MEXICO. 



489 



Don Benito Juarez, who through unutterable mis- 

 fortune came to the exercise of power in a time of 

 turbulence and revolt, who has governed nearly al- 

 ways with dictatorial powers, and who for along series 

 of years has held the supreme power in his minds, 

 without counterpoise, without giving account of its 

 exercise, and without other limitation than his will or 

 his ambition Don Benito Juarez was the best man for 

 the purpose of depriving the worthy Mexican people 

 of their rights and of those faculties which politicians 

 call " inalienable " and " imperishable." Juarez was 

 the man for the purpose of destroying the Constitu- 

 tion, which has always been our hope and our salva- 

 tion, and to sink us in a sea of evils and calamities 

 infinite. Thus has it been in effect. Who does not 

 know the history of events in Mexico within the past 

 two years ? Juarez usurped the authority which had 

 terminated in his hands, and declared that he con- 

 tinued to be President. At times he styled himself 

 " provisional," at others "national," and at others 

 simply the depository of the powers of the republic. 

 He was not able to determine his position, for in 

 reality he was nothing, or, if any thing, he was a 

 usurper. 



Juarez abused power which he had not, and with 

 which he invested himself, and continued in com- 

 mand of the people without the authority of the 

 people, without legality, without election the foun- 

 tain _of all legitimate power making the Eepublic his 

 patrimony and Mexicans slaves. 



Juarez, already the enemy of the Constitution 

 which he had destroyed, put in play whatever 

 means his ambition suggested to him in order to con- 

 tinue in the presidential chair. With a disregard of 

 the other constitutional powers and to the humilia- 

 tion of the free men of this land, Juarez issued the 

 .election convocatoria prophetic convocatoria ! when 

 he had no right to issue it, when he was not constitu- 

 tional President of Mexico, when he had oppressed 

 and deprived of their liberty those to whom by the 

 law this function pertaineu, and when his premedi- 

 tated frauds, violences, and the full exercise of a ty- 

 rannical power to accomplish his reelection, and to 

 weigh for fifteen years upon the patience of the 

 Mexican people. Juarez intervened directly and 

 criminally in the elections, and corrupted them to his 

 own profit. He deprived the people of their suf- 

 frages and their choice, and has formed a Congress oi 

 a vicious character, in order that a majority would 

 support and pardon his outrages against the national 

 sovereignty. 



Therefore many States find themselves to-day 

 without Governors ; more, through bargain, have 

 those imposed by Don Benito. The people do not 

 see in the seats of Congress men of their sympathies, 

 but those whom he who usurped the political power 

 commanded to be chosen. The Constitution is vio- 

 lated, justice feels itself aggrieved, and the sanctity 

 of the rights of the people is outraged. We are not 

 free Mexicans, for a dictator commands us ; we do 

 not constitute a republic, for the fundamental law 

 does not exist, but the caprice of a man who has 

 made himself a despot to pur shame. Such grave 

 considerations, whose truth is potent, and whose im- 

 portance those least accustomed to consider them 

 comprehend, compel us to take arms with a view of 

 vindicating justice, and redeeming our rights. We 

 covet nothing for ourselves ; we do not wish to be 

 presidents, nor ministers, nor deputies, nor govern- 

 ors. Sons of the people, having shed our blood for 

 liberty, we only wish that the law may command and 

 its decrees be obeyed ; that there may come to the 

 palace the Magistrate called by the Constitution, 

 whoever he may be ; that it may be one who will call 

 on the people to confirm the choice ; that in all the 

 circuit of the Eepublic the elections may be free; 

 that through his authority he will not mix himself 

 with them ; that he will not control them by violence ; 

 that he will not corrupt them, nor pervert them in 

 his own favor; that the votes may DC sacred, and 



that public order shall result with the President 

 which the people may give themselves, be ho who he 

 may. 



We protest that if the choice of the people is the 

 Senor Don Benito Juarez, that we will sincerely obey 

 him ; that we will support him as the man invested 

 with the legal power, that we will sustain him as the 

 first magistrate 'of the nation, and the arms which 

 to-day we grasp to overthrow him, we will then em- 

 ploy to defend him. 



The question in our minds is not one of persons, as 

 has been, it is one of principle. And if we oppose 

 Juarez it is because law, judgment, and right oppose 

 him. 



We are certain that our faith is the faith of the 

 people. Our support is for all in all sections, and the 

 brave ones who have shed their blood, in order to 

 establish in this dear country the empire of law and 

 of political morality, will array themselves, we do not 

 doubt, upon our side and hasten to increase our files, 

 making one last effort in favor of liberty and peace. 



Viva the Constitution of 1857 1 V^va the sacred 

 respect to the law ! Viva the people who are the only 

 sovereign ! 



Generals E. Huerta, M. Negrete, J. N. Cortina, 

 J. N. Mendez, B. Tellez, P. Vega, A. Martinez, V. 

 Jimenez, I. Zepeda, S. Canales, F. Chavaria, S. Es- 

 candon, P. Noriega, G. de la Cadena, J. Toledo. 



Colonels Catarino Fragoso, Leon Ugalde, E. Flo- 

 res, A. Santarre, M. Eivera, Juan Togno, Jos6 In- 

 clan, C. Sotomayor, E. Eos. 



Lieutenant-Colonels C. Arena, J. Leon. 



Captain Miguel Eomero. 



And thousands of other signatures which will be 

 published hereafter, as it is not proper that they 

 should appear now. 



Eesponds with his signature to those preceding, 

 AUEELIANO RIVEEA. 



This was not, however, followed by effective 

 action, and the Government found no neces- 

 sity for organized operations against the insur- 

 gents. Among the revolutionists who put for- 

 ward the name of Santa Anna as a watchword 

 of rebellion, were those of Sierra Gorda, who 

 published a pronunciamiento, laying down the 

 following basis of operations as " solemnly de- 

 termined upon " : 



ARTICLE 1. We do not recognize the sanguinary 

 government of Don Benito Juarez, nor the general 

 or particular authority emanating from the last elec- 

 tion, resulting from the convocatoria of the 14th of 

 August of the past year. 



ART. 2. The political Government shall be of that 

 system which prevails in the nation and its chief, the 

 well-deserving patriot his Excellency the General of 

 Division, Don Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. 



ART. 3. Colonel Don Jose Velasquez is recognized 

 as chief of the forces of the Sierra Gorda. 



ART. 4. Copies of the present act shall be drawn 

 up, to be forwarded wherever it is desirable. 



Vim his Excellency Senor General Don Antonio 

 Lopez de Santa Anna ! Viva the people and the 

 army ! 



In Queretaro the revolutionists first pro- 

 nounced in favor of Marquez, and afterward 

 proclaimed Santa Anna dictator for five years, 

 and adopted the war-cry of "Religion and 

 Force." Organized insurrections broke out 

 also in Matamoras and Puebla, and various 

 other parts of the country, but the steady and 

 vigorous policy of the Government, exercised 

 through the agency of such famous generals 

 as Escobedo, Diaz, Corona, and Altorr6, frus- 

 trated the spasmodic efforts of the rebel 



