(WEST--TEXAS.) Gabriel Durán. "Carta y plan" denouncing the future Texan patriot Lorenzo de Zavala. 2 printed pages, 12 x 8¼ inches; horizontal fold, minor soiling and wear. In custom ¼ gilt morocco folding case. Mexico: Tomás Uribe y Alcalde, 1833 Lorenzo de Zavala (1788-1836) was a prominent liberal Mexican politician; he had helped draft the Constitution of 1824, and served as president of Congress, and Secretary of Finance. In 1829 he began investing in Texan lands, which began his close involvement in Texas.
When this document was issued, Zavala was serving as Governor of the State of Mexico. In this open letter to Mexican president Santa Anna dated 1 June 1833 in Tlalpan, General Gabriel Durán makes a vehement attack on Zavala's patriotism and character, urging Santa Anna to cut ties with Zavala completely. Translated, in part: "An audacious and insolent faction . . . took by assault the sovereign executive powers enabling Lorenzo Zavala, a famous criminal, despised in general by the nation." In order to "sustain the sovereignty of the nation in spite of the violent jolt and ill-fated attacks of the anarchy," Duran offers Santa Anna the military support needed to halt "a schism and the violation of our sacred religion, and the restlessness of proprietors of being despoiled of their properties will be forever dissipated.” He offers an 8-point plan to "annul the elections where de Zavala was triumphant."
Durán's message was not at first heeded by Santa Anna, who appointed Zavala as Minister to France in October 1833. However, in reaction to Santa Anna's dictatorial actions, Zavala resigned his position in 1834, never returned to Mexico, and settled in Texas in 1835 when it was on the cusp of revolution. He helped draft the Texan constitution, and served as the Republic's first vice president.
Sutro Collection Pamphlets, page 690. One in OCLC (British Library), not in Palau, and none traced at auction.