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 MEXICO. 261 taken a brilliant share, that the Congress of Truxillo, assem- bled under the auspices of Bolivar, framed the present Con- stitution. Gratitude to the army forbade, at such a moment, the insertion of an article prohibiting the exercise of a religion, which a very important part of that army professed ; and, at the same time, the certainty of its support, if required, en- couraged the Columbian Legislators to avoid the insertion of a provision in the National Act, the disadvantages of which, at no distant period, it was easy to foresee. In Mexico, none of these favourable circumstances occurred. The war of Independence, instead of enfranchising the people from the dominion of that blind system of superstition, which it had been the interest of the Spaniai'ds, during three cen- turies, to keep up, had rather a contrary tendency. It was by appealing to the religious feelings of the people, and by inviting them to defend the rights of their Church against the pollution, with which they were menaced by a French inva- sion, that the leaders of the first insurrection, in 1810, induced the lower classes to join the standard of revolt. The Vir- gin of Guadalupe, was declared the Patroness of the Insur- gents : her images were worn, and her name invoked by them, on entering into battle. Their first leaders, too, were all priests ; and although, as the struggle became more ge- neral, a more rational idea of the great object of the con- test with Spain was introduced, it was still found necessary to keep up the fanaticism of the lower orders, as the strongest hold which their leaders could possess over their minds. Foreigners kept almost entirely aloof from the contest. The struggle was decided amongst the Mexicans themselves ; and, unfortunately, by that very portion of the community, which, instead of sharing in the feelings of hostility, enter- tained by the rest of their countrymen towards Spain, was induced by the recollection of the privileges which it had en- joyed under the Viceregal government, to set up the laws and institutions of Old Spain, as the best model for imitation.