ceeded in 1851 in obtaining for his party a nearly equal representation in the congress; but in the following year his rivals again obtained a decisive majority.[1]
The disorders in Yucatan and Sierra Gorda affected tumultuous spirits elsewhere, which were encouraged by the weakness of the government, as displayed in coping with these troubles. Chiapas had been greatly disturbed by a faction hostile to the local government, and which sustained itself for a long time, despite several defeats, with aid from Guatemala and from the adjoining state of Tabasco. The overthrow here in 1850 of an aspiring partisan of Sentmanat named Beltran[2] only caused the rise of others, notably Moreti.[3] He stood in league with Melendez, who for a year held the Tehuantepec Isthmus in alarm, advocating partly its separation from Oajaca.[4] The repression of both entailed trouble and expense to all the adjoining states, even to the borders of Guerrero and Puebla, where a native leader, Juan Clara, had given new energy to the lingering mountaineer revolt, which began several years back at Chilapa, and gave occasion for numerous local pronunciamientos by San-
- ↑ Notably in the almost unanimous reëlection of Barbachano for governor. In 1850 the electoral college appeared so unfavorable to the Mendez faction that they formed a separate college and sent 12 deputies of their own to Mexico. The chambers chose to ignore both elections. In 1851 the Barbachano electors numbered 5, the Mendez 3, while 2 were independent, and 2 friends of Vega, with leanings to Mendez.
- ↑ This aspirant was Beltran, seconded by a Spaniard named Olave. Beltran held in 1848 the ascendancy for a time, capturing Governor Maldonado of Chiapas, but in 1850 he was taken and shot. Maldonado, Informe, 1-14; Universal, Nov. 25, Dec. 12, 1849, Jan. 29, June 26, 1850; Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, iv. 52, 135; Heraldo, Dec. 20. 1848; Correo Nac., Dec. 14, 19, 1848.
- ↑ He rose in the southern part of Vera Cruz in April 1851, and although his force was dispersed within a month, he broke forth anew.
- ↑ Melendez first rose at Juchitan with less defined plans, although directed mainly against the governor of Tehuantepec department, Echavarria. The separation cry was intended to bring him greater support, but failed, and in Jan. 1851 he submitted on favorable terms. The government hesitating to confirm them, he fled, and kept the district in fear of another outbreak. petty revolt at Tehuantepec itself in Dec. 1851, Moreti's operations, and a futile rising at Comitan in June against Chiapas' governor, were all sympathetic movements. Details are given in Méx., Mem. Min. Guer., 1851, 5-6, 9-12; 1832, 9-16, 32; Universal, 1849-51, passim; Siglo XIX., id.
