Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/480

460, and approving them in the main. Gonzalez in this matter had acted with his usual prudence, inasmuch as, being authorized by congress to make the arrangement himself, as was done by Diaz later, on the 22d of June, 1885, he declined to act without the sanction of the legislative authority, preferring that the discussion should be postponed until the new president should go into power, and not to spill blood by employing the armed force of the government to put down the mob. These scenes occurred in the last days of November 1884, and the new president was inaugurated on the 1st of December of the same year.

The presidential election, which took place in September, favored Porfirio Diaz, who obtained a large majority, the count showing that he had received 15,999 out of the 16,462 electoral votes. The enemies of Gonzalez spread the slanderous report that he had attempted to murder and poison Diaz in order that the latter should not assume the executive office; and to that effect took advantage of an accident which occurred to the train of the Irolo railway, on which the president-elect was journeying. But plain common sense suffices to destroy this calumny; for in a country like Mexico, where elections are effected under the absolute control of the government, with but little regard to the popular will, President Gonzalez had no need of Diaz' death to keep him out of office. All he need do would be to cause the election of some one else. Diaz was chosen because Gonzalez favored his election.

On the 30th of November, 1884, Gonzalez surrendered the executive office. In spite of the financial difficulties of his last year, of the efforts made by his enemies to destroy his prestige, he did not forfeit, as would have been the case with many another ruler, the respect and esteem of the people. During the stormy days of the British Debt Convention, when the armed mob of Mexico was engaged in rioting, President