Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/809

Rh And the revolution everywhere seemed to be at its last gasp. A movement of the negroes in Costa Chica had been suppressed; Alvarado and other towns on the gulf coast which had proclaimed for republicanism had submitted to Cortazar and Lobato; Victoria was held in check at Puente del Rey; and Santa Anna was confined in Vera Cruz, which was now invested by Cortazar, Lobato, and Echávarri, who, after having escorted Iturbide as far as Perote, took up a position at the Casa Mata.

In Echávarri the emperor placed the utmost reliance. Although a Spaniard, he had been treated with marked favor. He had been rapidly promoted from the rank of captain of a provincial corps in an obscure and remote district to that of captain-general of the provinces of Puebla, Vera Cruz, and Oajaca; had been made a knight of the order of Guadalupe, and had been admitted into the closest confidence. But influence was brought to bear upon Echávarri which Iturbide had not considered, and the action of the former bore a striking resemblance to the procedure of the latter when placed in a similar position of trust by Apodaca. While the emperor was daily expecting to hear that the final blow at rebellion had been struck by the capture of Vera Cruz, the masons, who were determined to overthrow him, were secretly intriguing with his generals. The political principles of this order had lately been greatly modified by the influence of members who had been deputies to the Spanish córtes, and who on their return to Mexico had placed themselves at its head. While in Spain, these members, conspicuous among whom were Michelena and Ramos Arizpe, had strenuously opposed the offer of the crown to a Spanish prince. Indeed, the establishment of a Bourbon on the throne was no longer regarded as practicable.