A Land deal,Rebellion put down and a dead president
Nicolas Bravo was a selfish man by nature not caring about anything but himself. Thus it is understandable he would choose southern lands that didn't even want to be Mexican over the less valuable Northern lands. For an overview of the situation while Mexico was embroiled in Civil War the southernmost provinces of the Empire forming The United Provinces of Central America This secession was declared Illegal by both government. After the conservatives and royalists won the civil war his majesty Emperor Sebastian's government quickly affirmed there commitment to put down the Empires traitorous provinces.
There was one problem though Mexico could barley pay for there army. There were many proposals but Bravo secretly developed a plan that would shock even the most greedy men. Bravo's plan was to sell all Mexican land north of the Rio Grande and once the border reached the source of the Rio Grande then the border would continue in a straight line to the pacific. In exchange for the sale of most of there Northern lands Bravo made it clear the U.S would have to assist Mexico in regaining the rebellious Central American provinces. So it was that on an early Tuesday morning Bravo announced the sale of the agreed to lands in exchange for military assistance.
Across Mexico there was outrage against the government with calls for Bravo to be strung up in front of the Congressional building. But the deal did pay off American forces landed in Veracruz and from there with some Mexican assistance crushed the disorganized rebels after a time period of around five months.
While the Americans dealt with rebels Mexico was in political turmoil again as the riots against the President grew the Congress passed an act declaring that they held no confidence in his majesty's current government and asked for Emperor Sebastian to invoke his emergency powers to call snap elections for the presidency. Bravo furious took five of his most loyal guards and confronted Sebastian. Bravo raged and raged but he made one final mistake he threatened to shoot Sebastian and Bravo was then subsequently shot by an overly loyal and nervous guard. So this is were we leave Mexico with a shot president upcoming snap elections trading Northern land to get back southern land.
This is not what I was expecting at all...in the 1820's?
What did you expect? Me and my co-writer are always open to suggestions.
First I should say that I like this timeline and have enjoyed reading it. It does show a good amount of knowledge/research on the subject. It's just that I was under the impression that the Congress would have to approve that and I don't see that happening.
I would have expected Bravo to go after Cuba. Central America is too much effort for too little reward, not much different than the northern territories. Sure, Central America has strong population centers but they are just as full of problems as the cities in Mexico. They are also only accessible by ship at the moment so it makes them remote. And the population is prone to rebellion...they left Mexico after all. So Bravo decides to let go what is still part of Mexico, give it to a potential northern rival, and mount a highly expensive military expedition to strategically unimportant territories.
Cuba on the other hand would be valuable for a few reasons. First, it would force Spain back to the table about that pesky recognition. At this point Spain is still trying to retake Mexico. They didn't give up in the OTL until I think 1836. An earlier recognition would mean better deals with France and other European nations. Maybe even some legitimacy/recognition for Sebastian I. Second, it gives Mexico access to the highly lucrative sugarcane industry (speaking of Mexico's money problems). Third, It's a population that will technically be "liberated" versus snuffing out an independent nation. And a final reason, it might make Sebastian I a bit more popular in Mexico after having vanquished the hated Spaniards and also provide Mexico with a certain level of prestige in the world stage. The US would be a lot more willing to participate with that which brings me to another point.
How on earth would the US congress ever authorize such a military expedition? How would the northern states react to the possibility of new slave states as the result of the new territory? Texas just barely got annex, it was a narrow vote in the context of a contentious national election. The North would have left the union themselves if American troops went to fight another country's war. The US had enough political will to buy land, not get involved in the affairs of other nations. It's a lot to ask the US to help invade another nation, but not as much to help "liberate" a people.
As for suggestions? I would suggest Selling maybe the easternmost and the northernmost parts of Texas with the northern third of OTL Arizona, New Mexico, California, and everything above them. Assuming Bravo felt that Texas was a lost cause, that wouldn't be too much of a hard sell. But I doubt any Congress would consider it until the Texans rebel. I imagine Mexico would quash any such rebellion without Santa Ana's ineptitude. I mean, honestly, had he come down with the flu and stayed in Mexico City, his generals would have defeated the Texan army. That may convinced Mexico that Texas was more trouble than it was worth and it looked better if they sold it with some guarantees, such as providing Mexico with money, ships, volunteers, weapons, supplies and a carte blanche to take Cuba. The US would get its destiny manifested, and help remove another pesky European kingdom from the western hemisphere without spilling a drop of blood...and have a nice little ally to the south.
Just some thoughts...
