40 



THE TREATY OF CORDOVA. 



17th, 18th, 19th, and "20th, relate to the forma- 

 tion of the army and other military details. 



21st, Declares that until new laws be framed, 

 those of the present Spanish constitution are to be 

 in force. 



22d, Declares treason against the Independence 

 to be second only to sacrilege. 

 23d, To the same effect. 



24th, Points out, that the Cortes, or Sovereign 

 Congress, is to be a constituent assembly, to hold 

 its sessions in Mexico, and not in Madrid. 



This plan dexterously involves the direct and 

 obvious interests of all classes in the community, 

 especially of those who had most to lose ; the 

 clergy and the Old Spaniards, who held by far 

 the most extensive influence over society — one by 

 being in possession of nearly all the active capital 

 in the country — the other by having gained in 

 times past, an influence over men's minds, to 

 which, perhaps, there does not now exist a parallel 

 in the Christian world. Bnt, although this be 

 true, yet both these parties had been recently made 

 to feel, for the first time, that their influence, and 

 even existence, depended upon opinion alone ; and 

 this they were sufficiently aware they might lose 

 in a moment. To them, therefore, the countenance 

 of men in power was of the greatest consequence ; 

 and it became their immediate interest to support 

 the views of a party which, instead of oppressing 

 them, as had been the case elsewhere in South 

 America, actually condescended to borrow their 

 1 support, and to provide for their safety. 



Again, by not holding out a vague prospect of a 



| representative government, but beginning at once, 



by calling the deputies together, and by appoint- 



i ing a deliberate junta and an executive regency, 



doubts and jealousies were dissipated, or put to 



sleep. 



In the interim, while the above proposition was 

 submitted to Spain, this plan answered Iturbide's 

 purposes fully, as the flame which it had kindled 

 soon spread over the whole country. He was 

 soon joined by several of the most distinguished 

 of the King's officers; amongst others by Don 

 Pedro Celestino Negreti, a Spaniard, but married 

 in the country ; and by Colonel Bustamante, who 

 brought over with him a thousand cavalry. On 

 every side the great cities yielded to the Revolu- 

 tionary forces. Such also was Iturbide's address, 

 that, in every case of conquest, he converted into 

 active friends all those who had been indifferent 

 before ; and seldom failed to gain over to his cause 

 the most powerful of his enemies ; while, at the 

 same time, he won the confidence and esteem of 

 every one, by his invariable moderation, humanity, 

 and justice. 



While the Independent cause was thus rapidly 

 advancing, that of the Spanish government was 

 falling fast to pieces. The Viceroy Apodaca found 

 it impossible to stem the torrent, and was glad to 

 abdicate his authority at the mutinous suggestion 

 of the officers, who, it is curious to observe, adopted 

 a course exactly similar to that of their country- 

 men in Peru, in the ease of Pezuela. But his 

 successor, Field-Marshal Novella, in vain endea- 

 voured to restore the cause of the king, while 

 ItUrbide drew his armies Closer and closer round 



the capital, subduing everything before him. 



At this critical moment, B new viceroy, General 

 O'DonajU, arrived from Spain, vested with powers 



to supersede Apodaca. To his astonishment he 

 found the country he came to govern no longer a 

 colony of Spain, but an independent state. As 

 he had come without' troops, he saw at a glance 

 that Mexico was irretrievably lost, on the terms, 

 at least, on which it had been held heretofore. He 

 endeavoured, however, to make the best conditions 

 he could for his country ; and, in order to pave 

 the way, issued a proclamation to the inhabitants, 

 breathing nothing but liberality and hearty con- 

 gratulations upon their prospect of happiness ; a 

 most singular document indeed to come from a 

 Spanish viceroy, and one which it was next to 

 madness to suppose that the Spanish Government 

 would ever acknowledge. 



Iturbide, delighted to see this disposition on the 

 part of O'Donaju to take things in such unexpected 

 good part, invited him to a conference. They 

 accordingly met at Cordova, where, after a short 

 discussion, a treaty, which bears the name of that 

 city, was signed on the 24th of August, 1821. By 

 this treaty, O'Donaju fully recognised the Plan of 

 Iguala ; and not only engaged to use his influence 

 to support it at home, but, in order to manifest his 

 sincerity still farther, he actually agreed to become 

 a member of the Provisional Revolutionary Go- 

 vernment — to despatch commissioners to Spain 

 to offer the crown to Ferdinand — and, in short, in 

 the name of Spain, to make common cause with 

 Mexico. 



This treaty of Cordova bears internal evidence 

 of having been dictated by Iturbide himself, and 

 as it bears in all its parts the strongest character- 

 istic marks of his policy, and is in itself highly 

 interesting, I think it no more than justice to 

 Iturbide, as well as to the truth of history, to give 

 it at length. 



The form of government, indeed, established 

 by this treaty, subsisted little more than a year 

 and a half (August 1821 to February 1823) ; 

 but although so short a period be inconsidei*able, 

 when speaking of other nations, it is by no means 

 so when it refers to these new-born states. The 

 good effects which arose from Iturbide's energetic 

 and virtuous administration will long be felt by 

 that country, however little its influence may at 

 present be acknowledged, or however inexpedient 

 it may be to re-establish a similar authority. 



" TREATY OF CORDOVA. 



" Treaty concluded in the Town of Cordova on 

 the 24th of August, 1821, between Don Juan 

 O'Donaju, Lieutenant-General of the Armies of 

 Spain, and Don Augustin de Iturbide, First 

 Chief of the Imperial Mexican Army of the 

 * Three Guarantees.' 



" New Spain having declared herself indepen- 

 dent of the mother-country ; possessing an army 

 to support this declaration ; her provinces having 

 decided in its favour ; the capital wherein the 

 legitimate authoi-ity had been deposed being 

 besieged ; the cities of Vera Cruz and Acapulco 

 alone remaining to the European government, un- 

 garrisoned, and without the means of resisting a 

 well-directed siege of any duration, Lieut.-General 

 Don Juan O'Donaju arrived at the first-named 

 port in the character and quality of Captain- 

 General, and first Political Chief of this kingdom, 

 appointed by his Most Catholic Majesty, and being 



