representative system, as it now exists, and he will be sustained by all parties."

Disturbances in Coahuila.- The decision of Santa

Anna was a bitter disappointment to the Texans, more especially as public matters in Coahuila had been for some time in a disturbed condition. An effort to change

the capital from Saltillo to Monclova had caused a revolution; there were rival governors, each striving for control of the State; all was strife, tumult and confusion. The Texans, who took no part in these quarrels, looked on in disgust and longed for the day to come when they would be free from such companions. The difficulties were finally referred to Santa Anna, who (Dec., 1834) decided that the capital should remain at Monclova, and that a new election should be held for governor, vicegovernor, and legislators. When this State Congress convened it sold to speculators over four hundred square leagues of the best public lands of Texas at less than two cents per acre. This act caused the deepest indignation among the people.

Santa Anna's Schemes.- For some time, as we have seen, Santa Anna had been planning to throw off the mask of devotion to his country and claim unlimited power. In April, 1834, he saw he could bring both the Church and the army to his support; a revolution ensued. Santa Anna was successful; he became almost absolute ruler of Mexico and the Constitution of 1824 became a thing of the past. Knowing that Texas was settled by a superior class of men, and wishing to have them on his side, he called the council mentioned above. It is supposed that he held Austin as a hostage for the good behavior of the Texans. During 1835, he continued the work that was to destroy the free Republic of Mexico. He had a congress elected that had no will but his own. Under his orders it commanded the legislatures of various Mexican states to dissolve. Most of the States obeyed. The State governments were really abolished, and all Mexico, with the exception of Zacatecas (zä-kä-ta'-käs), Coahuila, and Texas, without a struggle lay at the Dictator's mercy.

CAUSE

IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF TEXAS REVOLUTION

Hearing that Texas was not disposed to yield to his power, Santa Anna decided to crush this dangerous spirit of revolution. His first attempt to carry out these plans proved to be the spark that was needed to set ablaze the smoldering fires of the Texas Revolution.

THE YEAR 1835

A Gloomy Outlook.- Dark indeed was the outlook for Texas during the year of 1835. When the State governments. were abolished, Texas fell under military rule. The order was issued to reduce the militia of each State to only one man for every five hundred inhabitants. The fate of Zacatecas warned Texas what she, at no distant day, might expect unless she yielded to the tyrannies of Santa Anna. Zacatecas, one of the richest mining States in Mexico, was noted for its liberty-loving people; when these people refused to receive a dictator, and opposed the destruction of the Constitution of 1824, Santa Anna marched against and defeated them (May 10, 1835), with terrible slaughter; the cruel soldiers inflicted untold suffering upon the helpless populace.

Committees of Safety. During the spring and summer the colonists held meetings and appointed committees of safety, that were to take charge of public matters and keep the different sections of the State informed as to the course of Mexico. They made arrangements for a general consultation of delegates.

War and Peace Parties. There had been since 1832 two distinct parties among the colonists: the war party of which William B. Travis and William H. Wharton were leaders, wanted Texas to declare her independence

and take up arms; the peace party, of which Austin had been the leading spirit, advised patience and forbearance. We have seen how the peace party ruled in the first convention at San Felipe, when Austin was made Presi-dent, but by April, 1833, the war party had grown strong enough to defeat Austin and to elect Wharton President of the second convention.

Troubles at Anahuac.- Some of the colonists, claiming that the taxes collected at Anahuac (ä-nä-wäk') were unjust, and the behavior of the garrison insolent, mustered a force of men under the command of Captain William B. Travis, and drove out the Mexicans. The Texans themselves were divided as to the wisdom of this act, for they knew every circumstance would be reported to Santa Anna's officers, thus increasing the prejudice already felt toward the Americans. General Cos (cōss), brother-in-law of Santa Anna, sent Lieutenant Thompson to investigate the Anahuac disturbances, but this action. only made matters worse, for Thompson captured a United States trading schooner, was taken prisoner by a Texas vessel and was sent to New Orleans to be tried for piracy.

Order for De Zavala's Arrest.— Lorenzo De Zavala, on finding that Santa Anna was false to his promises to sustain the liberties of the Republic of Mexico, left the services of the government and retired to his lands on the San Jacinto River. Orders soon came for the arrest of De Zavala and a number of prominent Texans. That the dictator Santa Anna and his subordinates believed De Zavala and the Texans would be surrendered shows clearly they had yet much to learn of the colonists who, descended from Puritan and Cavalier, had been taught as a first lesson of manhood to be true to a friend in need. The officials were told that the persons they

were seeking had left for the United States, and as the Mexican army officers were not eager to test the fighting powers of the colonists, the matter was allowed to rest.

Austin's Return.- On August 31, Austin, having been released from his long imprisonment, returned home after an absence of two years.16 His reception was such as to have touched the coldest heart. Old friends gathered about him; tears and sobs mingled with smiles of welcome. Austin was deeply moved. At Brazoria one thousand people gathered September 8 to welcome him. All turned to him for advice. He approved the committees of safety and the plan for a general consultation.17.

Troops Sent Into Texas.- In September Santa Anna sent into Texas several hundred additional troops, under command of General Cos. It was rumored on all sides: "General Cos, with his troops, intends to overrun Texas, to establish custom-houses, and detachments of his army where he thinks proper, to disarm the people, to drive out all Americans who have come to Texas since 1830, and to punish those who have insulted the supreme government of Mexico and refused obedience to its laws." The war party and the peace party among the colonists determined that at the first attempt of the Mexicans to disarm them, every Texan should rise in revolt.

Skirmish at Gonzales.-There was at Gonzales a small brass cannon that had been given the Texans some years before to protect the town from the Indians. The Mexican commander at Béxar, Ugartechea, sent a message demanding its surrender. The Texans refused. A Mexican officer was ordered to advance with about one hundred men against Gonzales. He was to command the alcalde to give up the cannon; if the alcalde did not obey, force was to be used. When the Mexicans reached