VICTORIA PRESIDENT ESCOCESSES YORKINOS. 311 



Early in 1825, the general congress assembled in the city of 

 Mexico. Guadalupe Victoria was declared president, and Nicolas 

 Bravo vice president. The national finances were recruited by a 

 loan from England ; and a legislative effort was made to narrow 

 the influence of the priesthood, according to the just limits it should 

 occupy in a republic. 



All Spanish America had been in a ferment for several years, 

 and the power of Castile was forever broken on this continent, 

 Peru, as well as Mexico, had cast off the bonds of dependence, 

 for the brilliant battle of Ayacucho rescued the republican banner 

 from the danger with which for a while it was menaced. The 

 European forces, had never been really formidable, except for their 

 superior discipline and control under royalist leaders, — but they 

 were now driven out of the heart of the continent, — whilst the 

 few pertinacious troops and generals who still remained, were con- 

 fined to the coasts of Mexico, Puru, and Chili, where they clung 

 to the fortress of San Juan de Ulua, the castle of Callao, and the 

 strongholds of Chiloe. 



Victoria was sworn into office on the 15th of April, 1825. 

 Several foreign nations had already recognized the independence 

 of Mexico, or soon hastened to do so ; for all were eager to grasp 

 a share of the commerce and mines which they imagined had been 

 so profitable to Spain. The British, especially, who had become 

 holders of Mexican bonds, were particularly desirous to open com- 

 mercial intercourse and to guard it by international treaties. 



In the winter of 1826, it was discovered, by the discussions in 

 congress of projects for their suppression, that the party leaders, 

 fearing an open attempt to conduct their unconstitutional machina- 

 tions, had sought the concealment of masonic institutions in which 

 they might foster their antagonistic schemes. The rival lodges 

 were designated as Escocesses and Yorkinos, the former numbering 

 among its members the vice president Nicolas Bravo, Gomez Pe- 

 draza, and Jose Montayno, while the Yorkinos boasted of Generals 

 Victoria, Santa Anna, Guerrero, Lorenzo de Zavala, and Busta- 

 mante. The adherents of the Escocesses were said to be in favor 

 of a limited monarchy with a Spanish prince at its head ; but the 

 Yorkinos maintained the supremacy of the constitution and declared 

 themselves hostile to all movements of a central character. The 

 latter party was, by far, the most numerous. The intelligent libe- 

 rals of all classes sustained it ; yet its leaders had to contend with 

 the dignitaries of the church, the opulent agriculturists, land holders 

 and miners, and many of the higher officers of the army whose 



