the purpose of putting down opposition to his assumption of power, gave permission to his soldiers to plunder and murder all foreigners, which horrid license was not with- drawn until three long hours of violence and blood had expired. During this time the house of a rich and respectable merchant was entered, himself and others murdered, his wife taken into the streets, stripped naken, and driven through the town by the soldiers, who con- tinually goaded her on with their bayonets.
The intentions of Santa Anna, in relation to Texas, were further showu by the imprisonment of many
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