The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 24, July 1920 - April, 1921 Page: 89

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar

fluenced Lamar, but he was acquainted with them, and, as will
appear, he adopted a policy in keeping with the ideas of Austin.
At the same time that the commerce with Santa Fe was becoming
attractive to the Texans, it seemed that the people of New Mexico
were about to throw off their yoke of allegiance to the Mexican
government, and there was reason to suppose that Texan rule
would not be objectionable. In 1835, when a strong central gov-
ernment was established in Mexico, resulting in the secession of
Texas from the Mexican government, Colonel Albino Perez was
sent to take charge of the province of New Mexico. The people
up to that time had been ruled by native governors and resented
the appointment of a stranger as governor. The new governor
introduced a system of direct taxation which proved unsatisfactory,
but the populace took no active steps in opposition until a native
alcalde was imprisoned by the Prefecto of the northern district.
The alcalde was released by a mob, upon which the governor called
out the militia to put down the mob. It developed that the
militia were in sympathy with the mob, however, and, only a few
adhering 'to the governor, he was easily taken by the mob and
put to death. The mob proceeded to elect a governor of their
own, and managed to hold out as an independent government
until put down by Armijo in January, 1838.5
The Texan authorities knew of the rebellion, but they were not
aware that it had been put down. On January 5, 1838, the sec-
retary of state wrote the Texan minister in London, as follows:
The Californias continue independent of Mexico, and recently
a rebellion in Santa Fe resulted in the death of the Governor and
a number of the principal officers of the Government, and the
appointment on the part of the revolutionists, of commissioners
to apply to the U. States for admission; not knowing, I suppose,
that they are included within the limits claimed by Texas.B
Shortly after the inauguration of Lamar an act was passed for
the creation of a regiment of regular soldiers for warfare against
the Indians.7 Colonel Edward Burleson, with a full staff of sub-
ordinate officers, was stationed at Bastrop, an outlying settlement
'Josiah Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies, I, 130-136.
"Garrison, Dip. Cor. Tex., III, 838. The secretary of state was wrong
in saying that application for annexation to the United States was con-
sidered.
'Gammel, Laws of Texas, II, 15.