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Rare Mexican Decree About Texas Issued After Santa Anna's Capture 

Mexican decree issued in the wake of Santa Anna's capture, pledging to secure his freedom, and calling for more recruits to fight the Texans despite recent deals made between Santa Anna and his Texan captors. The broadside was printed at Toluca, in the military department of Mexico (erstwhile State of Mexico), on May 31, 1836. The original Mexico City-printed version of the decree was issued by interim president José Justo Corro on May 20, shortly after Santa Anna's capture at the Battle of San Jacinto (see Streeter 879). Both versions of the decree are very rare.

Capture of Santa Anna and Aftermath

In 1836, Mexican leader General Antonio López de Santa Anna was captured by Texan forces following the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21. Disguised as a common soldier, Santa Anna was identified and brought before the Texan commander, General Sam Houston.

Two weeks before the printing of the present broadside, on May 14, 1836, Santa Anna, as prisoner of the Texas Army, had signed the Treaty of Velasco, at Fort Velasco Texas. By that treaty Santa Anna promised that the Mexican Army would withdraw south of the Rio Grande. In return, the Texas government would send the Mexican president back to his country without pursuing the retreating troops. Interim President of Texas David G. Burnet and Santa Anna were the signatories. Texas intended the agreement to end hostilities between the Texan and Mexican armies, with the expectation of official recognition of Texas's independence from Mexico.

In the present broadside decree, Corro directly contradicts the agreement made between Santa Anna and his captors by explicitly stating that Mexico will continue the conflict until the rebellion in Texas is quashed. A call for conscripts is herein justified by the Mexican government's plan to free Santa Anna. General José de Urrea had gathered 6,000 troops at Matamoros, ready to reconquer Texas. Although the war had ended with the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836, the Mexican government continued to view Texas as a rebellious territory.

In summary, Santa Anna's capture marked a turning point in the Texas Revolution, leading to the Treaties of Velasco. These treaties secured Texan independence by stipulating the withdrawal of Mexican troops and recognition of the Rio Grande as Texas's southern boundary. Although the Mexican government later repudiated the treaties, Santa Anna's capture effectively ended major hostilities, allowing the Republic of Texas to establish itself as an independent nation.

The broadside reads, in part:

The following decree has been issued to me by order of the Secretary of War and Navy on the 20th of this month... With the patriotism of the Mexican people, the government will deploy all available resources to vigorously continue the war over Texas, until our national honor is restored, the interests of the Republic secured, and the liberty of  our General and President achieved... The Government is authorized to request of the various Departments up to a quarter part of the reinforcements indicated for the erstwhile States, per the law of 24 August 1824... And recruitment banners shall be posted at all convenient locations... The Congress will consider rewarding handsomely any national or foreigner, upon their achievement of the liberty of said president... The Capital of this Republic, as a federal district, will supply 300 drafted soldiers to be collected by lottery from the surrounding regions, as established by the militia regulation of 1767...draftees may obtain an exemption from service by presenting an able replacement, or paying fifty pesos to the conscript fund, in which case their records will be free as if they had served.

Signed in type at the conclusion of the text by Valentin Canalizo as general and governor of the military department of Mexico and Joaquin Noriega as secretary.

The Department of Mexico

In the 1830s, Mexico transitioned from a federalist system to a centralist one, resulting in the reorganization of states into "departments." This change was formalized with the 1836 Constitution, also known as the "Siete Leyes," which abolished states and replaced them with departments governed directly by the central government. For instance, the State of Mexico, with its capital at Toluca, became a department in 1836. This centralist period continued until 1846, when the federal system was briefly restored, reverting departments back to states.

Rarity

This broadside is rare in the market, with only 3 examples noted as sold in RBH in the last twenty-five years. OCLC locates only a single copy, that at Baylor University.