to do away with this system with the inauguration of popular elections, which offered as great a contrast as between a free and a restricted press. According to the census, the capital was entitled to twentyfive electors, assigning two to the most populous parishes, and four to that of the Sagrario, dividing the latter into four sections, with an electoral table at each, but without fixing the respective num ber of voters. The result was that the triumph of the American element was complete; not a single European was chosen as an elector. In fact, the electoral law was violated in the most barefaced manner. The American ticket contained the names of those known for their revolutionary proclivities; and the Spanish had those of the most noted Spaniards, and of a few creoles partial to them. No effort was made to qualify the voters, and thus were polled many illegal votes. In some parishes more votes were cast than there were vecinos. The count of the votes being concluded at 8:30 p. m., and the triumph of the creole party established beyond a doubt, the victors gave themselves up to rejoicing. The people rushed to the cathedral towers and rang the bells during a great part of the night, and ceased only when the viceroy's secretary came out and stopped it. Some asked to have the artillery fired, but the viceroy refused. On the following day there were still more marked manifestations.[1] The viceroy fearing a riot kept the troops in their barracks, and caused the corregidor to issue orders for the people to retire to their homes, or the patrols would use force. The populace obeyed, and by night quiet had been fully restored. In Toluca, Puebla, and other places, the result of the elections was the same. Animosity toward the
- ↑ There were masses of thanksgiving at the several parish churches, which were attended by the electors chosen. From the carriage of one of them, Jacobo de Villaurrutia, the people unharnessed the mules and pulled him to his house amid much applause. The same was done with a canon and two ecclesiastics. With a man of the rabble as their leader, the crowd seized a carriage and conveyed in it to the parish church of San Miguel Cárlos M. Bustamante and Doctor Sartorio, electors chosen for that district.
