HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



357 



and on failure of brothers, among the fons of former 

 kings, the fitteft perfon for the command of the nation. 

 If it had been in the power of the king to have named 

 the electors, he could have chofen thofe who would have 

 been moft favourable to his defigns, and procured their 

 votes in favour of that brother who was moft: dear to 

 him, or perhaps in favour of a fon, without adhering to 

 the fundamental laws of the ftate ; but it was otherwife, 

 for the electors themfelves were elected by the body of 

 the nobility, which included the fufFrages of the whole 

 nation. If the office of the electors had been perpetual, 

 they might, by an abufe of their authority, have become 

 the patrons of the monarchy ; but as their electoral 

 power finifhed with thefirft election, and other new elec- 

 tors were chofen for the next election, it was not eafy for 

 ambition to ufurp authority. Laftly, To avoid other in- 

 conveniences, the real electors were not more than four 

 in number, men of the firft nobility, of known probity 

 and prudence. It is true, that after all thofe precau- 

 tions, diforders could not always be avoided : but what 

 government amongfl men has not been expofed to great- 

 er evils ? 



The Mexican nation was warlike, and required a 

 chief who was intrepid, and experienced in the art of 

 war ; what cuflom, therefore, could be more conducive 

 to fuch end, than that of not electing any one king who 

 had not, by his merits, obtained the charge of general of 

 the army ; and of not crowning him who had not, after 

 his election, taken himfelf the victims which, according 

 to their fyftem of religion, were to be facrificed at the 

 feftival of his coronation. 



The fpeed with which the Mexicans threw off the 

 Tepanecan yoke, and the glory they acquired by their 



arms 



