New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-02

We hope that with your el0 ana assist.
ance, and with the support OF those citisens
| and dignity, we will perform oar duty as
citizens, noting in accordance with the great
principles which We profess and which We
| will sustain at the cost of our blood; and
We will complete our fatherly mission, for
| We consider the education OF our children
paramount to all, whereas under Lerdo and
his political hirelings they would be held as
slaves in their native land.
| The great declaration Of principles whicA
We sign this day will be the invariable
basis Of our principles and actions. and the
people will be at liberty to substitute
another therefor at any time, observing,
| however. the provisions Of the constitution
contained in article one of our plan.
Therefore, wherever the exigencies of the
circumstances will require it, the several
| States shall continue to bs governed by
ganize under their provisions, as soon as
the instruction shall have been acquisced
in by the people Of their respective terri
tories.
Now the people have stepped out in the
| field of battle conscious Of their rights, their
resolution will be infexibie. For three
long years they have suffered in submission
to . stronger power-solely because in the
| minds of all o civil war had not appeared
The people at last seize the sword of
| Justice, with the hands which they have for
three years kept folded in prayer and invc-
| cations, and that eacred and invincble
| sword shall not not be sheathed until the
high mission contided to them by their
fellow citizens shall have been accom-
plished.
of true republic. if you intend to carry out
the promises which you have all advanced.
let all subscribe their names to the reform
plan which is this day published, and We
will forever remain your friend and fellow
citizen, PORFIRIO DIAZ.
Campo en- Palo Blanco, March 81, 1876.
To the People of Mexico:
Whereas, the administration of the af-
fairs of the republic of Mexico is conducted
by q government which has made OF abuse
political system without regard to Law or
to morality, instilling corrupt Influences
into society. degrading its institutions and
| making it impossible TO arrive a. pacific
solution Of those difficulties; and whereas
| the peoples right of suffrage has been con-
ver,ed into disgrace1ul farce since the
every means n their power elevated
to public stations those whom he
calls his ''otficial" OF favored can
d;dates and Rejecting all other respon.
sible and independent citizens; and where
as the President displaces at his own will
and pleasure the Governors OF our pro-
vince, and places the government of said
provinces in the hands OF his tavOrItes, as
has happened IN the provinces OF Coahuila,
Yucatan. Oaxaca, Nusvo Leon and Jalisco,
and placing those provinces under military
government 70 the utter disregard a1d vio-
latioa of the rights Of the ;nhabirsn 3 there
Of; and. whereas, the meagre appropriation
made for the relief of the frontier States,
for their defense against the iavasions
and aggressions of the barbarOus Indians,
has been Withdrawn without re lard or con-
siderAtion for the laws Of humanity: the
public treasury is being exhausted in ex-
travagant and unn scessary expenditures.
without the Congress receiving account for
the funds which are placed under its con.
trcl; the department of justice is to-day in
the highest state OF prostitution, and dis
trict judges are appointed as agents of the
administration, for the purpose of i'll treat
ing the people of the States: the municipal
power of the States has entirely disap-
ployed solely with view OF the
manipulation of the elections; the
President and his proaeges receive three or
four times the salary to which they are en-
titled, all of which is detrimental to the
public morality; the executive is surrounded
by criminals and assassins who assault and
kill harmless and respectable citizens; the
public instruction Is entirely abandoned.
and the moneys appropriated therefor re-
main in the hands of the Presidents IA
vorites; the organization Of the Senate,
Lerdo's great achievement, effected
with view OF controlling the iegis-
lative powers, carries with it the
veto OF ali the laws; the shameful
postal law. the woik of the same admins
tration, has been OF no service to the peo-
pie. but on the contrary. compels them to
submit to the mOst outrageous extortiCns;
the country has been burdened with con-
tract entered into with the English company,
granting to said company certain privileges
for the Vera Cruz railroad, with exorbitant
tariff rates. the excessive charges imposed
by said company has completely paralyzed
the agricultural and commercial rela-
tons; the monopoly granted to the
said railroad company prohibits the
building of other roads, and thereby
causes marked depreciation in our in.
terror trade: the complete material destruc-
ton of ell other ports OF the republic, and
the greatest misery in every direction: the
same government has conceded TO the same
company. under tbs pretence of a charter
authOriz Il the construction OF the Leon rail-
way, the exclusive privilege OF carrying on
a lottery business, all Of which is q viola
ton OF the constitution; the President and
his friends have recognized the enormous
English debt, by which S2000.0o0 are
distributed to his different agencies in the
States; such contract is not only immoral
but unjust, because Mexico receives no IL
demnity from this extravagant contract
Besides that i1tamy, the parties have the
right to sell and transfer unto the United
States the debt aforesaid. which would be
equivalent TO selling our country to the ad
!
the name of Mexican citizens if We should
acuU;esce in this illegal act on the par. OF
the administration and permit our country
20 oe sold to foreigners. The said Lerdo de
Tejada has destroyed all our hopes in Sc
curing remedy to our evils through pa
citc means owing TO the outrageous man
ner in VIII Oh our elections are conducted.
In the name OF an outraged society. and
of the people Of Mexico Let Us raise the
standard OF war against our common OPP
pressors, and let the following plan Of ac-
ton and principles be proclaimed;
PLAN
ARTICLE /. Tie supreme laws Of the re-
public shall be. the constitution OF 1857, the
reform act promulga September %,
1873, and the Law Of December Ia. 1874.
ART. 2. The same law making the Presi- |
dent and Governors of the States ineligi-
be to the same position will be main
tanned. this being measure o. constitu- |
ton al reform which we agree to sustain by
all the legal means afforded to US by the |
constitution.
ART. 3. We repudiate DON Sebastian
Lerdo de Tel ada. as President OF the repub-
lie, and ali those persons employed by him
or occupying positions under him, or
elected az TIE elections of July. 1873.
ART. 4. All State governments adhering |
to this plan Will be recognized; those retus |
ing 30 to do, will be placed under provi |
sional government to be appointed by the |
executive olicer Of the army.