Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/161

Rh Santa Anna not only disbanded the national congress, but also the state legislatures, and deposed governors and ayuntamientos, replacing them with adherents of the plan de Cuernavaca. And now behold him ruling as a dictator, without congress, council, legislatures, or ministers — for he had dismissed the members of Gomez Farías' cabinet, retaining only Lombardo. Their portfolios remained for some time in charge of the oficiales mayores of the several departments vacated, till finally they were intrusted to the following ministers, namely: May 5th, of the treasury, Javier Echeverría; May 21st, of war, General José Joaquin Herrera; July 26th, of justice and ecclesiastical affairs, Bishop Juan Cayetano Portugal.

The escoceses, in order to draw Santa Anna to their side, persuaded him that desisting from further innovations he could maintain the ecclesiastical reforms already in operation, and forward the plan of public instruction. That party showed ability in counselling him to sustain what they were bent on destroying.

The dictator convoked a congress to meet in the latter part of 1834, and restored the bishops to their dioceses; but on the other hand, he became so despotic