In the years following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, white settlers migrated into the American Southwest, where disputes over land and wealth led to conflict between the two groups. Juan Cortina, a wealthy landowner in Brownsville, Texas, led a group of men in armed conflict against Texas law enforcement. As Cortina and his followers confronted local law enforcement officers who had murdered and taken the land of various Mexicans, Cortina issued two proclamations to explain and justify his reasons for violence. In his November proclamation, Cortina explains his motives in taking up arms against the Anglos. Cortina points out that Mexicans have been denied the promises of American citizenship given to them by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and he describes the characteristics of the Mexican race that provide the strength for them to overcome their oppressors. Corina proudly takes the title of “bandit” and promises to fight for the good of the Mexican people until they are treated with respect and given equal treatment under the law.