the congress, its hostility toward him was now openly expressed. By decree of the 11th of April, the regency was reorganized, the bishop of Puebla, Manuel de la Bárcena, and Velazquez de Leon, who were too evidently subservient to Iturbide, being removed from their positions, and their places supplied by the conde de Casa de Heras Soto, Doctor Miguel Valentin, and Nicolás Bravo, in whom the congress placed the utmost confidence. Yañez was retained in his seat for the reason of Iturbide's known enmity to him.[1]
While Iturbide and the congress was thus fencing at each other, the republican party was daily gaining strength. The decision of the Spanish córtes declaring the treaty of Córdoba null was already known, and adherence to the plan of Iguala was no longer objected to in smothered whispers. Members of congress raised their voice against it; a portion of the press sustained similar views, and the army was becoming infected with republican principles. On the 6th of May an address from the 11th cavalry regiment, setting forth that it had complied with the observance of taking the oath of obedience to congress, was read in open session. The regiment, however, took this opportunity of informing the assembly that Mexico held monarchs in abhorrence, and that it would follow the example of the republics of South America in constituting its government.[2] This was startling language, and Alcocer interrupted the reading by moving that the remainder of the address should not be read. But the republicans were prepared; with the contents of the documents they were well acquainted, and the galleries were packed with
- ↑ Gac. Imp. Max., ii. 166-7. This session lasted till after four o'clock in the morning, and was not closed until the new members of the regency had presented themselves and taken the oath.
- ↑ 'La America del Septentrion detesta á los monarcas porque los conoce, y que fiel imitadora de las repúblicas . . . que forman hoy la América del sur, al hacerse libres del yuyo estrangero, seguirá, tambien su egemplo en constituirse.' Még. Bosquejo Rev., 289. It was generally believed that Bravo, who was colonel of the regiment, lent his consent to these expressions, though he did not sign the document. Alaman, Hist. Méj., v. 587.
