Farías' opposition. The vice-president had surrendered the executive authority to Santa Anna on the 18th, but Puebla being threatened by Arista and Duran, he resumed it again on the 5th of July, to enable the president to march at the head of the troops against the enemy.[1]
The agitation continued throughout the country.[2] The effort to weaken the power of the clergy and army was not abandoned; but owing to the absence of a combined plan, vacillation marked the counsels of the administration, which conduced to the ruin of the yorkino party, whose enemies had now at command large resources, besides the good will of Santa Anna. In his policy toward the clergy, the vice-president endeavored to detach the interests of religion from those of the state.[3]
On the 10th of July Santa Anna marched out of the capital with about 2,400 men[4] and six pieces of artillery. On the same day was published a letter dated July 6th, from Arista and Duran[5] to Santa
- ↑ By special permission of congress decreed on the same date. Dublan and Lozano, Leg. Mex., ii. 536.
- ↑ In the south Gen. Bravo was talked of for president; armed parties showed themselves in all directions. Rumors of secret plans were in circulation, the impression prevailing that the revolutionists, for mutual recognition, used an oval-shaped ring on which was engraved the image of Christ.
- ↑ The reform measures, as they related to the church, are detailed in a chapter specially devoted to ecclesiastical affairs in vol. vi. Hist. Mex., this series.
- ↑ According to Bustamante the press-gang was employed, and the rights of citizens were trampled upon. Voz de la Patria, MS., viii. 227.
- ↑ These officers, after marching and countermarching in the vicinity of Tezcuco, Mexico, and Puebla, proceeded to Tehuacan de las Granadas, where Lemus, commandant at Puebla, attacked them and was defeated, and taken prisoner with his staff, most of his men having in the action gone over to the enemy. Arista and Duran might then have taken Puebla by a forced march the same night, the distance being only 21 miles; but they only showed themselves the next day in front of the city, which they laid siege to. The place was then defended by ex-President Victoria, and the besiegers, after ten days of useless assaults, gave up their purpose, and went away, in fear that Santa Anna was coming against them. Bustamante, Voz de la Patria, MS., viii. 209-11.
viii. 182-201; Arrangoiz, Méj., ii. 216-20. On the 21st of June, 1834, President Santa Anna, then coquetting with all parties, allowed persons affected by that law who had not yet left the republic to remain in it provisionally, and gave them safe-conducts, till the future congress should reconsider the matter. His decree did not include the military, who by force of arms endeavored to destroy the federal system, and yet he promised to intercede with congress for their pardon. Arrillaga, Recop., 1834, 241-2, 326-7.
