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Show FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY governor of New Mexico was declared vacant, and aspirants ~ cs pe 4 Pes PSH pe later day. It does not appear that this first attempt or the execution of the great Hidalgo at Chihuahua in 1811 made much if any impression upon the people of New Mexico. The province was so far removed from the center of revolutionary plans and operation that scarcely a ripple of excitement was caused by the stirring events in the south at that period. It seems that the people of New Mexico were content to await the issue, or else, kept in ignorance of the course of events by the royalist officials, they did not know of the revolution until after it was suppressed. Melgares was the last of the Spanish governors. In the official newspaper in the City of Mexico, of March 7, 1819, the office of ° LEADING 2 480 were notified to send in their petitions, and Melgares, in the documents of 1819-20, is called governor ad interim. In 1822 he was succeeded by Don Francisco Javier Chavez, who ruled for a brief period, 182223, when he was succeeded by Colonel Antonio Viscarra. On the 28th day of September, 1821, Mexico had declared its independence of the mother country, and shortly afterwards had succeeded in making it a reality. This, of necessity, caused an entire change i2 the relations of New Mexico, a part of the empire under Iturbide,”” and a republic after his fall. The ery of Dolores had not been in vain. ae TTA The news of Iturbide’s accession was received with great demon- strations of joy in New Mexico. ‘‘It was on September 11th,’’ says Mr. Bancroft, ‘‘that the ‘dulce voz de libertad’ was first heard, and lovers of the country and religion swore to the independence at Santa Fé; and on December 26th — dia glorioso! Dia de admiracion, y dia tan eternal para los Nuevos Mexicos, que de padres 4 hijos se ira trasmitiendo hasta la mas remota posteridad ! — came news of Iturbide’s entry into Mexico. Dozens of citizens received communications in writing and print by the mail of that day, which they 15 Agustin Iturbide was a native of Valladolid province, who entered the militia and rose to a coloneley. In 1820, as military chief, he succeeded in combining the various from the country. Mexican parties, and drove the Spanish viceroy and army He was hailed as ‘‘Liberator,’’ and shortly, in May, 1822, had himself proclaimed emperor. But his arbitrary rule and the general desire for a republic united his late allies against him, and in less than a year he was In 1824 he imprudently compelled to abdicate and submit to banishment. returned unheralded, being thereupon arrested and executed by the republican authorities. : Juni Fetiches of the Chase Tae |
