Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/568

548 in self-defence. But the so much desired peace they were resolved so to secure by war that a bargain, which was nothing better than barefaced robbery, should be secured. The coveted acquisition was secured, and President Polk boasted in his message to the United States senate of "the magnanimous forbearance exhibited toward Mexico." All this, as every intelligent American knows, was pure humbug. It was not magnanimity but policy which prompted Polk and his fellows to pay Mexico about twenty million dollars when she was at the conqueror's mercy. It gave among the nations, howsoever Almighty God regarded it, some shadow of title to stolen property.

The negotiation of a treaty to bring peace to distracted Mexico was the source of great trouble in the country, caused by those who used it as a pretext to promote their own aims. A revolution broke out at Aguascalientes, whose chiefs were Governor Cosío and the guerrilla leader Padre Cenobio Jarauta. With about 1,000 men they drove out of the city the comandante general, Manuel Arteaga, who had refused to join them.

Jarauta, in accord with the garrison of Lagos, published in June the plan of the discontented in five articles, the chief points of which were to ignore the existing government, and that the states should reassume their sovereignty, and provide means for the constitution of another. Meantime the command of the forces was to be vested in the general officer of the highest rank who had accepted the plan. This