power having for its object to dismember the territory of Mexico."[83]  Congress was called upon to give the President special powers to levy taxes to support the war against Texas and to reunite that department to the union.[84]

The recent defeat of Centralist forces does not decrease the courage of the Mexican army, declared La Brisa, nor does it diminish the enthusiasm of the Mexicans. The absurdity of the current civil war is that while Mexicans fight among themselves over such issues as to whether or not the government should be one of Federalism or Centralism, or assemblies called "congresses" or "juntas," and the provinces called "states" or "departments," the independence of the nation is threatened by invading hordes of foreigners. Let all unite, cried the editor, and cooperate with General Canalizo in defense of the honor and integrity of our country and in meting out punishment to the traitors among us and to the perverse adventurers who come to insult us.[85]  After expelling the invader, the army should enter Texas to remove from that beautiful province the usurped domination of those pirates who occupy it. The Texans aiding the Federalist cause, declared the editor of La Brisa,[86]  are not sincere, for their only pretense is "to enrich themselves with the spoilation of our properties. Our lands, our livestock, our equipment and all we possess will undoubtedly capture their greediness." With the present inhabitants driven from the country or reduced to the most degraded slavery, our land, unless we rally to the support of the government, will shortly be occupied by a foreign people, different in religion, customs, and language; and the miserable Mexican who might survive such a disgrace, will become a stranger in his own land.

The Texan infantry commander while at Camargo, reported the editor of El Ancla,[87]  "saw a lady whose graces he insisted upon to propagate his specie, and prompted by only this reason, he said before all bystanders that there was 'the woman I desire,' and without more, nor less, took her by the hand, and in broad daylight, and in the