PBA Galleries

[1-3] 4-20 pp. 8vo (21.5 x 15 cm), original grey printed wrappers, ornamental border, pictorial vignettes, stitched.

First edition. Garrett & Goodwin, p. 123.

President Herrera lays the plans to reorganize the military. This law, consisting of 76 articles in 14 sections, came after the end of the Mexican-American War, just one month after the American troops withdrew from Mexico, and when the Mexican army itself was in a state of disarray. The purpose of the National Guard was to re-establish public tranquility, and all males (with numerous exceptions) over the age of 18 years were required to serve. Article 73 makes it quite clear that the guard was to strictly stay out of national political affairs, a condition that hardly applied to the regular army. That provision reflected wide-spread fear among the elites of an armed citizenry consisting of the lower classes.