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142 in most of his measures that the whole country was greatly agitated. And yet he claimed that the constitution of 1824 was still in force, and repressed all attempts against it.

The military and ecclesiastics now unblushingly used the terms federation' and 'sovereignty of states' purposely to throw out their chief opponents, the men of moderate views, and by this means carry the elcctions. In this game of intrigue Santa Anna was caught in his own net. The elections took place, and though the escoceses and Santanistas endeavored to lead the electors, the military and clergy obtained an immense majority, Santa Anna having virtually become the destroyer of that which he had so long labored to establish.

A declaration having been made in the south by General Bravo against the existing state of things, Santa Anna went in December 1834 to Cuernavaca to confer with him in the interest of public tranquillity. He still pretended to maintain neutrality in the war of parties, ordering the troops to confine their efforts to the preservation of peace. This hypocritical pretension was made in the face of his despotic acts, at a time when the passions of men were at fever heat, when chaos and anarchy prevailed, and the comandantes generales were clothed with unlimited powers. Surely no good could result from such a crooked policy.

The general congress opened its session with much solemnity and pomp, but the whole country felt disspirited at the inefficacy of the measures adopted by the government to reconstruct its institutions on a solid basis.