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he became the trusted adviser of Henry Christophe, and contributed greatly to the latter's elevation to the throne of Hayti. In 1815-16 he was among the Haytians who opposed the annexation of their country to Prance, and published several pam- phlets in opposition to the plan. These include " Haiti peuple libre " (Port au Prince, 1814) ; H Le regime Francais a Haiti " (1815) ; " Concitoyens, voulez-vous redevenir esclaves?"(1815) ; and "De l'interet de la France a rentrer en possession de Haiti " (1815). Dr. Lerdan was also the author of several surgical works.

LERDO DE TEJADA, Miguel (lair-do-deh-teh-hah'-dah), Mexican statesman, b. in Vera Cruz in 1814; d. in Mexico, 22 March, 1861. He was educated in the college of his native city, and fol- lowed a commercial career, but also published a his- tory of the state of Vera Cruz, and acquired repu- tation as a statistician. After the entry of Gen. Alvarez into Mexico in October, 1855, he called Lerdo to his cabinet as under-secretary of public works, which place he occupied till President Comonfort appointed him in May, 1856, secretary of the treasury. While in this office he prepared the famous law forbidding the clergy and public corporations to hold landed property, which was published on 25 June, and signed by Comonfort (q. v.) only after much hesitation. Lerdo's ener- getic measures alone saved the credit of the gov- ernment, which was opposed by the influential and wealthy classes. As he belonged to the ad- vanced branch of the Liberal party, he soon found that he was not in accord with the rest of the ministry and the president, who were attached to the moderate wing, and he resigned in January. 1857. The progressive Liberals nominated him as their candidate for president ; but in July he with- drew his name, and advised his partisans not to op- pose the government, although he condemned its policy. After the usurpation of power by Zuloaga and afterward by Miramon, Lerdo joined Juarez in Vera Cruz, and in February, 1859, was called by the latter to the portfolio of the treasury. He also held for three months that of public works, and in these posts, in accordance with the views of the pro- visional president, he continued the advanced meas- ures that he had advocated in 1856, and prepared the law for the nationalization of church property and the secularization of the male monastic orders. This measure, published by executive decree of 12 July, 1859, in Vera Cruz, and signed by the whole ministry, was principally due to the energy of Lerdo, and prepared the way for the final fall of the re- actionary party, as it cut off their resources. Hav- ing some disagreement with the president of the council, Ocampo, Lerdo resigned in July. 1859, but after the latter's resignation he was again in charge of the treasury from December, 1859, till May, 1860, and of the portfolio of public works from Decem- ber, 1859, till January, 1860. After the triumph of the Liberal government and its return to Mexico, Lerdo was elected by popular vote judge of the supreme court. In the elections for the constitu- tional presidency in 1861 he was nominated by the advanced Liberals, and toward the end of February had obtained the electoral vote of five states, while Gonzalez Ortega had five and J uarez six states ; but he withdrew again from the contest, fell sick shortly afterward, and died within a week. — His brother, Sebastian, president of Mexico, b. in Jalapa, 25 April, 1825; d. in New York, 21 April, 1889; was educated in the College of San Ildefonso in the city of Mexico. He was admitted to the bar in 1851, began practice, and became president of the College of San Ildefonso in 1852. In December, 1855, he was appointed a judge of the supreme court, and on 1 June, 1857, was called by President Comonfort to take the portfolio of foreign affairs and assume the presidency of a moderate Liberal cabinet, but re- signed on 16 Sept., as he was a supporter of the new Liberal consti- tution, and opposed the policy of the president. After the advent of the church party to Eower he joined the liberal administra- tion of Juarez at Vera Cruz, and with him returned to Mexico in Janu- ary, 1866. He was a member of con- gress during the sessions of 1861-'2,

and in August,

1861, in the extra-ordinary session of that body, he opposed the treaty that had been made for arranging the English debt. The failure of this treaty led to the downfall of the Zamacona cabinet, and Lerdo was called by Juarez to form a new one; but he refused, and, after the formation of the Doblado ministry, he continued to oppose the conclusion of treaties by the executive without the approbation of congress. He was commissioned by Juarez to arrange a treaty of commerce and extradition with the United States, which afterward was of great use to his country in its struggle against foreign intervention. He was again a member of congress in 1862-'3, and, abandoning his opposition to the government, earnestly advocated the con- cession of extraordinary powers in the unusual circumstances of that time. When the French troops were about to invade the capital, and the government retired on 31 May, 1863, Lerdo accompanied the president. He was appointed by Juarez minister of justice on 2 Sept., and on 11 Sept. minister of foreign affairs, was a constant companion of the president till 1867, and counselled him on the expiration of his presidential term, 30 Nov., 1865, to issue a decree declaring his term to be extended until constitutional elections could be held. After the fall of Queretaro, and the capture of Maximilian, he was solicited to exert his influence over Juarez to spare the prisoner's life, but refused to interfere. After the return of the government to Mexico in July. 1867, Lerdo, as minister of foreign relations, suspended the treaties with those foreign nations that had failed in neutrality toward Mexico, joined the intervention or recognized the imperial government, but all the subjects of those powers that re- sided in Mexico were guaranteed full security. In the elections of December, 1867, he was chosen chief justice of the supreme court ; but, in opposition to the president's wishes, that body at first re- fused to grant him permission to continue in the cabinet. The necessary permission was obtained in September, 1868. and he resumed his portfolio. During the elections of 1871 he was proclaimed by a numerous party a candidate for the presidency, and on that account resigned the presidency of the ministry. In October, 1871, congress declared Juarez re-elected, and at the latter's death, 18 July, 1872, Lerdo. in virtue of his office of chief justice, assumed the executive. He issued a decree of amnesty, and nearly all the chiefs that were in rebellion against the government, including Gen. Porfirio Diaz, made