than one-tenth of that number in the province; therefore, as " a population of at least 80,000" was the necessary qualification required by the federal constitution of 1824, for the Mexican provinces before they could become separate states, the prayer of the petition of the general convention was refused by the general congress of Mexico, whereupon the representative of the convention, Colonel Austin, wrote from the city of Mexico to his partisans in the ayuntamiento of San Antonio, recommending the Anglo-American colonists in Texas to organise Texas into a state de facto.

This letter of Col. Austin's fell into the hands of the Mexican authorities; and Austin was arrested and imprisoned-not for the mere act of presenting the petition of the general convention of Texas to the Mexican Congress, as the Texans falsely assert, but for an act of rebellion against the Republic of Mexico; for the attachment to which the petitioners' lives and honour were pledged. Having now arrived at the close of the history of the federal constitution of Mexico, it will be necessary for the reader to bear in mind the conduct of the AngloAmerican settlers towards their generous benefactors the Mexicans, during the reign of federalism, in order that he may be able to take a correct view of the conduct of the colonists, at different periods subsequent to its abolition, and the establishment of centralism, which will form the subject matter of the following chapter.

CHAPTER III.

Santa Anna, President-Measures of Clemency-Texan Land Jobbing-Austin's Advice to the Colonists-Political Fanatics -Rebellious Spirit of the Texans-Address of the General Committee-State Legislature of Coahuila and Texas-Defeat of Garcia-Arrest of Viesca-Proclamation of General CosDeclaration of the Peace Party in Texas-Proclamation of the Mexican Chiefs-General Cos joins Ugartechea-The Texans act on the Offensive-Centralism confirmed by Proclamation-The Texans commence Hostilities-General Austin resigns the Command-Acts of the General ConventionGeneral Austin repairs to the United States-Military Successes of the Texans-Reinforcement of the Mexicans-Suspension of Hostilities-Capitulation-Massacre of Fannin and his Men -Siege and Capture of San Antonio by Santa Anna-Death of Crockett and Bowie-Retreat of the Texans-Surprise at San Jacinto-Capture of Santa Anna and the Vanguard—Santa Anna's Protest-His Execution discussed by the TexansRetreat of the Mexican Army, &c., &c.

IN speaking of the federal constitution, I have always styled it a ponderous mass of complicated state machinery; and to illustrate this assertion I have given, in the Appendix, my letter to Mr. O'Connell, published in February, 1840, in which the reader will find a summary comparison between the federal and central forms of government; and I will only further observe, that the enormous additional expense that cumbrous system entailed

upon the Mexican people, hastened a downfal which sooner or later would have been inevitable.

The extinction of the federal system in the latter part of 1834, and the establishment of centralism, were brought about by the following prominent circumstances:-Pedraza, who had been installed as president in December, 1832, on the forced retirement of Bustamante, gave up the reins of government in April, 1833, to Santa Anna, who in the mean time had been elected president, and Gomez Farias vice-president, according to the constitution of the federation. Santa Anna soon found himself unable to control the many unruly elements by which the government was surrounded, and confiding his powers provisionally to Farias, retired to Vera Cruz. The latter having obtained unlimited authority from the congress, carried on so extensive a system of persecution and banishment of those he suspected to be inimical to the government, that in the spring of 1834, the outcry became general, and Santa Anna himself now favoured the insurrectionary movements against the very party which he had been chiefly instrumental in elevating to power. Having resumed the presidential functions, he closed the general congress in May, and declaring it to be the national desire, he suspended the legislatures and executive governments of the several states as a preliminary to the establishment of a central, in lieu of a federal system; and whilst these operations were carried on with more or less coercion during the remainder of the year, Santa

Anna convoked another general congress, the members of which were to be elected expressly for the purpose of modifying the constitution of 1824, or of framing a new one.

In the interval which elapsed previous to the assembling of this new constituent congress, Santa Anna exercised nearly dictatorial powers in order to restore tranquillity. He recalled from banishment and released from prison the innumerable victims of Farias's persecutions. He turned his attention to the army and militia, which he reorganised, bringing the former into a good state of discipline, and disbanding a considerable part of the local militias, whose composition had long been extremely prejudicial to good order.

Agreeably to Santa Anna's summons, the congress met in the capital on the 1st of January, 1835; and after giving Santa Anna the most unqualified assurances of their approval of his conduct and views, which had already been backed by complimentary and grateful addresses from nearly every province and town throughout the country, the congress declared him president of the central republic of Mexico.

The vice-presidency of Gomez Farias, who, when driven from office, fled and concealed himself in the state of Zacatecas, having been declared vacant, the congress elected General Barragan as Santa Anna's vice-president. By the report on the state of the country, which Santa Anna sent to congress, it appeared that there were only five states, out of

the twenty which formed the Mexican confederation, opposed to the change in progress. The congress, reserving to itself all legislative power, transformed the states into departments, the civil and military administration of which was subjected directly to the supervision and control of the supreme executive in the capital; but in each department there was established a council under the presidency of a governor to manage all their internal affairs.

The first standard of rebellion against the central system was raised by the Texans, who, it will be remembered, had been the indefatigable opponents of federal government. The Texans, now pretending their adhesion to federation, pronounced Santa Anna to be a traitor to his country, but more openly than before, commenced to make arrangements for the separation of Texas from Mexico.

Much confusion had prevailed in the Coahuilan part of the state of Coahuila and Texas, during a portion of 1834, by the struggle of two factions, which terminated in the election of a new state legislature in direct opposition to Santa Anna's proclamations and the new order of things. That legislature elected Augustine Viesca governor of the state, and his unwarrantable proceedings greatly augmented the existing difficulties between Texas and Mexico. Viesca (whose public life history will brand as unprincipled, if not openly dishonest) commenced his career as governor of the state of Coahuila and Texas, by promulgating a decree in