First I should say that I like this timeline and have enjoyed reading it. It does show a good amount of knowledge/research on the subject. It's just that I was under the impression that the Congress would have to approve that and I don't see that happening.
I would have expected Bravo to go after Cuba. Central America is too much effort for too little reward, not much different than the northern territories. Sure, Central America has strong population centers but they are just as full of problems as the cities in Mexico. They are also only accessible by ship at the moment so it makes them remote. And the population is prone to rebellion...they left Mexico after all. So Bravo decides to let go what is still part of Mexico, give it to a potential northern rival, and mount a highly expensive military expedition to strategically unimportant territories.
Cuba on the other hand would be valuable for a few reasons. First, it would force Spain back to the table about that pesky recognition. At this point Spain is still trying to retake Mexico. They didn't give up in the OTL until I think 1836. An earlier recognition would mean better deals with France and other European nations. Maybe even some legitimacy/recognition for Sebastian I. Second, it gives Mexico access to the highly lucrative sugarcane industry (speaking of Mexico's money problems). Third, It's a population that will technically be "liberated" versus snuffing out an independent nation. And a final reason, it might make Sebastian I a bit more popular in Mexico after having vanquished the hated Spaniards and also provide Mexico with a certain level of prestige in the world stage. The US would be a lot more willing to participate with that which brings me to another point.
How on earth would the US congress ever authorize such a military expedition? How would the northern states react to the possibility of new slave states as the result of the new territory? Texas just barely got annex, it was a narrow vote in the context of a contentious national election. The North would have left the union themselves if American troops went to fight another country's war. The US had enough political will to buy land, not get involved in the affairs of other nations. It's a lot to ask the US to help invade another nation, but not as much to help "liberate" a people.
As for suggestions? I would suggest Selling maybe the easternmost and the northernmost parts of Texas with the northern third of OTL Arizona, New Mexico, California, and everything above them. Assuming Bravo felt that Texas was a lost cause, that wouldn't be too much of a hard sell. But I doubt any Congress would consider it until the Texans rebel. I imagine Mexico would quash any such rebellion without Santa Ana's ineptitude. I mean, honestly, had he come down with the flu and stayed in Mexico City, his generals would have defeated the Texan army. That may convinced Mexico that Texas was more trouble than it was worth and it looked better if they sold it with some guarantees, such as providing Mexico with money, ships, volunteers, weapons, supplies and a carte blanche to take Cuba. The US would get its destiny manifested, and help remove another pesky European kingdom from the western hemisphere without spilling a drop of blood...and have a nice little ally to the south.
Just some thoughts...
Umm, i agree with your suggestions, but every history on these forums needs one lucky break, one chance to have such a kind of thing which is slightly improbable, i think that this is our that chance, from here on, we are gonna stick to realism.
To southern Pride -Great chapter man !
Snap.
Thus the snap elections of 1827 now saw the guilty Conservatives and the recovered Moderados(Half of their ranks were filled with conservatives and members of the Scottish lodge who were smart enough).
The conservatives were now lead by Juan Almonte, with such shame, there was only one basis on which this son of Morelos could campaign.....................yes you guessed it right, his divine father.
The moderates, they were led by Manuel Gomez Pedraza.
Thankfully, this period turned out to be quiet peaceful by Mexican standards. Peace in practical terms that is, almost every man in Mexico from the lowliest of Indijo to the richest of Caudillos wanted war with the United States.
Pedraza declared that the sale of territory to the US was illegal.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Mexico had no resources to fight such a war. The Americans, they were even more intelligent.
They assured Pedraza that if and when he became the president, they would lobby to remove all Spanish blocklades existing on Mexico.
As it turned out, Pedrazas won by a landslide and became the fourth president of Mexico in 1827.
Pedraza's regime turned out to be the most secure presidential term ever in Mexico since 1821.
It was also during his regime that the Emperor Sebastian I decided to look for a bride. Pedraza's resulting indifference on the whole matter confirmed that the two points of government in Mexico had separated at last.
Pedraza's term ended in 1831, quite safely, he was also one of those rare Mexican leaders to complete their terms.
In his term a lot of changes had taken place, France had opened official relations with Mexico.The emperor was still unmarried despite his earlier views, but most importantly, there was talk of war.
In about say...18 years Almonte is really going to kick himself for giving up California...Allende sounds vaguely familiar...hmmm
Welcome back @mad orc now, well mexico is still screwed
In about say...18 years Almonte is really going to kick himself for giving up California...Allende sounds vaguely familiar...hmmm
from what me and mad orc discussed Mexico will have more land than OTL but still he will loose most of the undiscovered gold fields