Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/74

54 The policy of Mexico toward foreigners showed a marked distrust of them; and indeed, the masses of the population were anything but friendly to aliens in general, and to Americans in particular. Foreigners were subjected to constant annoyance, little protection being afforded to their persons or property. The position of Spaniards in Mexico became more perilous every day, and the system of despoiling them was constantly gaining supporters. The question was brought to a climax by a motion made in congress by Ramos Arizpe in 1824, to deprive all Spaniards of their public offices. The consideration that they had embraced the American cause, and had been guaranteed the rights and privileges of Mexican citizens, was ignored; their enemies were also unmindful of the evil consequences to the country, both in a moral and material point of view, which would result from such an act of injustice, as well as from the needless loss by persecution of so many citizens, a large number of whom had Mexican wives and children, while the greater portion were engaged in some useful industry productive of wealth to the young nation. Blind hatred caused justice and policy alike to be disregarded.

The passions of the rabble were constantly kept at fever heat by a portion of the press, and all efforts of the government to check it were unavailing. The utmost vigilance was practised to prevent disturbances of the peace, notwithstanding which, on the night of the 28th of May, 1824, a revolution was on the point