Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/118

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98
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TROUBLES.

having secured passage on the Colombo, Guerrero accompanied them to the wharf. There Picaluga invited him to breakfast on board the brig, which invitation he accepted; Miguel de la Cruz, collector of the port, also went on board. When breakfast was over the brig set sail, Guerrero concluding to go as far as the entrance of the harbor, having a boat in tow for his return on shore. But while in the act of bidding his friends good-by, he was seized and bound by the crew, and together with the others taken to Guatulco, where the vessel arrived on the 20th of January, 1831.[1] On the 26th they were marched to Oajaca,[2] where they arrived on the 4th of February, and the proceedings which had commenced at Guatulco were continued, Lieutenant-colonel Nicolás Condelle then acting as the prosecuting officer.

The charges preferred against Guerrero were as follows: 1. That he had personally directed the revolution of La Acordada, and obtained the presidential chair over hundreds of corpses, the plunder of the Parian and many wealthy houses, by which proceedings he had dishonored the nation, and made her appear despicable in the eyes of the civilized world. 2. That after his overthrow from the presidency he had pretended to abide by the decision of the congress, and on finding that the decision was against him, had joined Álvarez and his soldiers, whom he had secretly incited to rebellion. 3. That after the battle of Texca he ordered the officers of Armijo's division to be shot, though they were marching under the safe conduct

    as a folly. Bustamante also disapproved it at the time. Voz de la Patria, iv. no. 13, 5-8; no. 31, 6-7.

  1. Gonzalez in his report of the 21st makes it appear that Guerrero and the others had landed early in the morning of the previous day, and had been captured. Registro Ofic., 1831, Feb. 1, supl.; Mex., Proceso Instruct., 75-3. If the prisoners were taken on shore, they must have been returned to the ship, for it was on board of her that the initiatory judicial proceedings took place. Id., 102-3.
  2. Facio had beforehand ordered Bravo to send troops in the direction of Tlapa to guard against a rescue, and the comandante at Oajaca had also been instructed to send Guerrero to Perote; but a counter-order retained him in Oajaca. Id., 187.