were burned in the plaza. A rumor having spread that two commissioners by this vessel were secreted in the house of Ciriaco Ceballos, the comandante of the port, a mob broke into and plundered it. The host was taken to the house to allay the tumult, but the crowd was only dispersed by a heavy fall of rain. [1] Iturrigaray heard of it on the 13th of August, the day on which the oath of allegiance to Fernando was taken, and it ought to have been a warning. [2]
On the 30th two commissioners from the junta of Seville arrived at Mexico demanding recognition of its sovereignty over New Spain. [3] They were Juan Gabriel Jabat, a naval commander, and bitter enemy of Iturrigaray, [4] and Colonel Tomás de Jáuregui, a brother of the viceroy's wife. They were instructed to arrest the viceroy in case he refused compliance. A junta was convened on the following day, at which Iturrigaray expressed his dissatisfaction at the tone and want of courtesy of the despatch. [5] The debate which ensued was warm and lengthy, and tended in no way to procure harmony. Oidor Aguirre pro-
- ↑ 'Lo que realmente resfrió a los amontinados, y los disolvió, fué un fuertísimo aguacero, que hubo en aquella hora.' Lacunza, Discursos Hist., no. xxxvi. 535. Bustamante states that the tumult was occasioned by the indiscreet action of Ceballos, who prohibited under pain of death any one from visiting the French ship. This gave offence to the sailors in Vera Cruz, and led to the sacking of Ceballos' house: 'la chusma marinera. . .arrojó sus muebles á la calle, quemó su quitrin, y robó sus planos de la comision hidrográfica que habia levantado, y juntamente una porcion de instrumentos de marina.' Cavo, Tres Siglos, iii. 232-3.
- ↑ 'El modo fácil con que se inició la asonada, y que manifestaba el grado de exaltacion en que se hallaban los ánimos, indicó al virey lo predispuesto que estaba el pueblo á lanzarse á la revolucion.' Negretre, Mex. Siglo XIX., i., 89. This author states that it was believed in Vera Cruz that José Miguel de Azanza, formerly viceroy, and at this time minister of war of Joseph Bonaparte, had arrived on the French vessel.
- ↑ Three days before, Iturrigaray had deemed it advisable to issue a proclamation exhorting the people to maintain allegiance to Fernando and unite in resisting Napoleon. Diario, Mex., ix. 239-42.
- ↑ ’Porque este le habia hecho salir mal de su grado dos años antes para España, porque queria percibir los sueldos sin trabajar.' Cavo, Tres Siglos, iii. 233.
- ↑ Villa Urrutia thus expresses himself: 'Celebróse la junta, se vieron los papeles de aquella'—the junta of Seville—'reducidos á una proclama, y á dos ordenes en tono soberano, confirmando la una á todos en sus respectivos empleos, y mandando por la otra qe se embiasen los caudales qe ubiese.' Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., i. 535-6.
