Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/703

Rh the support of the people's representatives, but also made him the head of the liberal progressive party, whose esteem he won by his resolve to crush the reaction, which presented so formidable a front in Puebla. The desideratum now was to avoid any cause for disagreement between the executive and legislative powers. It will be remembered that the elections having been effected amid the raging outcries of the reactionists, who would not or could not vote, nearly all the deputies belonged to the most advanced party; hence it was not a little surprising that Deputy Marcelino Castañeda's motion for the reëstablishment of the constitution of 1824 should have been lost by one vote — 40 nays to 39 yeas. A committee was appointed for the revision of the acts of the government, which caused much loss of time, and gave rise to disagreeable discussions The conservative press began to show signs of hostile intent, asserting that its party was not represented in congress, and that this body had not met the expectations of the people, for it was nothing but a mob of demagogues, whose tendencies were dangerous. Its plan evidently was to bring on discord between Comonfort and the chamber, which for a time did not succeed. Petitions came from every direction to enact progressive measures. Several states, apprehending the possibility of a victory in the field of battle by the reactionists, bethought themselves of forming a coalition.