Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/153

Rh captors, to win the favor of the army, proclaimed him dictator, the very title he wished for though without openly working to obtain it. This is to all appearances the fact; for as soon as Gomez Farías was thought to be powerless, generals, deputies, senators, and even some of his ministers forsook him. The few soldiers and the portion of the police that had remained in the capital made a pronunciamiento on the 7th, and attacked the palace. The vice-president's only support at that moment was General Juan Pablo Anaya with about sixty cívicos. He did not lose courage, however. The assailants were defeated, many of them lost their lives, and the rest were eventually captured. Energetic efforts were made to restore constitutional order. In a few days a force of 6,000 cívicos was organized to defend the capital, which was declared to be under martial law. Steps were likewise taken to rescue the captured president. The latter, on seeing the ill success of the revolutionary movement in Mexico, pretended to escape from his place of detention near Cuautla de Amilpas, and afterward lent his support to carry out the wishes of the most radical wing of the liberal party. It was then that the famous 'ley del caso' was enacted in spite of Gomez