[Mexico]. [Texas]

Secretaria del Departmento de Mexico. Circular. Por la Secretaria de Hacienda Se Comunica al Gobierno de Este Departmento con Fecha 28 de Noviembre Procsimo Anterior la Superior Orden Siguiente... [caption title and first line of text]

Mexico City: 1835. [3]pp., on two octavo sheets. Contemporary ink annotations. Very light tanning and foxing. Very good. Item #1583

An unrecorded Mexican circular dated December 7, 1835, that demands monetary contributions from its citizens to prosecute the coming war with the Tejanos. The text of the document begins:

"Por la Secretaría de Hacienda se comunica al gobierno de este Departamento con fecha 28 de Noviembre [1835] prócismo anterior la superior orden siguente. Exmo Sr.-- Las críticas circunstancias á que se vé hoy reducida la república, con motivo de la sublevacion de los ingratos colonos de Tejas, y la suma escasez de recursos para acudir á los precisos é indispensables gastos que demanda la guerra, que es de necesidad emprender para reprimir la osadia de los que intentan la desmembracion del territorio Nacional, hán obligado al Exmo Presidente interino á recurrir a medidad prontas y eficaces para poder activar la marcha y sostenimiento de las tropas que ván à defender la integridad y honor de la republica."

In short, the national government lacks the resources to put down the rebellious, ungrateful Texas and to protect the integrity of the national territory; as a result, every Mexican needs to contribute monetarily to the cause. This circular promulgated the present decree in Toluca, which is ordered to generate 15,000 pesos for the war effort. It further requests that the local and state governments designate specific amounts to inhabitants capable of paying, collect the funds, and turn them over to the army and General Santa Anna; It is signed in print and manuscript by the secretary of the state of Mexico, of which Toluca is the capital.

This circular is an ephemeral and unassuming document, but also a rare and important one, as it plainly demonstrates the dire financial circumstances facing the Mexican government as it attempted to maintain control of Texas. Streeter had a copy, now at Yale, of a similar document that promulgated these orders in the state of San Luis Potosi, which was asked to raise 30,000 pesos. No additional copies of that decree, the present circular, or orders issued to other Mexican states are recorded.
Streeter Texas 837 (ref).

Price: $3,000.00