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| Area of Mexico in 1821 |
While many folks in the
United States celebrate Cinco De Mayo (victory over the Second French
Intervention), I recognize September 28, 1821 as Mexican Independence Day, a
victory over Spanish colonization.
It was on that day that
the Mexican Declaration of Independence was signed and published.
As a student of national Declarations
(mostly of North and South America) from colonial powers I submit a few comments
of respect regarding this Mexican Declaration.
1. The Mexican
Declaration, as with most I have read, became in effect only after the war was
completed, treaty signed, or other sense of victory. The Declaration of the
united* States was declared in the midst of conflict without surety of victory.
2. The Mexican
Declaration presents no formal list of grievances as does the united States
declaration, though three hundred years of oppression are mentioned.
3. The third paragraph of
the Mexican Declaration provides homage to “heroic efforts of its sons”.
4. This Declaration
provides for “First Chief of the Imperial Army of the Three Guarantees wisely
established and which it will uphold at all costs and with all sacrifice of the
means and lives of its members”; this statement resembles the pledge made in
the united States Declaration…” we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our
Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
There are other
similarities. I encourage the reader to compare and contrast this
Declaration with the Declaration of the united States.
I present the text here
as a sign of respect for our neighbor and ally, Mexico.
Declaration of the
independence of the Mexican Empire, issued by its Sovereign Junta, assembled in
the Capital on September 28, 1821.
The Mexican Nation, which
for three hundred years had neither had its own will, nor free use of its
voice, leaves today the oppression in which it has lived.
The heroic efforts of its
sons have been crowned today, and consummated in an eternal and memorable
enterprise, which a spirit superior to all admiration and praise, out of love
and for the glory of its Country started in Iguala, continued, and brought to
fruition, overcoming almost insurmountable obstacles.
Restored then this part
of the North to the exercise of all the rights given by the Author of Nature
and recognized as unalienable and sacred by the civilized nations of the Earth,
in liberty to constitute itself in the manner which best suits its happiness
and through representatives who can manifest its will and plans, it begins to
make use of such precious gifts and solemnly declares by means of the Supreme
Junta of the Empire that it is a Sovereign nation and independent of old Spain
with which henceforth it will maintain no other union besides a close
friendship in the terms prescribed by the treaties; that it will establish
friendly relationships with other powers, executing regarding them whatever
declarations the other sovereign nations can execute; that it will constitute
itself in accordance to the bases which in the Plan
of Iguala and the Treaty of Córdoba the
First Chief of the Imperial Army of the Three Guarantees wisely established and
which it will uphold at all costs and with all sacrifice of the means and lives
of its members (if necessary); this solemn declaration, is made in the capital
of the Empire on the twenty-eighth of September of the year one thousand eight
hundred and twenty-one, first of Mexican Independence
Amen.
Congratulations Mexico,
conquerors of colonial powers.
·
I use a lower case “u” in the word "united" because original copies
of our Declaration do so...
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| From National Archives |
