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Rh American minister, but the real founder was the clergyman, José María Alpuche, rector of a parish in Tabasco, and senator from that state. To Poinsett was also attributed the formation of a plan to do away with the somewhat aristocratic character of the government, which was still influenced by the old families, the clergy, and the army, and of replacing it, not with a pure democracy, but by introducing a class of men who were merely ambitious office-hunters less respectably connected. Alaman has fathered on Poinsett this absurd charge. He would also have us believe that the president had been assured by members of the Scottish rite lodges that though they had opposed his candidacy, they cheerfully bowed to his authority, in which assurance he placed no faith. In these Scottish lodges were affiliated Barragan, Negrete, Echávarri, Guerrero, Filisola, and other prominent generals and colonels, besides many regular and secular priests, and civilians of social and political standing. Several deputies and the minister Esteva had been officers of such lodges, and seceded to join the new societies. After the overthrow of Iturbide, due in a great measure to the action of the ancient rite lodges, it is true that many of their members forsook them to join the York lodges, but the escocesesScots [sic] still had for a time much influence with the government and congress. Later, however, the desertion became so general and simultaneous that some Scottish lodges held meetings with the object of placing themselves,