Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-15

time to place himself in power, and.
lago-like, proceeded to dispose of
Guerrero. Worked upon his feelings by
picturing to him the enormity of his
acts, especially his decree abolishinp
slavery, and laid before him the great
danger he was in from wronged and
enraged people. At the same time he
was secretly forming conspiracy
for his overthrow. and, finally throw
ing on the mask, he openly proclaim
ed that Guerrero had violated the
constitution by Selling the presidency
through force of arms when not
elected. Guerrero declined TO be sus-
tanned by military force and resigned
TO congress his dictatorial powers. de-
parted from the capitol. and was
preparing to leave the republic when
Hustamente, who was vice president,
succeeded to the presidential chair;
his first official act was to declare
Guerrero an outlaw. Guerrero was
captured and a cabinet called, pre-
sided over by Bustamente. The de-
cision of the council was that Guefr-
zero should he treated as common
criminal, and tried by a military tri-
bunal. The trial Immediately fol-
lowed, and Guerrero was sentenced
and shot as common criminal on
the 10th day of February, 1881.
Thus the emancipation of slavery in
the Mexican republic. like the en-
republic, met an untimely death.
President Guerrero had rendered
arduous and valuable services to this
country in many conflicts of the
tented field, during her protracted
struggle with Spain for her indie
pendence, and his short administra-
ton was noted for wisdom and Glenn
ency.
As soon as Guerrero was disposed
of, Bustamente established n perfect
despotism and proved to be Il bound
less tyrant. whose cruelty eclipsed
that of Nero. lie disregarded all le-
gal acts. and to complain of his OPP
preston was death. His military of
ficers partook of his example. One
instance will suffice: \ newspaper
published an article rejecting on the
acts of an army officer; the officer
ordered the press destroyed, and the
editor. who was then under arrest.
shot. The order was Immediately
obeyed.
\ decree was issued for the eXpul-
sion of all foreigners from Mexico
who had not settled under the col
onization laws of 1925. This decree
was aimed at the settlers in Texas.
Discomfort prevailed throughout
the republic, and in 1892 Santa Anna,
who had remained in retirement since
the fall of Guerrero. collected an ar
my from several disaffected military
posts for the purpose of deposing the
tyrant. When Bustamente learned
that Santa Anna was marching to the
capital with an armed force and
found himself through his unpopu
larity unprepared to resist, he relin
quished his power into the hands of
congress and fed from the country.
Santa Anna Immediately sent YES
sci to the United States for Pedraza,
whom he had deposed in 1928, and
placed him in the presidential chair
to serve the short remainder of the
Then he retired to his estate, we'll
knowing that grateful people would
soon tender him the presidency.
In 1888 Antonio Lopez Santa Anna
was elected president without com
petitor; but he, like 1turbide and
Bustamente, also became ambitious
and plainly showed desire to raise
himself to absolute power. He abol-
ished the constitution of 1924 and
dissolved by decree the constitution
al council of senator's known as the
general council. He increased his
army and appointed his adherents as
governors. Several states took up
arms against the usurper, but We're
speedily subdued. In his message of
1885 he plainly told the people that
they were not worthy of free gov
eminent and that the object of con-
gress was to perfect the opinions of
the president. Being in fear of the
republicans on account of his schemes
of Capitalization and self-aggrandize-
ment. he sought the influence of the
clergy and old-time royalists, who
had denounced all the forms of the
republican congress as invading the
sacred rights of the church. Military
despotism was fully established. Con
fiscation and Imprisonment followed
resistance. and for a season Santa
Anna was truly dictator.
The state of Texas at this period,
1885, contained population of $4,000,
who had been uneasy and discomfort
ed. even to armed resistance. during
the Bustamente administration. They
now felt greatly exasperated at the
unwarranted acts of Santa Anna and
his officers, and especially at the acts
dissolving their legislatures by mil
itary order and imprisoning their
representatives at the capital, as we'll
as the act abolishing the constitution
of 1924, which they had considered
one of the safeguards of their liber-
ties. Santa Anna should have known
that the science of revolution was