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PAPERS 0~' MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
merly detested, directed their minds and sympathies to one point only,- to the great end of creating in Mexico a Constitutional Monarchy which should not have the democratic tendencies of the one established in the peninsula. On this general opinion was founded a great conspiracy in the hearts -0f all classes without being worked out and organized and there was • -0nly one chief of reputation and renown who might serve as the cen- tral point and raise with firm hand the national standard. Dn. Agustin de Yturbide Colonel of a regiment, born in Valladolid of a Spanish family, a person distinguished by his valor, by his activity, by his men- tal talent and his energy as well as by his cruelties against the former insurgents on whom he made war without quarter, he was the man whom providence destined to be the leader of this new and more suc- cessful revolution. A plan upon the bases of monarchy, the intolerant Catholic Religion, .and union between the old and new insurgents; between Mexicans and Spaniards, was proclaimed by the new Corypheus in Yguala, forty leagues from Mexico, and the Viceroy Apodaca called with a loud voice to the former defenders of Spanish integrity. His surprise and his embarrassment were equal when he only saw accede to his defense ·the Spanish troops whose ranks were now cleared of the Mexicans who in former times had filled the vacant places. Few, very few sons of New Spain came up to occupy their former places. The Bustamantes, the Santa Annas the Barraganes, the Cortasares immediately united themselves under ·the standard of independence, and the former in- surgents were reenforced by the bataUions and Regiments which three years before had overcome them. Before six months time the Span- ish were reduced to the great cities of Mexico, Puebla~ Vera Cruz, and Queretaro when an important event came to terminate the revo- lution for Mexican independence and sanction it forever. This was the arrival of the young Viceroy Dn .Juan O'Donoju, who arrived at Vera-cruz in .July, 1820. The new Spanish chief came from the peninsula impressed with the necessity of making amicable transactions with the independent chiefs and the plan of Yguala seemed to him the best arrangement that Spain could get. In effect a prince of the Bourbon family of Spain was calle<:l to occupy the throne of Mexico. The property and offices of the Spanish residents in Mexico were protected and they continued enjoying the commercial advantages which their position as capitalists gave them. On these bases, O'Donoju made a treaty with Gen Ytur- bide in the town of Cordova, August 1821. Yturbide formed a junta of government of many personages in order to call an assembly with the name of constituent congress, Ytur- bide himself to govern ad interim. The .Junta gave him the title of General, admiral, liberator and other similar titles with a donation of !'I, million pesos which was not paid. The Congress opened its sessions in Mexico in February, 1822, and from its first session declared the treaty made with O'Donoju legiti- mate and the conduct followed by Yturbide patriotic. But there was a strong party of opposition composed of Spaniards and republicans, the former because they accused Yturbide of intentions of supplanting the Bourbon family on the throne of Mexico; the latter, because seeing
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