with their archives, under the new order, leaving the Scottish sect or party with the assertion that they could no longer be affiliated in a society that wished to restore the monarchy. Gomez Pedraza retired from the old society without joining the new one, but said that the escoceses desired a foreign dynasty. Victoria, Esteva, and Alpuche at once saw that if a society bearing the name of federal could be formed, it would counteract the plans and labors of the escoceses.[1] The president wanted the support of such an organization, but did not foresee that the pretensions of a popular society knew no limit.[2] It is said that he had never been partial to secret societies, and particularly abhorred the logias escocesas, because of the men belonging to them, among whom was his rival Nicolás Bravo; and that he now lamented having patronized the logias yorkinas, as the government had been belittled by them. Some attempts were made in the congress, weakly supported by minister Espinosa, to prohibit secret societies; but nothing was then accomplished.[3] The two societies were now like two armies facing one another in battle array. Such was the origin of the yorkino lodges, or rather clubs,[4] whose sudden development and increased power soon awed their own authors, and whose subsequent divisions and disagreements gave a bloody victory to their foes the old At the elections, toward the end of 1826, the yorkinos were victorious in the federal district — the municipal authorities of which possessed great in-
- ↑ The York lodges were given attractive names, such as Independencia, Federalista, India Azteca, etc.
- ↑ Copious information in Cor. Fed. Mex., 1826, Nov. 1st and Dec. 4th; Gomez Pedraza, Manif., 32-3; Monteros, Esp. de los Inf. Masones; Bustamante, Voz de la Patria, ii. no. 15, 8; Mex. Informe Prim. Sac., 22, 23; Paz, Doloroso Rec. Aztecas, 4-5; Mora, Obras Sueltas, i. xiv. xvi.; Suarez y Navarro, Hist. Méj., 10.
- ↑ The two parties had become too strong, and later brought on two disastrous revolutions. Tornel, Breve Reseña Hist., 45-8. xxx 1823, the pope had issued a bull against freemasonry. It was published in Mexico toward the end of 1828. Masones, Bula de Ntro Smo Padre Leon XII., 1-34.
- ↑ Minister Esteva was the grand master, and Arizpe master of one of the lodges. General Bravo was grand master of the logias escocesas.
