The Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record, Volume 21, Number 1, November 1985 Page: 20
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20 THE TEXAS GULF HISTORICAL & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Mexican introductions. In Mexico City, Moses Austin obtained land grants
from Iturbide which were subsequently confirmed by the new republic.
Iturbide's empire survived for ten months; the Republic of Mexico was
proclaimed in 1823, and the great liberal Mexican Constitution of 1824 was
drafted, largely by Zavala who, as President of the Convention, was the
first person to sign the new Constitution. Guadalupe Victoria was elected
president and Zavala was elected to the Senate as a representative from
Yucatan; he was offered, but declined, the post of minister to the United
States. Active as a Federalist, favoring state's rights in contrast with the
Centralists (composed of the Church leaders, the military, and the
gachupines, all of whom favored a strong national government), Zavala
began his opposition to the conservative Centralists which continued for
the rest of his life. This liberal political philosophy led to his subsequent
association with the Texians in their revolutionary activities.
During the first years of the Mexican revolutions, the ever-busy Zavala
was translating into Spanish economic and social writings of English authors,
particularly those by Jeremy Bentham. From 1822 until his death, Zavala
enjoyed a close relationship with Joel Roberts Poinsett, Minister to Mex-
ico from the United States.7 This association was especially significant
because the United States had adopted the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, in-
sulating Mexico (and other American republics) from European incursion
and also because Poinsett had been instructed to attempt to purchase Texas.
Poinsett had been active in the organization of York Rite Masonry in
Mexico in opposition to the Scottish Rite. These two groups continued ac-
tive in Mexican politics. Probably the York Rite was influenced by the United
States, drawing its membership from the Federalists; the Scottish Rite was
influenced by England and adopted by many Centralists.
His enemies deplored Zavala's publicized admiration of the United States
system, particularly when he made such partisan statements as this:
In the United States, when an election is over, citizens have
neither reprisals to fear nor favors to hope for from the new presi-
dent. Not even in thought can he consider injuring his neighbor or
causing the least bit of damage to his person, his property, nor of
depriving him of his individual rights. But can the same be said of
the Republic of Mexico? No! Many times even a leader's humane
character does not save those defeated from persecution.8
7Poinsett introduced the poinsettia plant into the United States.
8deLeon, op. cit., No. 3, p. 7.[Vol. XXI, No. I
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Texas Gulf Historical Society. The Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record, Volume 21, Number 1, November 1985, periodical, November 1985; Beaumont, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1433656/m1/22/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Gulf Historical Society.