Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/772

756 of legislation. With unnecessary haste it decreed an immense salary for Iturbide, and what was worse, elevated him to such high rank as to give him ascendency over the regency, and render the authority which he attained incompatible with that of any government. It changed the customs tariff, and made important alterations in the excise, matters which should have been deferred to the action of the congress. It violated the treaty of Córdoba, and wasted time on matters outside its province, instead of confining itself to the prompt despatch of important business. More over, its acquiescence to Iturbide, who was the proposer of all important acts decreed by it, signally marked the fundamental error it committed in his elevation an error which entailed its own subserviency to him and consequent weakness. Nevertheless, it must not be considered that these mistakes were entirely the fault of the individuals who composed the junta. They proceeded rather from the political opinions which began to prevail after the installment of the córtes at Cádiz. The assumption by the junta of congressional powers was in keeping with the principles that had been practised in Spain, and in view of the inexperience of the members and their little political knowledge, it is not to be wondered that the junta mistook the object for which it was established, and imitated the precedents presented in Spain.