[XIII-32] Molina accepted this trust believing Minister Azmitia, with whom the committee would have to treat directly, was a liberal; but Azmitia was not such, nor would the aristocrats have permitted him to control the situation.
[XIII-33] Molina accepted, under the pressure of circumstances, a number of clauses opposed to his own opinions, thinking that a conservative constitution would be better than an unbridled dictatorship.
[XIII-34] Some of the measures being imprudently executed only increased the trouble. To make matters worse, the monopoly of aguardiente in the departments of Guat., Sacatepequez, Escuintla, and Amatitlan, was given to a single company, in consideration of money advances to the treasury. Carrera was supposed to share in the profits.
[XIII-35] The Indians rose against the ladinos, who deprived them of their lands, and forced them to work at raising grain.
[XIII-36] 'La tranquilidad continúa inalterable.' Guat., Gac. Ofic., Aug. 14, 1847. The archbishop was asked to instruct his priests to preach obedience to the authorities and laws; and with the view of winning the good-will of the Dominicans the govt restored them the large hacienda of Palencia, which had been theirs prior to 1829. The property had fallen into Carrera's hands by donation from the government, and now, in order to restore it to the friars, it was bought from him at his own price.
[XIII-37] Carrera's decrees of Jan. 12 and 22, 1848.
[XIII-38] Foreign relations, José Mariano Rodriguez; government, Luis Batres; treasury and war, José Nájera.
[XIII-39] His last words on that occasion were: 'Queda al público el sempiterno duo de la Revista y Gaceta, que daran solos la ley y seran la esclusiva ilustracion de Guatemala.' Montúfar, Reseña Hist., v. 444; Salv., Gac., Oct. 12, 1854. It must be borne in mind that those two organs were edited by Pavon and Milla for the express purpose of upholding the ideas of the middle ages.
[XIII-40] This affair was later settled, the assembly passing resolutions highly complimentary to France and her people, embodying also a desire to see the French flag again waving over the French consulate. A copy of the resolutions was transmitted to the consul. The flag waved again and was saluted with 21 guns. Montúfar, Reseña Hist., v. 577; Niles' Reg., lxxiv. 142-3, 415-16; Nic., Gac. Gob. Suprem., Dec. 9, 1848; El Heraldo, Jan. 15, 1849.
[XIII-41] The members were to be at the capital on the 1st of the month. Decree of May 24, 1848. Guat., Recop. Ley., i. 121-36.