Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/127

Rh regarding the popular satisfaction with his policy. The garrison at Vera Cruz had, on the night of the 2d of January, issued a pronunciamiento demanding, among other things, the dismissal of the ministers.

Santa Anna had been living quietly for two years on his estate of Manga de Clavo. The administration had tendered him positions and he had refused them. All persons desiring to put a stop to the arbitrary acts of the government, and prevent the coming elections from being conducted under the influence of Bustamante's ministers, urged Santa Anna to place himself at the head of a movement to effect their removal. Santa Anna was convinced that only a resort to arms could remove the dangers of a wide-spread revolution that would lead to general anarchy. The dismissal of the ministers was thought to be the remedy for the evil, and this was the exclusive object of the pronunciamiento. It subsequently took another direction by the express will of the several states. The ministers and their friends attributed the movement to different motives, accusing Santa Anna of sinister views, and charging Colonel Landero, one of the chief promoters, with acts of a dishonorable character. Whatever the actual promptings may have been, the grievance complained against was the conduct of the ministry, as set forth by the complainants in their act, a synopsis of which I give below. Santa