298 APODOCA SELECTS HIM TO ESTAELISH ABSOLUTISM. 



and Puruaran that the great army of Morelos was routed and de- 

 stroyed. 



In 1820, Apodoca, who was no friend of the constitution, and 

 who suffered a diminution of power by its operation, was well dis- 

 posed to put it down by force, and to proclaim once more the ab- 

 solute authority of the king. The elective privileges, which the 

 constitution secured to the people, together with the principles of 

 freedom which those elections were calculated to foster among the 

 masses, were considered by the viceroy as dangerous in a country 

 so recently the theatre of revolution. The insurrection was re- 

 garded by him as ended forever. He despised, perhaps, the few 

 distinguished persons who yet quietly manifested their preference 

 for liberalism ; and, like all men of despotic character and confident 

 of power, he undervalued the popular masses, among whom there 

 is ever to be found common sense, true appreciation of natural 

 rights, and firmness to vindicate them whenever they are confident 

 of the leaders who are to control their destiny when embarked 

 upon the stormy sea of rebellion. 



Apodaca, in pursuit of his project to restore absolutism on this 

 continent, fixed his eyes upon the gallant Iturbide, whose po- 

 lished manners, captivating address, elegant person, ambitious 

 spirit, and renowned military services, signalized him as a person 

 likely to play a distinguished part in the restoration of a supreme 

 power whose first favors would probably be showered upon the 

 successful soldier of a crusade against constitutional freedom. 



Accordingly the viceroy offered Iturbide the command of a force 

 upon the west coast, at the head of which he was to proclaim the 

 re-establishment of the king's absolute authority. The command 

 was accepted ; but Iturbide, who had been for four years unem- 

 ployed, had, in this interval of repose, reflected well upon the con- 

 dition of Mexico, and was satisfied that if the Creoles could be in- 

 duced to co-operate with the independents, the Spanish yoke might 

 be cast off. There were only eleven Spanish expeditionary regi- 

 ments in the whole of Mexico, and although there were upwards 

 of seventy thousand old Spaniards in the different provinces who 

 supported these soldiers, they could not oppose, effectually, the 

 seven veteran and seventeen provincial regiments of natives, aided 

 by the masses of people who had signified their attachment to 

 liberalism. 



Instead, therefore, of allying himself with the cause of a falling 

 monarchy, whose reliance must chiefly be confined to succors from 

 across the ocean, Iturbide resolved to abandon the viceroy and his 



