Note 23 — XXXI THE AMERICANS AS CONQUERORS 1846–1848

The ordinary safeguard ran thus: “By authority of ... The person, the property, and the family of ... [or such a college, mill, etc., and the persons and things belonging to it] are placed under the safeguard of the United States. To offer any violence or injury to them is expressly forbidden; on the contrary, it is ordered that safety and protection be given to him, or them, in case of need.” Safeguards were given to towns also. The following is a specimen: “Safeguard. Office of the Civil & Military Governor, Puebla, 22nd January, 1848. Whereas the Municipality of the town of San Martin, on the main road to Mexico, has presented a Solicitation to this Government with regard to certain permissions and protection this Safeguard is given to said Municipality in the following terms.—1. The authorities and inhabitants of San Martin, their families and private property are placed under the protection of the United States forces, as long as they remain quiet, neutral and peaceable and will therefore be left unmolested and not interfered with by the troops and followers of the United States army. On the contrary their civil authorities will be respected, and protection and assistance will be given to them such as they should need or claim.—2. All honorable and peaceable inhabitants guaranteed to be such by the Municipality have permission to carry arms for the defence of the community, their persons and their property against robbers.—3. They are allowed to organize a neutral police force of twenty five armed and mounted men for protection of the town against robbers and for assisting the authorities in executing their duties, the criminals taken prisoners by them to be delivered over to the Governor of Puebla.—4. Permission is likewise granted to said authorities and inhabitants to defend themselves against any one who comes to plunder, rob or attack them, may he be robber, guerrillero [i.e., “guerilla”], or an American soldier.—5. The Municipality of San Martin has permission, to arrest and remit to their commanding officers all American soldiers, they may find within the district of San Martin, drunk dispersed or deserters.—6. It is strictly prohibited to the troops and followers of the United States army to open the prison at San Martin and put the criminals in liberty.—7. A copy of this Safeguard has been forwarded to the General in chief of the United States forces in order to communicate it to the commanding officers of the army, and of divisions, which have to pass by San Martin. Another copy has been remitted to the commanding officer of the military post at Rio Frio.—”