Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/97

Rh Guadalupe Saldaña, belonging to the lowly race included in the term castas, utterly degraded both civilly and politically; for they were disqualified by law, custom, and prejudice for ever emerging from their low condition. To this fact should be ascribed Guerrero's defects, which have been so pitilessly and unjustly exaggerated by the very men that should have extolled his fortitude, and exalted his services and personal merits. It is needless to speak further of his military career, the pages of this history having already detailed it. Suffice it to say that till about 1814 Guerrero was a subordinate, but had already on several occasions made his mark as a good soldier under the banner of Morelos. We have since seen that when the prominent soldiers in the south successively disappeared, Guerrero took their place, keeping alive during several years, by his patriotic perseverance, the spirit of independence. Let us consider the man in the new position to which he has been raised. His elevation to the presidency was the triumph of the popular party; notwithstanding the assertions of his enemies to the contrary, he enjoyed the popular preference, and his inauguration took place amid the plaudits of the masses. Guerrero believed that by leaving the people to themselves, untrammelleduntrammeled [sic], and strictly maintaining the federal institutions, his would be a paternal government, and the country's institutions would become consolidated. He committed a serious mistake in adopting such a course when social and political ties were loosened, and indeed society was almost in a chaotic state. The result could be none other than a loss of all respect for