though quelled, kept the public peace constantly disturbed, a condition of things made still worse by the petitions of several military organizations in favor of a change in the system of government. The administration was thus beset by internal troubles when it needed entire freedom to devote its whole attention to the Texan war, and to the relations with France, which were in a very strained condition, the latter power having lately uttered threats against Mexico.[1]
The alarms from which some portions of the country suffered were not wholly political. Nature also added to the distress with heavy earthquakes and other calamities.[2]
The national treasury was empty, and there was no means of replenishing it, or even of procuring money to meet the most pressing demands. Direct taxation was tried and failed, private property being excessively encumbered already. The only estates exempt from heavy burdens were those of the church, and hence the necessity of mortgaging them began. to grow popular. At the time the cabinet was formed, much had been expected from the minister
- ↑ Fears being entertained of foreign aggressions on the coast, foreigners were under the strictest surveillance.
- ↑ On the 1st of Aug. 1837, a very heavy shock was felt in Mexico. The night before a shock did some damage in Vera Cruz. Again, Nov. 22d, a shock in Mexico lasted more than five minutes, and did very serious damage to some of the strongest buildings, including the cathedral and several other churches. It was felt throughout the republic. Shortly before about 520 shocks had been experienced in Acapulco, which destroyed a part of the town, and forced the poople to abandon it. This was soon followed by an epidemic that killed millions of fish on both seas. The government adopted measures to prevent the sale of affected fish from Tampico. A great flood in the Rio Grande did much damage. Niles' Reg., lii. 402; Bustamante, Gabinete Mex., i. 26-7, 44-3; Id., MS., iii. 114-17; Jal. Not. Geog., in Soc. Mex. Geog. Bolet., vi. 314.
the most favorable terms. But to attain these ends the government had to call troops from other departments, and even those concentrated at Matamoros for the Texan campaign. There were disturbances also in New Mexico, Sonora, and elsewhere, and attempts to break the peace in Mexico, Puebla, Guanajuato, and other places. Andrade, Revol., 1-76; Id., Calific. Legal, 1-24; Filisola, Mem. Hist. Guer. Tejas, i. 507, ii. 26-36; Dur., Represent., in Pinart, Col. Doc., 1-10; Pinart, Col. Doc. Son., ii. 279-302, 306-10; Méx., Supl. Diario Gob., 144-57; Bustamante, Gabinete Mex., i. 5-10, 17, 3356; Id., MS., iii. 3-7, 67-81, 109-10; Id., Voz de la Patria, MS., xii. 23, 81-2, 113-17; Id., Mem. Justas Quejas, 1-8; Larrainzar, in Soc. Mex. Geog. Bolet., iii. 132.
