Reform, Rebellion and Party in Mexico, 18361861 by Brian Hamnett

Author:Brian Hamnett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Wales Press

The Arrival of the Liberal Exiles

The linkage of the northern movement to the broader Liberal cause came through the Brownsville group of exiles on the Texas bank of the Río Grande. Between 22 May and 21 June 1855, they formed the ‘Junta Revolucionaria Mexicana’, with Ocampo as President, and Arriaga, Manuel Gómez, José María Mata (Secretary), and local figures of the north-east such as Juan José de la Garza and José María Carbajal, sustained by funds from the Brownsville merchants. They maintained relations with the other Liberal exiles, such as Juárez, still in New Orleans and made contact with Vidaurri. They were also aware of developments in Acapulco and its hinterland. The problem was that each of these potentially component elements remained a faction of its own.15

From Panama to New Orleans, the packet boat brought delayed news from Comonfort of developments in the south, notably the capture of Chilapa, centre of rebellion in 1842–4, followed by subsequent failures and shortage of funds. In Arrioja’s view, the relative remoteness of the southern core of the Ayutla rebellion prevented it from becoming an effective centre of revolution. The ship, ‘Bustamante,’ long overdue from New York, had still not arrived after 150 days with purchased munitions. Even so, news from Mexico City revealed the dire straits of the regime.16 Shortly afterwards, Juárez wrote to Ocampo, telling him that he had been trying to leave New Orleans, but had no money for the journey.17

Junta members met Vidaurri at Lampazos on 17 May 1855, shortly before his forces entered Monterrey six days later. In this small but rising city of 27,000 inhabitants, Vidaurri counted on the support of its leading merchants, Gregorio Zambrano and Evaristo Madero. The objective was to remove the Santa Anna dictatorship, dispense with centralism from Mexico City and then put the northern states under northern rule.18 Mata reported to the other members of the Brownsville Revolutionary Junta that he had heard from Vidaurri, but Ocampo commented that he had, until then, no knowledge of any such movement in Nuevo León but knew that Carvajal was raising forces though hamstrung for funds. Arriaga argued that the Monterrey rebel should prepare a political platform for public information. Ocampo commissioned him to write it. The Junta wrote to Álvarez, telling him of its installation and the state of the revolution in the north. Álvarez enthusiastically welcomed that news.19 In the centre-west, Michoacán adhered to the revolutionary movement. On 1 June, Ocampo announced the Revolutionary Junta’s support for Vidaurri.20

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