Pronunciamento of Aureliano Rivera., May 14, 1868

Pronunciamento of Aureliano Rivera.

AURELIANA RIVERA.

Some of the papers of this capital having asked for information as to what has occurred with respect to the pronunciamento of Aureliano Rivera, we proceed to satisfy the public curiosity, stating what we know:

Until recently that individual was in this capital, without giving ostensible proofs of distrust to the government, which has always extended to him favors and distinctions; and although the authorities had information that he was conspiring in connection with others, it did not desire to proceed against him, in order not to act too hastily, or to lead it to be said that it has violated individual rights; for all of which reasons it was thought prudent to wait until the data should be sufficient to justify a determination of that character, and with this our esteemed colleague, the Siglo XIX, will find explained the conduct of the government.

Escaping the vigilance of the authorities, Rivera lately disappeared, and proceeding to Ajusco there pronounced against the constitutional order, founding the motives of his disobedience in certain reasons that do not merit being taken into serious consideration, and which have already served as a pretext to others for the maintenance of anarchy and the neutralization of the efforts that are being made to complete the organization of the country.

It is stated that some few disaffected persons have gone with him,, but the movement, according to our information, is entirely without importance, and the necessary measures have already been taken to restore to its normal state the order disturbed in the locality where Aureliano Rivera desires to impose his authority, and to light the torch of discord.

A printed proclamation has reached our hands, which we insert below, and by it will be seen the plan which Aureliano Rivera proposes to follow.

In this document there is nothing which specially calls attention, except the singular fact that it mentions certain individuals, of whom some are discharging public trusts, and who we trust will state that it is not true that they are complicated in the insurrection that Aureliano Rivera has instigated.

The following is the proclamation to which we refer:

TO THE NATION.

When, a few months ago, the heroic Mexican people struggled against the French invasion, to assure their independence, and against the insensate pretensions of the criminal empire, to guarantee the republican principles proclaimed since the era of our first emancipation, 1810; when, a few months ago, they generously shedlin torrents their blood upon the altar of the country to reconquer by this means the precious rights that an insolent foreigner had usurped, we believed in the triumph and we had full faith in the victory of the people.

But with pain we have seen that later it would be necessary to continue the struggle against domestic oppressors, who have pretended to repel the European tyrants in order to supplant them themselves.

With pain we have seen that the constitution and the laws we have applauded are already mortally wounded by those who owe to them their titles, their consideration, and the fullness of their authority.

Don Benito Juarez, who, by an incalculable misfortune, came into the exercise of power at a time of disturbance and of revolution; who has governed always with dictatorial powers, and who for a long series of years has held the supreme power in his hands without check, without giving an account of its exercise, and without other limits than his will or his ambition; Don Benito Juarez was the man most fit to snatch from the worthy Mexican people their guarantees, and those faculties that the politicians call inalienable and imprescriptible; Juarez was the man most fit to break to pieces the constitution that has always been our hope and our salvation, and to plunge us into a sea of evils and of infinite calamities.

And so, in fact, it has been. Who does not know the history of events in Mexico during the past two years? Juarez usurped the authority that terminated in his hands, and declared that he would continue to be President, sometimes denominated provisional, at others national, at others simply depositary of the powers of the republic. He himself could not determine, for in reality he was nothing, or, if anything, he was an usurper.

Juarez, in abuse of the power he did not have, and with which he had invested himself, continued to command the people without authority from the people, without legality, without election, the source of all legitimate power, making the republic his patrimony and the Mexicans his slaves.

Juarez, the enemy already of the constitution he had broken, resorted to every means that aided his ambition to continue in the triumphal chair of the presidency, setting at naught the other constitutional powers, and to the humiliation of the free men of this land.

Juarez issued the election convocatorio; prophetic convocatorio! When he had no right to issue it; when he was not the constitutional President of the republic; when he had oppressed and deprived of liberty those to whom by law that function belonged, and while premeditating frauds, violence, and all the exercise of a tyrannical power in order to insure his re-election, and to be a weight for fifteen years on the patience of the good people of Mexico.

Juarez has intervened directly and criminally in the elections, and corrupted them to his advantage; he has deprived the people of their suffrages, and of those whom they elected, and he has instituted a congress, vicious in its origin, in order that its majority might protect and give absolution to his outrages against the national sovereignty.

Thus, many States are to-day without the governors of their election; but in exchange they have those imposed by Don Benito.

The people do not see in the seats of congress the men of their choice, but those who were ordered to be elected by the usurper of the public power.

The constitution is violated, justice is offended, and the sanctity of the rights of the people is outraged. We are not free, Mexicans, for a dictator commands us; we are not a republic, for the fundamental law does not exist, but the caprice of a man who has made himself a despot to our reproach.

Such grave considerations, whose truth is patent, and whose transcendency reaches those least accustomed to reflect upon them, impel us to take arms for the purpose of vindicating our justice, and to redeem our rights.

We are not ambitious of anything for ourselves; we do not wish to be presidents, nor ministers, nor deputies, nor governors.

Sons of the people, having shed our blood for liberty, we seek nothing but that the law shall rule, and that its decrees shall be complied with; that there shall be placed in the palace the magistrate called by the constitution, be he whom he may; and that it shall be he that shall convoke the people to hold their elections.

That in all the bounds of the republic there shall be free elections, without the interference of power, without its violating them, without its corrupting them, and without their being forced in its favor.

That the vote shall be sacred, and that then the public order shall proceed with the President that the people shall have given, be this whomsoever it may.

We protest that if Don Benito Juarez shall be the elected of the people, we will obey him sincerely; we will love him as the man invested with the legal power; we will sustain him as the first magistrate of the nation, and the arms we raise to-day to overthrow him we will then employ to defend him.

The question with us is not one of persons as is seen; it is of principles; and if we reject Juarez, it is because legal justice, public opinion, and constitutional right reject him. We are certain that our belief is the belief of the people, our judgment the judgment of the republic.

Our support is therefore everywhere, and the heroes who have shed their blood to lay the foundation in this dear country of the rule of the law, and of political morality, will place themselves, we do not doubt, at our side, and will hasten to swell our ranks, making the last effort in favor of liberty and of peace.

Viva the constitution of 1857! Viva the holy respect for the law! Viva the people who are the only sovereigns!

Mexico, May 5, 1868.

Generals E. Huerta, N. Negrete, J. N. Cortina, J. N. Mendez, B. Tellez, P. Vega, A. Martinez, V. Jiminez, J. Trepeda, S. Canales, F. Chavarria, S. Escandon, P. Noriega, G. de la Cardena, J. Toledo; Colonels Catarino Fragoso, Leon Ugalde, R.Flores, A. Sautaré, M. Rivera, Juan Togno, José Juclan, C. Sotomayor, R. Ros; Lieutenant Colonels C. Arena, J. Leon; Captain Miguel Romero, and a thousand signatures more, which will be published afterwards, as it is not convenient they should now appear.

I respond with my signature for the preceding.