When the ceremony was over and the congress had assembled in the hall appointed for its sessions, Iturbide delivered a congratulatory address, in which he took the opportunity of parading his own services while expressing his humility and unpretentiousness. He assured the congress that tranquillity prevailed throughout the land, notwithstanding the agitation which a few turbulent spirits endeavored to excite by medium of the press; that dangers, nevertheless, threatened to disturb the even current but only threatened; the congress would know how to consolidate the bonds of union. Other speeches followed, and when the junta and regency had retired the assembly commenced its duties. José Hipólito Odoardo was elected president and Tagle vice-president. Manuel Argüelles and Cárlos Bustamante were appointed secretaries, and resolution passed that the congress had been legitimately installed.[1] It then declared that the national sovereignty resided in itself as the constituent congress, and in order that the three powers should not be united, delegated the executive to the regency and the judicial to the existing tribunals. A commission was also sent to inform the provisional junta that its functions had ceased, and to cite the regency to appear before congress for the purpose of taking the necessary oath. When the members of the latter presented themselves an incident occurred significant of future antagonism. Iturbide, to whom had been
- ↑ Bustamante, Cuad. Hist, vi. 40. An interrogation composed of six questions was put to the assembly by the president. These were as follows: Was the congress legitimately installed? Did the sovereignty essentially reside in the Mexican people? Was the Roman Catholic religion to be that of the state to the exclusion of all others? Was a moderate constitutional monarchy adopted as the form of government? Would this monarchy be denominated the Mexican Empire? Were the offers of the throne to the princes of the houses of Bourbon recognized? Id., 41-2. These questions gave rise to warm discussions, but the republican party was not yet strong enough to display opposition, and they were all answered in the affirmative.
tolic, Roman religion; to guard religiously the independence of the Mexican nation; and to form a political constitution based on the plan of Iguala and the treaty of Cordoba, establishing the absolute separation of the legislative, executive, and judicial powers, so that they could never be united in one person or corporation. Id., ii. 4.
