reform, and the poder conservador declared on November 9th that these could be entertained by the congress even before the time properly designated by the constitution, so long as its cardinal bases were respected. The concession was not deemed sufficient by the federalists, but their opponents prevailed,[1] and the government gained renewed confidence, although the frequent ministerial changes continued to stamp its policy as extremely vacillating,[2] greatly owing to a jealous fear of Santa Anna.[3] With the opening of 1840, however, came news of a fresh outbreak,[4] this time in Yucatan.
The peninsula had quietly submitted to the overthrow of the federal system in 1834, but when in addition long-conceded privileges were infringed or set aside by the introduction of excise, the increase of custom-house duty, the levy of funds, and the dragging away of local militia to suffer and die in campaigns against friendly Texas,[5] then patience came to
- ↑ See the respective arguments in Cosmopolita, Nov. 16, 1839; Diario Gob., Nov. 20, 1839, and other journals; Méx., Expediente, 2 et seq.; Pap. Var., xliii. pt v.
- ↑ Between April 1837 and March 1839 there were 12 changes in the ministry of foreign relations alone. Santa Anna made several changes in the interior and finance departments during his short tenure of power, and on July 27th Bustamante renewed the entire cabinet, the later celebrated Almonte assuming the war portfolio on Aug. 9th and retaining it, strangely enough, for two years. Méx., Col. Ley. y Dec., 1839, 138, 164-5, 170-1; Arrillaga, Recop., 1839, 170; Romero, Mem. Hас., 1035-6. An important feature in the treasury department was the organization of a tribunal de cuentas, or auditor's office, in March 1838. Méx., Col. Leyes, 1810, 392-424; with comments in Lustamante, Gabinete Mex., MS., iii. 143, 243-8, 253-4, which contains points additional to those in the printed issue. Id., Voz de la Patria, MS., xiv. 241-51.
- ↑ As instanced in the abrupt dismissal of the war minister Tornel, and his exclusion from the poder conservador. The sarcastic letter of dismissal may be read in English in Niles' Reg., lvii. 19, 150. Consult the protests and reports on the case. Méx., Dictámen, 11-19; Tornel, Expediente, 3 et seq.; Id., Carta, 1-25; Andrade, Manif., pp. i.-xii.; Pap. Var., xliii. pts 3, 9, 10, cxxvi. pts 4-5, clii. pt 18, ccxix. pt 10. The poder conservador consisted at the close of the year of Muzquiz, president, Cárlos M. Bustamante, Peña y Peña, Gomez y Anaya, Sanchez de Tagle secretary.
- ↑ Petty ones did also occur, as at Celaya and Tampico, in March and May, but they were promptly suppressed; the former assisting to swell the Mlichoacan revolutionists with a few men. Méx., Mem. Guerra, 1841, 38.
- ↑ Baqueiro, Ensayo, i. 36, ii. 448 et seq., enters fully into the causes, to which may be added the indifference of Mexico for the peninsula during the French blockade. Rivera attributes too much to the intrigues of office-seekers. Gob. de Méx., ii. 244.
