Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/81

Rh President Victoria was not hostile to the Spaniards from the mere fact of their nationality; he had, on the contrary, shown favor to many of them who served under him. He abhorred supporting severe measures against them, and only did so when his ministers represented the necessity of such measures for the safety of the nation, and even of the Spaniards themselves, whose lives were often in great peril from popular violence. It is doubtful if the government could have guided the masses into the path of right and justice. Nevertheless, the president endeavored to allay the convulsion, but his feeble efforts availed nothing — instance the results of his intercession when the Parian was sacked in December 1828. The consequences of that scandalous occurrence were that large amounts of capital were taken out of the country, and the merchants of Europe suspended their operations in Mexico.