Santa Anna, with a select army of nearly 14,000 men, was already at Silao, on the way to crush Paredes and reduce to obedience the adjoining provinces. The task seemed easy enough, for their forces were scattered, and the mere appearance of so imposing an opponent might suffice to restore order. Paredes himself felt so little confidence that he prepared to intrench himself in some strong position. The news from Mexico upset the whole plan. In a council of officers it was decided that Santa Anna should reassume the role of president in order to give legality to his acts, and march at once against the capital, as the present centre of the revolt. A preliminary measure was to seize all the funds he could lay hands upon at the mint and public offices of Guanajuato and other towns,[1] and to impress additional men at the settlements en route, all of which swelled the popular outcry. A force was left at Guanajuato to check the speeding outbreak, and as a further precaution Governor Cortazar was inveigled and made a prisoner, after having rejected the different offers of Santa Anna for obtaining his adhesion,[2] while a partial concession was made at Querétaro by reinstalling the assembly and governor.[3]
Fully aware that the wrath of the suspended president would turn against them, the new authorities at Mexico took prompt steps for defence, authorizing a loan of half a million and the free introduction of sup-
- ↑ From the mint $135,000 were taken, $90,000 of which, belonging to the conde de Perez Galvez, were subsequently restored. The duties from the fair at Lagos yielded $50,000, and so forth, of which Minister Haro took charge.
- ↑ Such as the war portfolio and the captaincy general of Guanajuato. Santa Anna wrote that he wished to confer with him about resigning the presidency. Cortazar set out, but was seized at Tula on Dec. 25th. Boletin Notic., Dec. 19, 1841. Correspondence between him and Paredes, in Pabel. Nac., Nov. 26, 28, 1844.
- ↑ He had no sooner passed the place, however, than they reasserted their adherence to the revolution. The garrison had thought it best to declare their loyalty to Santa Anna. The latter had turned back from Silao on Dec. 13th, sending on the way a warning to Herrera. This and other documents may be found in the different journals of the day, including such remote issues as Meteoro de Sin., Jan 17, 1845.
