junta de censura being charged with the duty of examining every writing intended to be printed, and the viceroy reserving to himself the right of restoration of the liberty of the press when the present extraordinary circumstances should have ceased.[1] Another edict of the same date prohibited, under the penalty of ten years in the chain-gang, the ringing of bells without an order of the government, and the forming of groups, which the armed force was enjoined to disperse.[2]
The government had now a knowledge of the persons that might be included in the dangerous class and persecuted. Without observing any formalities, the junta de seguridad, which still exercised power, though the press had clamored for its suppression, arrested Fernandez Lizardi of the Pensador Mexicano. He was, however, soon after released, and continued the publication of his paper till he had completed the number subscribed for, but in quite a different tone.[3]
Venegas said nothing at this time about the elections to be made for deputies to the córtes, and for those to constitute the diputacion provincial;[4] but when asked about the matter, toward the end of December, by the outgoing ayuntamiento of Mexico, and by some of the electors, he declared them suspended, directing the old ayuntamiento to continue acting as theretofore till further orders. In fact, everything prescribed in the constitution to be done was left unexecuted. Thus was that instrument in a
- ↑ Bustamante, Notic. Biog., 12, 13, speaks of the revolutionary spirit of the press. Torrente, Revol. Hisp. Am., i. 341; Bárcena, Manif., 13.
- ↑ The decree about ringing of bells is qualified with the words 'á vuelta de esquilas.' Gaz. de Mex., 1812, iii. 1293-4.
- ↑ Cárlos M. Bustamante, editor of El Juguetillo, fearing arrest absconded, and finally joined the insurrectionary chief Osorno at Zacatlan. Another elector named Martinez was imprisoned on the charge or suspicion of carrying on correspondence with the insurgents. Several others were persecuted later. Alaman, Hist. Méj., iii. 296; Bustamante, Cuad. Hist., ii. 186-90; Liceaga, Adic. y Rectific., 234.
- ↑ In the new territorial division for the intendencias, there was one province formed with those of Mexico, Puebla, Oajaca, Vera Cruz, Michoacan, and others, all of which were to be under one diputacion provincial residing in Mexico. Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, i. 364.
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