Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/51

Rh President Victoria retained, as we have seen, the former cabinet; but early in 1825, being displeased with Mier y Teran, he sent him to Vera Cruz with a military comnmission, and appointed as his successor Manuel Gomez Pedraza. Miguel Ramos Arizpe, who had not been re-elected to congress, became temporarily oficialofficial [sic] mayor in Llave's department, and when that minister resigned in November, the place was given to Arizpe.

There was great antipathy between Arizpe and Alaman. The former was impulsive, frank, generous, bold, and imaginative, generally acting without method or order; a man withal who made many friends. Alaman was in every respect different. Arizpe, on his return to the Spanish córtes in 1820, after his long imprisonment, wielded great influence, which he used to benefit Spanish America, never neglecting the private interests of his countrymen. He returned to Mexico when she was already a nation, to fill the office of precentor in the diocesan chapter of Puebla. He at once placed himself on the side of the party opposed to Iturbide's empire, advocating republican principles. In the constituent congress he was chairman of the conmittee on constitution, and labored at the task of framing that instrument with all the perseverance and assiduity characteristic of the man. He was a decided federalist. I give in a note further details of his career.