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Show ee be oo ee = ee ee ee a el rd ae edt Bint Se tlades a on 9k 2? eee nA *-@ —? Poe ae ee nt Pre ee ad LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY THE affording a pretext at least for the revolt which occurred. But there were other reasons for the revolution. A prominent Mexican his. torian *° recites the fact that the trouble was in some degree at least instigated by the American traders, although this may not be true," yet it is more than likely that Americans in the country and Texas sympathizers may have had something to do in arousing the people, believing that by fomenting the almost universal discontent, by means of a revolution, New Mexico might become independent of the republie. There were a great many causes contributing to the revolutionary ers eaet lr ale OF et Pe beeen be 6-9 And ae — ad = me aiid ee 04 outbreak. CAUSES The corruption and cupidity of the government officials were well known. For the purpose of ridding the country of all native-born OF THE REVOLUTION the year Spaniards, the Mexican congress, in 1828, had passed what was known as the expulsion law. 40 Bustamante, Carlos M., says: ‘‘La causa de la revolucion la habia dado la entrada de una porcion de carros de] Norte-Am érica que trajeron muchas mercaderias, cuyos derechos no querian pagar los anglo-americanos, y tratando a. e ae ei aS %; ay,i ad ? te o- a @ A *-*% ?.* Oe ae Far er ee ae Se Peet ts et ant i Pe a ee a Ce eee ol ee de a a Sede ieee Sorbet =% tot eee tl e 7 ry a sed Pm 7 a de estrecharlos 4 la exhibicion e] gobernador, le suscitaro n el alzamiento.”’ *1 Gregg, Josiah, Commerce of the Prairies, i, p. 134. Dr. Gregg was in Santa Fé at the time of this revolution . His statements as to the causes may be taken almost as conclusive, so far as the persons engaged in the Santa Fé Chihuahua trade and their relation thereto are concerned. says: ‘‘In the South, the Americans were everywhere accused of being the Heinstigato rs of this insurrection, which was openly pronounced another Texas affair. Their goods REVOLUTION OF 1837-8 The enforcement of this act in New Mexico, or rather its lack of enforcement, was a source of great revenue to some of the officials. Under this act many Spaniards were expelled from the territory , the major portion of them leaving the country in company with the caravans which crossed the great plains to the Missouri river, preferring this route, with all its dangers of attack from the hostile Indians of the western prairies, to the southern route which took them through the republic to the port of Vera Cruz. At this time there were a number of Franciscan friars in the country, who were subject to this decree, but two of them, Fr, Alvino and Fr. Castro, were excepted and permitted to remain, in consequence of their great age, as it was said, but in reality because they paid five hundred dollars to two leading officials of the territory for the privilege . The motive was one of avarice and not of charity and in this way the laws of the country were notoriously violated by those charged with their administration. The arrangement by which these two friars were permitted to remain was perfected by a priest of San Miguel named Leiva, afterwards an important and prominent man in the uprising against the American authorities in 1846-47. Avarice and disregard of the law, at this time, had such a hold upon the officials that money would buy off almost any delinquent. It may be safely Stated that very few Spanish-born residents of New Mexico would tended irregularity in the accompanying documents; although it was evident that these and other indignities were heaped upon them, as a punishment for the occurrence of events which it had not been in their power to prevent. Indeed, these ill-used merchants were not only innocent of any participation 2 have left the territory had they to satisfy the demands of the against them was carried out to The first cause of discontent re oe ge — bs te Santa Ana Sent Colonel Albino Perez as governor of the territory. Perez was an excellent man but he was not a New Mexican and this were confiscated or sequestered, upon the slightest pretexts, or for some prt the insurrectionary movements, but had actually furnished means to the gov for the purpose rancher of quelling the disturbances, oe wbeeresd before, the most active agents in this desperate ueblo Indians, although the insurgent party was composed affal! of a of asta " Metter) 2 Ingredients that others of the lowest Mexican population teems with. The however, were only the instruments iscontented ricos, who, it class, has been Said, were in hope of elevating oo. fect the wreck of their enemies. Among these was the preset or other. s m1j0, an ambitious and turbulent demagogue, who, for some caus Daria CH oe for the downfall of the whole administration. ’ ‘ wihieh i Sica: Abel di ride into cies ¢ . Ws eccrmn p. 85, Says that a combination of circumstances, amone Wehioilia in the territory who desired ole spa: of the means, party led to the outbreak. em of ot government yy Supported by the ¢ all h : in Mexico. General Santa Ana also ue i i it; ernment under this system the Mexican states were de Self-gov and reduced to departments. This hoes hich brought about the Texas revolution. 55 been provided with sufficient funds Officials. For this reason the law the very letter. was created in 1835 when General fact caused a great deal of dissatisfaction among those who had been iN power since the day of independence, accustomed as they had been for a number of years to have none but native governor s or executives. The opposition to Governor Perez was not open, but the change of executives gave the designing demagogues, of whom there Seem to have been a great many, a pretext in preparin g the public mind for their designs. He was also a great believer in the educa- on of the people and issued a proclamation in relation to the establishment of a public school system, which, so far as documentary Proof is concerned, is the first ever issued by a governor of New |
