276 ITURRIGARAY ARRESTED GARIBAY VICEROY. 



the capital. But inasmuch as this plan of concord leaned in favor 

 of the people, by proposing to place the Creoles of America upon 

 an equality with the natives of Spain, the old hatred or jealousy 

 between the races was at once aroused. The Europeans, who 

 composed the partisans of France, headed by Don Gabriel Yermo, 

 a rich Spaniard and proprietor of some of the finest sugar estates 

 in the valley of Cuernavaca, at once resolved to frustrate the vice- 

 roy's design. Arming themselves hastily, they proceeded, on the 

 night of the 15th of September, 1808, to his palace, where they 

 arrested Iturrigaray, and accusing him of heresy and treason, sent 

 him as prisoner to Spain. This revolutionary act was openly 

 countenanced by the Audiencia, the Oidores Aguirre and Bataller, 

 and the body of Spanish traders. For three years, until released 

 by an act of amnesty in 1811, Iturrigaray continued in close con- 

 finement ; and, although he was not regarded favorably by all 

 classes of Mexicans, this outrage against his person by the Span- 

 ish emigrants seems to have produced a partial reaction in his 

 favor among the loyal natives. 



The administration of Iturrigaray was not only defective, but 

 corrupt in many executive acts, for offices were scandalously sold 

 at his court, — a fact which was proved in the judicial inquiry sub- 

 sequently made into his conduct. The Council of the Indies, in 

 1819, sentenced him to pay upwards of three hundred and eighty- 

 four thousand dollars, in consequence of the maladministration 

 that was charged and maintained against him. 



Field Marshal Don Pedro Garibay, 

 L VII. Viceroy of New Spain. — 1808. 



This chief was more than eighty years of age when honored 

 with the viceroyalty of New Spain. He had passed the greater 

 portion of his life in Mexico, and rose from the humble grade of 

 lieutenant of provincial militia to the highest post in the colony. 

 He was familiar with the habits and feelings of the people ; was 

 generally esteemed for the moderation with which he conducted 

 himself in office, and was altogether the most endurable viceroy 

 who could have been imposed upon the Mexicans at that revolu- 

 tionary period. 



During the government of the preceding viceroy the troubles 

 which began, as we have seen, in the old world, had extended to 

 the new, and we shall therefore group the history of the war that 

 resulted in Mexican independence, under the titles of the last vice- 

 roys who were empowered by Peninsular authorities to stay, if they 

 could not entirely control, the progress of American liberty. 



