prise the Spanish government and all foreign nations of the establishment of the new empire. All it did, however, was to pass a resolution for the appointment of four envoys to be sent respectively to South America, the United States, England, and Rome; while with regard to Spain, which ought to have met with the first consideration, a similar disposition was withheld, and reserved for the future action of the congress.[1] Thus the Spanish government was not even officially informed that the crown of the Mexican empire was held in reserve for Fernando if he chose to accept it.[2]
During the last few weeks of its existence, the junta was occupied in making preparations for the ceremonials to be observed at the installation of the congress on the 24th of February. Meantime the elections had taken place,[3] and the deputies were arriving at the capital. Events, however, had occurred in Central America which affected the composition of the national assembly. That country had declared its independence in September, and for several months had been divided in opinion on the question of union with the Mexican empire. The claims of different provinces to the right of individual independence were asserted with such heat as to lead to an outbreak of hostilities.
- ↑ Actas de la junta, 7th Feb. 1822.
- ↑ Spain was far from disinclined at first to recognize at once the independence of Mexico. A paragraph of a letter from one of the deputies to the Spanish córtes was published in the Gac. Imp. Mex. of Nov. 20, 1821, pp. 186-7; and the writer distinctly states the readiness of Spain to arrive at an amicable agreement without the further employment of force. But the base of the colony's independence would have to be the security of the property and persons of Europeans: 'Salvo esto, el derramamiento de sangre y el anuncio siquiera de un gobierno libre, el Congreso español se aviene á todo, y protejerá dignamente la Independencia. No hay ya ambicion de tesoros ni de mandar á 2 mil leguas.' The imperial government, however, acted on this essential point in a way directly hostile to the Spaniards by depriving them of the rights conceded to them by the treaty of Córdoba.
- ↑ The 24th of Dec. had been appointed as the day for the popular election of the members of the new ayuntamientos of the towns. Each ayuntamiento then selected one of its number as district elector. On the 14th of Jan. 1822, all the electors of each district met at the chief town and appointed the provincial elector, who in union with the other provincial electors similarly chosen appointed the deputies to congress on the 28th. Gac, Imp. Mex., i. 223-4.
