and delivered to the Spanish officer. He was tried by the "Holy Office" which though suspended in June, 1813, had been reëstablished January 21, 1814, to combat the spread of revolutionary ideas. He was condemned to do penance for being "an unconfessed heretic and abetor of heretics, a profaner of the Holy Sacraments, a traitor to God, the King, and Pope."

Mariano Matamoros, a priest who also enlisted in the battle for independence was likewise betrayed and executed on February 3, 1814, at Valladolid, Mexico.

The Inquisition held sway in Mexico until May 31, 1820, when it was declared inoperative by the Spanish Cortes, its last "auto de fe" being on November 26, 1815.

In April, 1817, Francisco Javier Mina, of Tamaulipas Navarro, Spain with a small squadron and a handful of followers, many of whom were Americans, debarked at the mouth of the Sota de la Marina river, 200 miles south of Brownsville, Texas, and marched to the town of that name, 40 miles west. He was met by Mier y Teran, a Mexican refugee, with whom he set out to Bajio de Guanajuato to join the Independent troops against the Spaniards. In May, a number of his men, principally Texas colonists, deserted and he was left with but three hundred followers. The force at Soto de la Marina was compelled to surrender and Padre Mier was taken prisoner. Mina was captured at Venadito, near Guanajuato, on October 27, 1817, and was executed by shooting on November 11, 1817, at San Gregorio, nearby.

Mexico

In 1818, Vicente Guerrero became the leader of the
Independents. He was captured and shot on

February 14, 1831.

In 1820, Augustin Iturbide attached himself to the ecclesiastics and more politic Spaniards, Creoles, and Mexican leaders, and with these agreed on a plan for Mexican Independence and a separation from Spain. A Mexican representative monarchy was to be created, to be ruled by a king of Spanish blood.

Iturbide headed the movement. On February 24, 1821, Santa Anna, Negrete, Cortazar, Fillisola Bravo, and others came to the support of the new leader and soon the whole country was in the hands of the Independents.

In July, 1821, General Juan O'Donoju, the sixty-fourth Spanish viceroy of Mexico, landed and took the oath of office at Vera Cruz. Iturbide and he met at Cordoba and agreed on the famous treaty of Cordoba, by which Mexico was declared sovereign and independent; a constitutional representative monarchy was created, and Ferdinand VII of Spain, was called to be king.

A provisional government was organized awaiting the arrival of the king. What are known as "Las Tres Garantias" (the three guarantees) were adopted. They were: A guarantee to the Mexican people of the Roman Catholic religion, without toleration of any other: the absolute independence of the country; and the equal rights of the native races with the residents of European descent, or Creoles. The flag of the nation was adopted symbolic of these three guarantees, "religion, independence, and union"-green, white, and red.

September 27, 1821, Iturbide with an army of sixteen thousand entered Mexico City, where he was hailed as the "liberator."

A regency was forthwith appointed which named him president.

Those who claimed to have suffered at the hands of the church, resented Iturbide's open committal to it and its inti

mate relations to the Spanish government, and became suspicious of his real motives. A reaction followed. At the first congress of the Mexican nation, convened on February 24, 1822, a disagreement ensued between congress and the regency. Ithurbide, having as his adherents the army, the clergy, and a few of the Spaniards, secured a demonstration in his favor. After various turbulent outbursts of the people he was elected Emperor of Mexico on May 19, 1822. He took the oath of office at once. On June 21, 1822, he was annointed and crowned in the great cathedral at the capital, assuming the title of "Augustin I, Emperor."

Iturbide's reign as Emperor was brief. He imprisoned some of the members of congress who had freely expressed themselves regarding him.

The spectres of Hidalgo, Allende, Aldama, Morelos, Matamoros, Jimenez, and Abasolo, whose lives had been sacrificed in the battles for freedom, and Mexican Independence could not be kept down. Hundreds of patriots stood ready to continue the fight for absolute independence. In 1822, opposition to the empire broke out in open rebellion, headed by General Santa Anna. Iturbide who had been for a while idolized by his people, became an object of scorn. On March 20, 1823, he tendered his resignation to Congress which refused to accept it on the ground that it had never voluntarily elected him Emperor. A provisional government was formed, composed of four revolutionary chiefs, Nicolas Bravo, Guadalupe Victoria, General Negrete, and Vicente Guerrero.

The provisional government, in recognition of the valuable services rendered to the country by him, granted to Iturbide an annual pension of $25,000 on condition that he fix his residence in Italy.

Iturbide, with his family sailed from Vera Cruz in an English ship, "The Rawlins," Welch commander, on May 11, 1823, bound for Italy. He afterwards left Italy and resided

in London from which place he kept in touch with his sympathizers in Mexico.

Later he warned the Mexican government of the scheme of the Holy Alliance to restore Spanish rule in Mexico, and believing that his services would be acceptable, sailed from Southampton, England, on May 4, 1824, on the Brigantine Spring, Welch commander. His daughters and older children remained in England.

Some historians allege that upon his arrival at Soto de la Marina he was invited by the commander of the forces in Tamaulipas to land, and was then told that he had but á few hours to live. Written authenticated data establishes that Iturbide arrived at Soto de la Marina on July 14, 1824, accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Beneski, who had been a prominent figure in Iturbide's Empire. Beneski came ashore and represented to the Mexican officials that he and a companion were coming to colonize Mexico.

Iturbide landed on July 15, and in spite of his disguise was recognized by the corporal of the guard and a merchant of Durango. Iturbide and Beneski were halted and the commandante general, with headquarters at Padilla 80 miles distant was advised. When it was clear that he had been recognized, Iturbide told the Commandante that he had returned to offer his services to the country in anticipation of the threatened invasion by the Spanish, backed by the Holy Alliance.

On the morning of July 17, 1824, Iturbide was told of the order for his execution. But Garza the Commandante, suspended the order and started with Iturbide to Padilla, where the congress of Tamaulipas was then in session.

Congress being advised of Iturbide's arrival, ordered Jose Bernardo Guiterrez de Leon, governor of that state, to have him executed by shooting.

Iturbide was brought into Padilla on the nineteenth. He requested permission to appear before congress in his own behalf but was denied the privilege.

Commandante Garza appeared before congress and argued that according to his belief Iturbide should not be subjected to law of proscription of which he had no information before disembarking. Congress disagreed with Garza on this question and gave to Commandante Garza the same instructions which it had given to the Governor.

At 3 o'clock P. M., Adjutant Gordiano del Castillo informed Iturbide of his sentence to death, and advised him that he should have three hours in which to commune with his God.

He was then marched out into the plaza, where he was blindfolded, and his arms were bound. After a few words in which he exhorted his hearers to remain loyal patriots and to be firm in their religious faith he kissed the cross. Upon the command, the soldiers fired and Iturbide plunged forward to the ground, a ragged bullet-hole in his forehead and another through his heart.

Padilla is about 150 miles southwest of Brownsville on the road to Victoria, Mexico.

Tamaulipas and Texas

In 1526, an exploring expedition left Tampico, traveling northward, following the coast of the Gulf of Mexico until it arrived at the peninsula know as "Florida."

A priest by the name of Andres Olmos, who was the Chaplain of the expedition, converted and brought back to what is now Tampico a great number of the Indians called Olives. They come overland. These Olive Indians mixed with Spaniards and soon acquired their customs and civilization. They occupied the country just North of Tampico.

In 1528, Captain Nuño de Guzman was appointed Governor of the province but he committed so many abuses, among others the exiling of the Huaxtecas Indians to the Island of Cuba to be sold as slaves, that his name thereafter was used only with execrations. After Guzman's retirement the prov