Sunday, January 18, 2026

Senator Enrique Baz of Mexico by Mary Cummins, Maria Rivera Cummins

Senator Enrique Baz of Mexico, Prominent Men of Mexico



Senator Enrique Baz 1843-1932
Los Hombres Prominentos de Mexico - The Prominent Men of Mexico, 1888

It may be said that Enrique Baz has attained the high position that he occupies, exclusively through the force of will, because although he has among his ancestors two bishops of Puebla, Vazquez and Palafox, and a Spanish General of the same name that became famous defending the city of Zaragoza in Spain against the marshals of Napoleon's army, and is likewise nephew of our renowned fellow countryman Juan José Baz, he lacked pecuniary means and was obliged to abandon his professional studies in the City of Mexico in order to support his family. He entered a business house, where he made splendid progress and at various times even remained at its head in the absence of the principal member of the firm. But as the latter was a Frenchman, and his house was visited by many Frenchmen at the time of the intervention, Baz prudently abandoned the splendid position he had and acted as broker of the first class, and as such he did all he could to favor the liberal army that, under the command of Porfiro Diaz, laid siege to the city of Mexico in the last days of the empire and up to the surrender of the city. On the same day that this event took place he saw at Tacubaya the commander in chief and offered him a loan of one million dollars from the business men of the capital, who desired at the same time to withdraw a large amount of money, the duties on which could serve most efficaciously to defray the expenses of the besieging army. When the matter of the withdrawal of the money was arranged with Justo Benites, who was the Secretary of the Quartermaster general, the service that Baz desired to render was done, and two hundred thousand dollars were obtained for the paymasters of the liberal forces, through duties collected and then the loan was effected by means of the kind intervention of the American minister and of the Director of the London Bank, which allowed the government of the Republic to be established without any trouble.

Enrique Baz continued in his mercantile operations until 1876, without having taken part in politics; but he was at heart in sympathy with the Tuxtepec revolution, or perhaps he owed to its leaders some personal services, and this made him accept the office of Custom House Collector of Piedras Negras, where he showed great activity and made its proceeds increase to an amount higher than it ever had been seen; this being a matter that constitutes the pride of all good employees in collecting offices.

His going there served Baz in gaining for him a great deal of popularity in all the State of Coahuila, so much so that upon his return to the city of Mexico, when he was performing the duties of a high office in the liquidating bureau, the most important political leaders of that State, at the period of electoral excitement, appointed him their representative and with their assistance he attained for success their candidate for Governor, colonel José M. Garza Galan, who was the most suitable for that high office, wherein he has distinguished himself as an able pilot by steering the ship of State with great dexterity.

Coahuila some time afterwards gave Enrique Baz his just reward, by appointing him deputy to the 13th Congress, in which office was been most useful by word and deed. At present he is Senator for that State, which has also appointed him its agent and general representative in all matters.

Enrique Baz is an eloquent orator, a loyal friend, an able politician; he is most active in attending to the business that is entrusted to him and has the gift of drawing to himself all who come in contact with him, and for these reasons as well as for the matters before stated, he is one of the most prominent men of Mexico.

Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
pg 297, 298
Los hombres prominentes de México = Les hommes eminents du Mexique = The prominent men of Mexico.
México : La Patria, 1888.
In Spanish, French, English

Transcribed by Mary Cummins, Maria Rivera Cummins, great granddaughter of Enrique Baz.

The ancestor who fought in Spain against the French was José de Palafox, 1st Duke of Zaragoza. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_de_Palafox,_1st_Duke_of_Zaragoza

The other ancestors who were mentioned were Bishop Juan Palafox Mendoza
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_Palafox_y_Mendoza


and of course his uncle Juan Jose Baz https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Jos%C3%A9_Baz

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