Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/272

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CHAPTER XI.

INTRIGUES, MISRULE, AND OVERTHROW OF SANTA ANNA.

1842-1845.

A Prospective Liberal Constitution Santa Anna Withdraws behind the Arras — Intrigues against Congress — The Chambers Forcibly Dissolved — Installation of the Junta de Notables — New Organic Bases — Further Political Juggling — A Dummy President — Reëlection of Santa Anna — His Ridiculous Vanity and Peculiar Mode of Life — Administrative Corruption and Abuse — Paredes again Pronounces at Guadalajara — Santa Anna Promptly Takes the Field — The Hall of Congress Closed — The Capital Joins the Spreading Movement — Herrera Proclaimed President — Bluster and Vacillation of Santa Anna — His Flight, Capture, Impeachment, and Exile — Efforts at Reform Hampered by Factions

Mexico's internal afflictions kept pace with those arising from foreign and border relations. In accord ance with the bases of Tacubaya, the convocation for a congress to frame a constitution had been issued on December 10, 1841, to meet at Mexico. The election of deputies, by indirect vote, through electoral colleges, was calculated for the 24 departments at one member for every 70,000 inhabitants, the population being estimated at 7,044,140.^[1] The result was a pronounced

↑ The exclusion of Texas reduced the departments to 23. The federalists sought to exclude the clergy from being representatives, and to assign Celaya or Querétaro as meeting-place; but Santa Anna prevailed. The congress had to open on June 10, 1842, and sit not over one year. The departments had to pay $250 per month to their deputies, with $4 per league for travelling expenses. For convocation and rules, see Méx., Col. Ley. y Dec., 1841, 101-85; Archivo Mex., Col. Ley., i. 147-63; Mex., Manif. y Convoc., 1-22. Discussion on rules in Méx., Dictámen sobre Convoc., 1-20; Pap. Var., Ixxxii. pts 8-9. By decree of 1838 the country was divided into two sections, by a line drawn from north of Quere taro to south of Michoacan, the northern departments re newing their deputies for the first biennial term, the southern for the next. Pinart, Coll., no. 525.

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[1] The exclusion of Texas reduced the departments to 23. The federalists sought to exclude the clergy from being representatives, and to assign Celaya or Querétaro as meeting-place; but Santa Anna prevailed. The congress had to open on June 10, 1842, and sit not over one year. The departments had to pay $250 per month to their deputies, with $4 per league for travelling expenses. For convocation and rules, see Méx., Col. Ley. y Dec., 1841, 101-85; Archivo Mex., Col. Ley., i. 147-63; Mex., Manif. y Convoc., 1-22. Discussion on rules in Méx., Dictámen sobre Convoc., 1-20; Pap. Var., Ixxxii. pts 8-9. By decree of 1838 the country was divided into two sections, by a line drawn from north of Quere taro to south of Michoacan, the northern departments re newing their deputies for the first biennial term, the southern for the next. Pinart, Coll., no. 525.

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