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242 A more serious affair was the now pronounced segregation of Yucatan. She had in March 1841 adopted a new constitution, a revision of the federal law of 1825, a newly elected congress had been installed, and a declaration of independence had actually passed the lower chamber, although the governor induced the senate to table it. Santa Anna was determined to continue the preparations for reconquest which he had diverted for the overthrow of Bustamante. Meanwhile he commissioned the Yucatec lawyer, Quintana Roo, to seek a peaceful settlement; but relying on its late successes, the peninsula would yield only in so far as to remain nominally a part of Mexico, with her own present laws and management of finances and custom-houses, subject to her own civil and military rulers, and contributing to the republic only a fair sum based on true resources and requirements. Any disposition encroaching hereupon could be entertained only from a free and popularly elected congress. These terms roused the indignation of the Mexican government, which declared that the bases of Tacubaya must be admitted as a primary condition, and that all Yucatecs who failed to submit to the laws of the republic would be treated as foes.

The peninsular authorities proving equally obdurate, a part of the projected expedition, 1,500 strong, left Vera Cruz in August under Morales, and after a slight skirmish took possession of the Isla del Cármen presidio and the entire Yucatec navy of three vessels. With the aid of 2,700 additional men, under