IIEVOLUTION. 



239 



Plan of Iguala, was made the foundation of all 

 the subsequent proceedings of the revolutionists, 

 it may be interesting to give a sketch of its lead- 

 ing points. It bears date the 24th of February 

 1821, the day after Iturbide had possessed him- 

 self of the treasury under his escort. 



Article 1st maintains the Roman Catholic re- 

 ligion, to the entire exclusion (intolerancia) of 

 any other. 



2d, Declares New Spain independent of Old 

 Spain, or of every other country. 



3d, Defines the government to be a limited mo- 

 narchy, regulated according to the spirit of the 

 peculiar constitution adapted to the country." 



4th, Proposes that the Imperial Crown of Mex- 

 ico be offered first to Ferdinand VII. ; and, in 

 the event of his declining it, to the younger prin- 

 ces of that family, specifying that the representa- 

 tive government of New Spain shall have the 

 power eventually to name the Emperor, if these 

 princes shall also refuse. Article 8th points this 

 out more explicitly. 



5th, 6th, and 7th Articles, relate to the details 

 of duties belonging to the Provisional Govern- 



8 



