Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/730

714 of the people, the three guaranties of the plan of Iguala—religion, independence, and union—being enthusiastically proclaimed. Under these favorable circumstances Iturbide advanced uninterruptedly to the city of Guanajuato, which he entered about the middle of April.

Bustamante's defection completely changed the aspect of the revolution. It increased the independent forces by about 6,000 men, and gave it all the resources of the province of Guanajuato, still one of the wealthiest in New Spain. The viceroy to no purpose tried to awaken in these troops their former loyalty. Proclamations were no longer of avail. The army, composed mostly of creoles, as the reader is aware, was no longer imbued with the sentiments which for so long had kept it faithful to the oppressor's cause. A multitude of insurgents who had received the benefit of the pardon had, during the last two years, associated with the troops, and these learned, at last, that they alone had prevented the achievement of their country's freedom years ago, and that it was to them that she still looked for aid. The example of Guanajuato was speedily followed elsewhere; the resistance opposed to the triumphant progress of the revolution was insignificant and for the most part a mere show—terminated without active hostility. At Valladolid, before which city Iturbide appeared on the 12th of May, the comandante Quintanar, after spending a week in negotiations and protesting that his honor would not allow him to listen to any proposals for the capitulation of the city, adopted the self-deceptive course of deserting to the enemy on the 19th. This he did to reconcile his tender conscience—for he was in favor of independence—with his notions of honor as a royalist officer. On the following day the