María Andrade became the secretaries. The committee named to report on the form of government to be adopted consisted of Ignacio Aguilar, Joaquin Velazquez de Leon, Santiago Blanco, Teófilo Marin, and Cayetano Orozco.[1] After the assembly had been thus constituted, the triumviri, who had arrived at the palace midst the ringing of bells and the thunder of artillery, were introduced into the assembly-chamber by Bishop Ramirez, Doctor Sollano, generals Marquez and Mejía, and two licentiates. Almonte and his colleagues and Lares, the president, took seats under the canopy. Forey and Saligny sat opposite the table. The under-secretaries of state were mixed in with the members of the assembly. Generals Bazaine, Douay, Castagny, Andrade, and Herran, with their aids, occupied tribunes reserved for representatives of the army.[2]
Almonte, speaking for the executive, frankly set forth the gravity of the situation, and of the action the assembly was to take in deciding upon the future of Mexico. He laid stress on the calamities of the last forty years, abstaining, however, from suggesting any particular form of government. Not so Lares, who, assuming to know the proclivities of the body he presided over, in his answer to the executive set down conclusions significant of a preconcerted declaration in favor of monarchism. It was now clear that it had all been arranged beforehand. The holy ghost had been involved, with prayers and masses, for its aid in a not particularly holy business. For several days before the farce was played every one of these notables knew that his part in it was to proclaim a monarchy, with Maximilian of Austria as the puppet ruler. Barrès, editor of L'Estafette, was instigated to say that if a foreign prince was not called to the throne, the French troops would go away, and leave
