CONSPIRACY AGAINST GUERRERO BY BUSTAMANTE—GUERRERO BETRAYED AND SHOT.—ANECDOTE—REVOLT UNDER SANTA ANNA—HE RESTORES PEDRAZA AND BECOMES PRESIDENT.—GOMEZ FARIAS DEPOSED—CHURCH.—CENTRAL CONSTITUTION OF 1836—SANTA ANNA—HIS TEXAN DISGRACE—MEXIA.—BUSTAMANTE PRESIDENT.—FRENCH AT VERA CRUZ.—REVOLTS IN THE NORTH AND IN THE CAPITAL.—BUSTAMANTE DEPOSED—SANTA ANNA PRESIDENT.
Violent as was the conduct of the pretended liberals in overthrowing their rivals the Escocesses, and firmly as it may be supposed such a band was cemented in opposition to the machination of a bold monarchical party, we, nevertheless, find that treason existed in the hearts of the conspirators against the patriot hero whom they had used in their usurpation of the presidency. Scarcely had Guerrero been seated in the chair of state when it became known that there was a conspiracy to displace him. He had been induced by the condition of the country, and by the bad advice of his enemies to assume the authority of dictator. This power, he alleged, was exercised only for the suppression of the intriguing Escocesses; but its continued exercise served as a pretext at least, for the vice president, General Bustamante, to place himself at the head of a republican division and pronounce against the president he had so recently contributed to place in power. The executive commanded Santa Anna to advance against the assailants; but this chief, at first, feebly opposed the insurgents, and, finally, fraternizing with Bustamante, marched on the capital whence they drove Guerrero and his partisans to Valladolid in Michoacan. Here the dethroned dictator organized a government, whilst the usurping vice president, Bustamante,