Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/637

Rh The chambers seemed to be imbued with the prevailing doubt, and relaxed their support, a large proportion of the members neglecting even to attend the sessions, and allowing the opposition free play in its hostility to the administration.

The only safety lay apparently in yielding to the swelling torrent by adopting the plan of Guadalajara, but in such a manner as to place the executive at its head if possible. On January 19th, accordingly, a bill was presented in the lower house for calling a national convention to frame a federal constitution, choose a president, and promote harmony. Great was the outcry among the deputies against this invitation to commit political suicide. Ceballos and his cabinet were denounced as traitors, threatened with a revocation of their extraordinary power, and even by arraignment. His reply was to dissolve the body, an act consummated with no little disorder. "Sovereign people! behold how a revolutionary government treats your representatives!" cried one of the ousted members; but the appeal evoked merely groans and derision. The senate received similar treatment. The two bodies thereupon met at a private house to proceed with the impeachment of Ceballos, and to elect a new president. Nineteen votes fell upon the able governor of Puebla, Múgica y Osorio, and he declining, Marcelino Castañeda, vice-president of the supreme court, accepted; but on passing to Puebla to be installed he failed to receive the necessary indorsement, and had to retreat. In order to stop such irregular and disturbing procedure, deputies