Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/27

Rh In several provinces revolutionary movements against the government had been promoted, not only by those who in good faith desired the establishment of the federal régime, but in some of them by Iturbidists who hoped to secure, in the midst of the turmoil, the restoration of the empire. Guadalajara and San Luis Potosí presented the most formidable opposition. In the latter province Santa Anna with his troops had established a protectorate to be maintained until the federation of states should be constituted; but the energetic resistance of the authorities, supported by General Armijo with the force placed under his command, soon compelled Santa Anna to abandon his plan, and report himself in Mexico to answer for his conduct. In Guadalajara the case was quite different; the cry for a federation was a mere pretext, the agitators' real aim being Iturbide's recall. The deputies from there had been instructed to demand that one person only should hold the executive authority, and that a strictly federal constitution should be framed. The authorities and people pretended a willingness to obey the government, but continued the opposition.

The executive, therefore, resolved to check by force the insubordination of the Iturbidists, whose chiefs were generals Quintanar and Bustamante. Two thousand men under Bravo and Negrete marched to Guadalajara, and on approaching Nueva Galicia, Negrete