The Pronunciamiento in Independent Mexico - Acta del pueblo de Todos los Santos de Zempoala

En el pueblo de Todos Santos de Zempoala, a los treinta y un días del mes de mayo de mil ochocientos treinta y cinco: reunidos en la sala consistorial el señor capitán don José Ignacio Trejo, comandante del escuadrón de auxiliares, con los señores oficiales e ilustre ayuntamiento, y demás ciudadanos que suscriben, se han pronunciado con toda solemnidad por los artículos siguientes:

1º. Este pueblo declara que su libre y espontánea voluntad es, que la nación sea centralizada, bajo la forma de república central, salvando las otras bases contenidas en el artículo 171 de la constitución del año de 1824.

2º. Se suplica al actual congreso de la unión se declare convocante, por ser esta la voluntad general, y que expida la convocatoria, para que en 1 de octubre de este año se reúna el congreso, que dé la constitución con que debe ser regida la nación bajo la forma de república central.

3º. Mientras se publica la constitución, serán obedecidas todas las autoridades existentes, menos en lo que se oponga a la voluntad de la nación en un punto en que se interesa su suerte.

4º. Se reitera el reconocimiento que la nación tiene hecha de jefe supremo del ejecutivo en el Excmo. señor general don Antonio López de Santa Anna, y es la libre y espontánea voluntad de este pueblo que continúe rigiéndola, bajo la forma de república central.

5º. Se remitirá un tanto de esta disposición y expresión de la voluntad nacional al Exmo. señor presidente interino de la república en ejercicio del poder ejecutivo, otra a S.E. el jefe supremo de la nación, general don Antonio López de Santa Anna, y otra al Excmo. señor gobernador del estado. Y para su constancia lo firmamos en el mencionado pueblo y en la misma fecha, a las diez de la noche.

José Ignacio Trejo; por la clase de capitanes, Joaquín Orozco y Velasco; Cristóbal Gutiérrez; por la clase de alféreces, Rafael Lara; Hipólito Casas; Jacinto Zamorano; Pascual Meneses; por el ilustre ayuntamiento, Camilo Montaño, alcalde primero; Chirlillo Osorio, alcalde segundo; regidores: Gabriel Téllez, Tomas Velásquez, Diego Mejía, José María Darío, José Rosas, Miguel de Lucio, Joaquín Morgado; síndico Narciso Flores; por las alcaldes conciliadores de esta municipalidad, Mateo de Islas; Felipe Rivero; Felipe Mateos; como ciudadanos: José Ignacio Niño, José Ciriaco Pardo, Hilario Ortega, Vicente Trejo, Mariano Miranda, Isidro Trejo.

Context

By the spring of 1835, for many it had become obvious that the experience of the First Federal Republic had been a failure. Since 1828 revolution had followed revolution, and it had become clear that the 1824 Constitution had failed to establish a stable, long-lasting political system suited to the needs and customs of the Mexican people. Santanistas like José María Tornel and José María Bocanegra arrived at the conclusion that the reality of their country demanded that they change its political system. Mexico needed a new constitution that did not go against the general will, did not create a context in which political upheavals were commonplace, and took into account “the habits, customs, and even preoccupations of the people”. As was professed in the pronunciamiento of Orizaba (19 May 1835), it was essential that they terminate the federal system, “adopting [instead] another form of government more in tune with the people’s needs, demands, and customs, and which can better guarantee our independence, internal peace and the Catholic religion we believe in.” Tornel, the minister of war (1835-37), became a committed centralist. For him, the experience of the First Federal Republic demonstrated that federalism weakened the nation. By 1835 many had reached the same conclusion, and the change to centralism did indeed reflect Mexican public opinion at a time when federalism had lost its charm. Following the launch of the pronunciamiento of Orizaba over four hundred petitions were written between May and October 1835. The pronunciamiento of Toluca of 29 May, without making reference to the plan of Orizaba, complemented its call for constitutional change, demanding alongside it that Mexico adopted a centralist constitution in which the Roman Catholic Faith was the sole religion of the state. In the pronunciamiento of Cuernavaca of 31 May, although no reference was made either to the plans of Orizaba or Toluca, the prefect and town council of Cuernavaca called for the adoption of a centralist magna carta, for the current congress to become a constituent one, for it to start work on the new charter on the 1st of October, and for the current authorities to be obeyed in the meantime, whilst reiterating their support of President Santa Anna. In this pronunciamiento of Todos los Santos de Zempoala, albeit without making reference to the aforementioned plans of Orizaba, Toluca and Cuernavaca, the demand for a centralist constitution to be drafted by a constituent congress as of 1 October was duly reiterated. After a summer of heated deliberations, Congress pushed forward the resolution whereby on 23 October 1835, the Federalist Constitution was abolished, a Constituent Congress was called for, and a centralist constitution was eventually drafted and approved a year later (29 December 1836).

Notes

Diario del Gobierno, 5 de junio de 1835.

Also in Josefina Zoraida Vázquez (ed.), Planes en la nación mexicana. Libro tres: 1835-1840 (Mexico City: Senado de la República/El Colegio de México, 1987), p. 24.

Transcribed by Germán Martínez Martínez and Revised by Will Fowler.

LF Re-checked by Natasha Picôt 14/11/08 (added all signatures).

Participants (26):

Leader role:

José Ignacio Trejo

Signatory role:

Hipólito Casas
José María Darío
Narciso Flores
Cristóbal Gutiérrez
Mateo de Islas
Rafael Lara
Miguel de Lucio
Felipe Mateos
Diego Mejía
Pascual Meneses
Mariano Miranda
Camilo Montaño
Joaquín Morgado
José Ignacio Niño
Joaquín Orozco y Velasco
Hilario Ortega
Chirlillo Osorio
José Ciriaco Pardo
Felipe Rivero
José Rosas
Gabriel Téllez
Isidro Trejo
Vicente Trejo
Tomás Velásquez
Jacinto Zamorano

Pronunciamiento grievances

National (centralist, in favour of Plan de Toluca)

Local (centralist)

Political (centralist)

Reactive

Military (regular army)

Civilian

Personal (in favour of Antonio López de Santa Anna)

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Acta del pueblo de Todos los Santos de Zempoala

31 May 1835

Place: Zempoala

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