Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/434

382 President, as well as himself, saw that the parchment on which a treaty should be written, would not become dry, ere he would be hurled from power; and the clergy were obliged to favor the prolongation of the contest, through fear lest, if they refused, their churches would be plundered by the military demagogues, who could not forget their animosities, even when their country was in peril.

At a previous session of the Mexican Congress, a resolution had been passed, providing for the removal of that body to Queretaro when the capital should be in danger. Disregarding the spirit of this resolution, on the 215: of August, Santa Anna called a meeting of Congress, to be held in the city of Mexico, while the negotiations were in progress, in order that the members might be conveniently situated to act on any proposition, having reference to such negotiations, that might be submitted to them. This furnished a pretext for complaint, of which his enemies were prompt to avail themselves. On the 22nd of August, the deputies of Mexico, Jalisco, and Zacatecas, mainly federalists, or monarchists, like Paredes, signed a protest denouncing, in advance, any treaty, concluded or ratified under the guns of the enemy. The "Diario del Gobierno" insisted, on the following day, that the proposition of General Scott for an armistice, was acceded to, "without abatement of Mexican honor — — tried, yet not cast down by the most disastrous fortune;" — but the opponents of Santa Anna, though willing that he should continue the war until his military reputation was forever destroyed,