302 



REVOLT TREATY OF CORDOVA. 



capital and the country, and this so completely prostrated the action 

 of the central authorities, who might have crushed the revolution 

 by a blow, that Iturbide was enabled to prosecute his designs 

 throughout the most important parts of the interior of the country, 

 without the slightest resistance. 



He seized a million of dollars on their way to the west coast, 

 and joined Guerrero who still held out on the river Zacatula with 

 the last remnant of the old revolutionary forces. Guerrero gave in 

 his adhesion to Iturbide, as soon as he ascertained that it was the 

 general's design to make Mexico independent, though, in all likeli- 

 hood, he disapproved the other features of the plan. Guerrero's 

 act was of the greatest national importance It rallied all the 

 veteran fighters and friends of Morelos and the Bravos. Almost 

 all of the former leaders and their dispersed bands, came forth, at 

 the cry of " independence, " under the banner of Iturbide. Vic- 

 toria even, for a while, befriended the rising hero \ but he had 

 fought for a liberal government, and did not long continue on 

 amicable terms with one who could not control his truly indepen- 

 dent spirit. The clergy, as well as the people, signified their 

 intention to support the gallant insurgent; — and, in fact, the 

 whole country, from Vera Cruz to Acapulco, with the exception of 

 the capital, was soon open in its adhesion to him and his army. 



Don Juan O'Donoju, 

 LXII. Viceroy of New Spain. — 1821. 



Iturbide was now in full authority, and whilst preparing to march 

 on the city of Mexico, in which the viceroy, ad interim, was shut 

 up, he learned that Don Juan O'Donoju had arrived at San Juan 

 de Ulua to fill the place of Apodaca as viceroy. Proposals were 

 immediately sent by the general to this new functionary, and in an 

 interview with him at Cordova, Iturbide proposed the adoption of 

 the Plan of Iguala by treaty, as the only project by which the 

 Spaniards in Mexico could be saved from the fury of the people, 

 and the sovereignty of the colony preserved for Ferdinand. We 

 shall not pause to enquire whether the viceroy was justified or even 

 empowered, to compromise the rights of Spain by such a compact. 

 O'Donoju, though under the safeguard of a truce, was in truth a 

 helpless man as soon as he touched the soil of Mexico, for no 

 portions of it were actually under the Spanish authority except the 

 castle of San Juan de Ulua and the capital, whose garrisons were 

 chiefly composed of European levies. Humanity, perhaps, ulti- 

 mately controled his decision, and in the name of his master, he 



