Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/518

502 breaking into the convent where she was detained, carried her off. She reached her betrothed in the mountains of Tlalpujahua, and followed him as his wife in his campaigns, submitting bravely to every hardship.

While taking energetic measures for crushing the insurgents, Calleja endeavored to give effect to the concessions of the córtes, as manifested above all in reëstablishing the suspended constitution of 1812, which was expected to mollify a host of malecontents and wavering factions. Foremost among the privileges it conferred was the election for town governments, provincial assembly, and representatives, which created the most excitement. The requirement for a municipal body in every settlement of a thousand souls was not strictly attended to, owing to the ignorance of the Indians and indifference of the authorities; but in towns with mestizo and white settlers the opportunity was not lost. The curas naturally wielded great influence in the choice of men, and decidedly so in the villages; officials also interfered, and at Mexico the viceroy made a strong effort to prevent the exclusion of Spaniards, as had happened at the former annulled election; but all was vain, for the creoles carried everything here and at most other places.