Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/648

632 vacancies, served to increase his annoyance, which developed into alarm as the financial administration was taken from his control and intrusted to a hostile and improper person, and as he found Corral, Sesma, and other opponents seeking to undermine his influence with the troops, and creating discontent generally.

Under the circumstances, he can hardly be blamed for taking steps to rid himself of a body which had long since sacrificed its influence by internal discord, impolitic conduct, and inefficient management, and was generally looked upon as a useless intruder. What role he really played is not clear, but he certainly countenanced the act of his leading officers, who placed him under arrest during the night of December 14th, while they secured the persons of the deputies, executive, and judges, together with Sesma and other supporters of the old regime. On the following morning it was decided to dissolve the congress as not sanctioned by popular election, and create a provisional executive commission, composed of Teran, together with the existing executive members, Alas and Cumplido, till a similar formal body could be chosen by the departments of Vera Cruz, Puebla,