Iturbide being unanimously elected. The te deum having been chanted, the junta adjourned until evening.
The first act of the junta when it reassembled was to issue the declaration of independence, by which Mexico was declared to be a sovereign nation, independent of Spain, with which it would maintain for the future no other union than that of friendship, on terms to be prescribed by treaty. Friendly relations with other powers would also be established. The act was signed by thirty-six members, the signature of Iturbide being first on the list.[1] The next proceeding was the nomination of a regency as representative of the absent monarch, and constituting the executive power. It consisted of five members.[2]
Those elected were: Iturbide, president; O’Donojú; Doctor Manuel de la Bárcena, governor of the bish-
- ↑ The signatures are as follows: Agustin de Iturbide, Antonio obispo de la Puebla, Juan O’Donojú, Manuel de la Bárcena, Matías Monteagudo, José Yañez, Lie. Juan Francisco de Azádrate, Juan José Espinosa de los Monteros, José María Fagoaga, José Miguel Guridi y Alcocer, El marqués de Salvatierra, El conde de Casa de Heras Soto, Juan Bautista Lobo, Francisco Manuel Sanchez de Tagle, Antonio de Gama y Córdoba, José Manuel Sartorio, Manuel Velazquez de Leon, Manuel Montes Argüelles, Manuel de la Sota Biva, El marqués de San Juan de Rayas, José Ignacio García Illueca, José María de Bustamante, José María Cervantes y Telasco, Juan Cervantes y Padilla, José Manuel Velazquez de la Cadena, Juan de Horbegoso, Nicolás Campero, El conde de Jala y de Regla, José María de Echevers y Valdivielso, Manuel Martinez Mansilla, Juan Bautista Raz y Guzman, José María de Jáuregui, José Rafael Suarez Pereda, Anastasio Bustamante, Isidro Ignacio de Icaza; Juan José Espinosa de los Monteros, vocal srio. Two copies of this act were engrossed, one for the government and the other for the junta, the latter of which is preserved in the sessions-hall of the chamber of deputies. In this copy the signature of O’Donojú does not appear, as he was prostrated with sickness, the space where his name ought to be signed being left in blank. In the printed copies which were published it was, however, inserted, as he had signed the draft. Gac. Imp. Mex., i. 52-5; Mex. Col. Leyes Fund., 13-14; Derecho Intern. Mex., 3d pt., 493-4; Voz. de Mex., Set. 27, 1881; Bustamante, Cuad. Hist., iv. ap. 26-30. The other engrossed copy was sold by a faithless official to a virtuoso. Alaman, while minister for foreign affairs, learned that it was in France, and offered a large sum of money for it, but to no purpose. Hist. Méj., v. 338.
- ↑ Although by the treaty of Córdoba it was stipulated that the regency should be composed of only three members, Iturbide and O’Donojú afterward agreed that five would be a more desirable number. Their opinion was opposed by Fagoaga and the bishop of Puebla, both of whom maintained that the smaller number would transact business more expeditiously, the latter exclaiming: 'Ojalá que solo fuese uno el regente, y que tuviese dos colegas ò asociados como consultores.' Id., v. 338-9.
