supreme judges and the president, the latter for five years. The Roman catholic religion was exclusively sustained; the special privileges, fueros, of clergy, army, and other bodies were confirmed, and the government obtained release from the annoying interference of a poder conservador, with sufficient loop-holes in the complex text of the bases to intrude its power and influence in numerous directions. The new constitution was, therefore, in several respects more obnoxious and anti-liberal than that of 1836.[1]
The inauguration of the system received the personal supervision of Santa Anna, who in March already had emerged from his retreat to secure the acquired victory. He procured for himself a fine reception at the capital by reinstating the ayuntamiento and removing Governor Vieyra for having dissolved it on rather trivial grounds,[2] and gained credit with a large class by subsequently forbidding retail trade to foreigners, and authorizing the restoration of the Jesuits in the northern departments to assist in controlling the wild Indians with whom the troops were unable to cope.[3] The momentary impression was soon effaced, however, by a fresh dose of taxes and forced loans,[4] and by the arrest of Gomez Pedraza and other liberal men, whose firm attitude and utterances through. the press proved distasteful.[5] The political aspect assumed a less encouraging tone, and the dictator soon again thought it prudent to seek the retirement of his
- ↑ March 5th. Coronel, Doc., 80.
- ↑ Ayuntam. Méx. Doc., 1843, 1-20, 5-16; Pap. Var., clvi. pts 21-2. Vieyra was succeeded by General Paredes. Dispos. Varias, v. 42.
- ↑ This was mainly due to the efforts of Cárlos M. Bustamante, the historian and zealous churchman. Diario Exact. Mex., MIS., 3. The decree is dated June 21, 1843. The sisters of charity were established later in the year.
- ↑ This was especially to meet the payment to the United States, already spoken of, and the continued preparations against Texas and Yucatan.
- ↑ On the proclamation of the new organic law they were included in the amnesty then issued. Their protests appear in Conejo, Acusacion, 1-24, with defence also in Otero, Obras, MS., iv. 129-96; Pap. Var., clxxv. pt 9. In Villa-Amor, Biog. Santa Anna, 19 et seq., the vanity, immorality, and other bad traits of the dictator are freely exposed. There had even been signs of defection on the part of Valencia, and, in the north, of discontent, involving a change of army commanders. Domenech, Hist. Mex., ii. 173-5.
