Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/185

Rh The men at the head of the new centralized governiment of Mexico showed their incompetency to deal with the Texan insurrection. It is true that they made a lame effort to conciliate the rebels with the offer of a further exemption from all taxation during the next ten years, but on the 30th of December, 1835, they passed a law by which they foolishly expected to check the swelling of the Texan ranks from the United States. The offer came too late, and the law produced no other effect than a number of horrible massacres, and the consequent exasperation of the victims' sympathizers, together with a nmore determined resistance.

Those in power misunderstood the difficulties they had to contend with, namely, the character of a population which might be exterminated, perhaps, but never subdued, and the natural obstacles offered by the region and climate. They seemed to think that in a contest between Mexican soldiers and colonists, the latter must of course succumb; but they did not consider that those soldiers would be fighting at a distance of about 600 miles fronm home, while the Texans were fighting for their hearths on their own ground.

The Texans now concluded, in view of Mexico's hostile attitude toward them, to sever all connection with that country; and on the 2d of March, 1836, in convention assembled at Washington, on the Brazos,