ITURBIDE PROMULGATES THE PLAN OF IGUALA. 299 



criminal project against the constitution, and to throw himself with 

 his forces upon the popular cause of the country. It was a bold 

 but successful move. 



On the 24th of February, 1821, he was at the small town of 

 Iguala, on the road to Acapulco ; and on that day, at his head- 

 quarters, he proclaimed the celebrated Plan of Iguala, the sev- 

 eral principles of which are : — " Independence, the maintenance 

 of Roman Catholicity, and Union;" — whence his forces obtained 

 the name of the u Army of the three Guaranties." 



As this is probably one of the most important state papers in the 

 history of Mexico, and is often referred to without being fully un- 

 derstood, we shall present it to the reader entire : # 

 Plan of Iguala. 

 Article 1. — The Mexican nation is independent of the Span- 

 ish nation, and of every other, even on its own continent. 



Art. 2. — Its religion shall be the Catholic, which all its in- 

 habitants profess. 



Art. 3. — They shall all be united, without any distinction 

 between Americans and Europeans. 



Art. 4. — The government shall be a constitutional monarchy. 

 Art. 5. — A Junta shall be named, consisting of individuals 

 who enjoy the highest reputation in different parties which have 

 shown themselves. 



Art. 6. — This Junta shall be under the presidency of his ex- 

 cellency the Conde del Venadito, the present viceroy of Mexico. 



Art. 7. — It shall govern in the name of the nation, according 

 to the laws now in force, and its principal business will be to 

 convoke, according to such rules as it shall deem expedient, a 

 congress for the formation of a constitution more suitable to the 

 country. 



Art. 8. — His Majesty Ferdinand VII. shall be invited to the 

 throne of the empire, and in case of his refusal, the Infantes 

 Don Carlos and Don Francisco De Paula. 



Art. 9. — Should his Majesty Ferdinand VII. and his august 

 brothers, decline the invitation, the nation is at liberty to invite to 

 the imperial throne any member of reigning families whom it may 

 choose to select. 



Art. 10. — The formation of the constitution by the congress, 

 and the oath of the emperor to observe it, must precede his entry 

 into the country. 



Art. 11. — The distinction of castes is abolished, which was 

 made by the Spanish law, excluding them from the rights of citi- 



