cabinet soon had disagreements, and the ministers tendered their resignations, which were not at once accepted. The president concluded, however, that he would have a parliamentary ministry, and lost no time in making the appointments, the only member of the former cabinet retained being Zaragoza. The new ministers were Leon Guzman, of relations, and Joaquin Ruiz, of justice. The treasury remained without a head, it being difficult to get a competent man willing to accept the position.It was finally intrusted to José M. Castaños.[1] This cabinet was fortunate in that everything was done to aid it, meeting with no systematic opposition even from the press; and yet, owing to the overwhelming evils, it accomplished little.
It may be well to explain the character of the new congress. The members were most of them liberal and progressive; many were young and inexperienced; all had faith in the country, and in free institutions. There was a haughty independence displayed. Hence their occasional opposition to the executive when he was endeavoring to surround himself with energetic and influential men. But that opposition, though unjust, was useful, and certainly more respectable than the servility of former congresses. The result was that the executive and his counsellors pursued as closely as they could the policy outlined by the people's representatives. In this chamber began to figure young Ignacio Manuel Altamirano, deputy from Guerrero, of pure Indian blood, full of talent and fiery eloquence, who soon made his mark by the beauty
- ↑ Castaños was a man of liberal ideas and vell-known uprightness. Guzman was a firm liberal, and free to condemn abuses of power. He had belonged to the congress of 1857; Ruiz had not always advocated radical principles, but was learned, and had sincerely accepted the reform laws. Zaragoza was a true patriot, much valued for his sterling character.
established his government at Guanajuato in 1858; expressed the wish that the work of reform should go on; spoke of the foreign complications, of which the reactionists were taking advantage; of the government's penury, expressing his belief that the only remedy would be to give full effect to the nationalization of mortmain property. Archivo Mex., Col. Ley., vi. 119-35; Buenrostro, Hist. Seg. Cong. Constituc., 17-22; Baz, Vida de Juarez, 195-203.
