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as its leader he became the terror of the insurgents and gained great reputation for his cruelty. He was considered more cruel and rapa- cious than any of the Spanish officers, in assassinating for the love of the crime, in plundering the people and defrauding the government, and finally, in dishonoring his career in such a way that they were forced to discharge him from the service for his atrocities and bad conduct. From 1816 to 1820 he held no public office. Such was his situation when Apodaca called him and communicated his plans to him. · His appointment was not accidental. Iturbide greatly desired it, and he neglected no efforts to obtain it. With this in view, he frequented the same church that Apodaca attended, pretended to be in spiritual retreat, doing penance, as it was generally thought, for the crimes of his past life; but he was really doing it in order to obtain the con- fidrnce of the Viceroy and to insure the command he desired. His plan succeeded. Apodaca confided in him the execution of his plans, and in the eyes of all he could not have appointed a more useful in- strument. His first measure was to take away General Armijo's com- mand over a large force which was stationed between Mexico and Acapulco and to place Iturbide in command. This was necessary, as Armijo was a defender of the Constitution and was dispo~ed to sup- port it with his troops. Iturbide left the Capital to take comman,d on the 1st of February, 1821, with the understanding that he should de- clare in favor of the King and march against Guerrero, whose forces, as we have said before, had extraordinarily increased. It is not our object to investigate motives, but merely to refer to events, and, therefore, without detaining ourselves to investigate the causes which served to support Iturbide's conduct, we will satisfy our- selves with stating that, as soon as he found himself at the head of this force, he betrayed the Viceroy instead of carrying out his plans; and in fact, he had accepted the command for this purpose. There is little or no doubt that he was secretly hostile to the King's cause before he received his commission and had resolved to desert it and join the Creoles whose blood he had shed so profusely. The time and circumstances being favorable to the contemplated change, he began to carry out his plans by strengthening himself with nearly a million dollars, which he had been commanded to take to Acapulco, and then by uniting with the very person whom he should oppose. When the union of Iturbide and Guerrero was announced (as it was two days after he had gotten possession of the money), the entire nation awakened with a frenzy of joy. Thousands of men ran to join his standard; and, like Morelos, he soon found himself surrounded and followed by a powerful multitude. The crimes and treachery which had stained his career for many years were forgotten and pardoned in the glorious hope of an early and certain independence. No one doubted the result. Neither diet they doubt the sincerity of the new champion of liberty, but mther they all wished to trust their fortune in his hands. Guerrero resigned the principal command in his favor, and Iturbide, recognized as the commander of the revolution with the entire confidence of the party, on the 24th of February, 1821, pub- lished what is known in history as the plan of Iguala, thus called because of the name of the town where the event took place. The fundamental principles of the new order of things are stated
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