Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/741

Rh While the government was engaged in fighting the rebels, congress counted the votes for president, respectively, of the republic and of the supreme court. Comonfort had an absolute majority of 8,000. Juarez and Lacunza being the two candidates with the highest number of votes for the other position, though neither of them had a constitutional majority, it devolved on congress to choose between them, and Juarez was elected.

Peace was not restored, and the army had to be kept on a war footing. As late as the 11th of November a conspiracy was detected in Puebla, said to have been concocted in the sagrario of the cathedral. The legislature had a sitting at eleven o'clock at night, and the next day a number of reactionists were shot. The report having circulated that Miramon was in the town, Governor Alatriste's alarm was still further increased. The governor published a manifesto stating that documents had been scized establishing the fact that the conspirators intended to assassinate the rulers. The reactionists of course declared the executions to have been political murders.

In the midst of the turmoil Comonfort assumed the position of constitutional president for four years, from and after December 1, 1857. In his inaugural address he assured the representatives of the people that he accepted the responsible position only because the nation was laboring under great difficulties. He