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C H A P T E R N I N E The Revolution of 1848 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A GUATEMALAN REPUBLIC brought with it new problems for Rafael Carrera. Until 1847 he had been remarkably effective in playing off conservative against liberal elite interests while maintaining his army and considerable popular support as a power base of his own. Now a coalition of the center threatened that power as conditions in the country eroded Carrera's continued popular support. Heavy rains the year before had created crop shortages, and in 1847 there was growing restlessness and economic distress. Banditry plagued the countryside, especially in Carrera's own eastern district, and his prestige correspondingly dropped. A contemporary British resident in the country described Carrera's declining strength: His power has already endured longer than is usual in the country, but it now shows symptoms of being on the wane, for, by allying himself with the whites and mestizos, he has in a great measure lost his influence among the Indians, who say that he has betrayed them. All the other classes have never ceased to hate and fear him, and watch an opportunity to overturn his power; and though he takes great care always to keep a body of troops near his person, and has large supplies of arms and ammunition at hand, he will certainly find that the very troops in whom he trusts will betray him, and that the arms and ammunition will one day be used for his destruction.1 Grain shortages in May of 1847 prompted a manifesto from Carrera in which he announced that the government was buying and storing grain to allow municipalities to buy it at cost. This was, he said, working in some 190 The Revolution of 1848 / 191 areas, but not in all, but steps were being taken to prevent those having monopolies on wheat from profiting at the expense of the poor. Moreover, he promised that corn harvests from the coast would soon alleviate the situation. But Carrera's own wife was among those who held such monopolies , in her case at Palencia, and this decree was an effort to stave off criticism of his own interests.2 In June Carrera exempted imports of wheat from all taxes for six months in response to the crisis.3 Azmitia ordered the corregidores to encourage maximum plantings of corn, wheat, yams, sweet potatoes, yucca, and other tubers. He authorized use of community funds to purchase seed for these crops, promising that the government would also provide seed if other funds were unavailable.4 The Antigua municipal government successfully pursued a policy of buying corn in large volume at favorable prices and then reselling it to the public at the same price when the market price was much higher, but rural communitiesdid not have the resources to purchase or store large supplies of grain.5 Seeking to increase further agricultural production, the government appointed a committee on 10July 1847 to draw up measures to attract more foreigners with agricultural know-how.The consul of the Hanseatic Cities, Carlos Klee, agreed to assist this committee, composed of Luis Batres, Juan Matheu, Manuel Pavon, and AndresAndreu.6 InJuly the government blamed the increased violence and crimeon the high price ofgrain, asbands of thieves roamed in the vicinityof Mataquescuintla.7 The weather did not cooperate. May and June rains were even heavier than the year before, and although July and August registered levels well below normal, September and October rains were excessive, causing new washouts and crop failures. In October high water caused considerable damage in the Department of Chiquimula along the banks of the Rio Motagua and at Esquipulas (see Table 6).8 The liberal influence in the government was alienating naturally conservative elements, although not yet to the degree that it had in the 1830$. The Consulado, for example, which the liberals had abolished in 1826 and again in 1829, complained in its 1847 annual report that, in spite of its great achievements in developing and maintaining the state's roads and ports and in expanding its trade since its restoration in 1839, there were rumors of its impending abolition. Moreover, it said, "the unfavorable opinion that the persons who are at the head of the administration certainly hold, have had no small influence on the decline of this establishment" and on the government's failure to pay the customary tax support to the Consulado to continue its work.9 The complaint did the Consulado...

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