Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/488

468 concessions, the former under the name of conservatives. Although known at different times also as partido del órden, novenarios, gentes decentes, hombres de bien, aristocratas, retrogrados, monarchistas, and centralistas, yet the radicals, being of the people, displayed a growing sympathy for them, and sought to uphold more and more their assumed title of progressists. This effort becoming recognized, the masses were induced to support their champions and decide the issue, in favor of a federal and liberal system, as against a central and aristocratic one. Meanwhile the army, as possessing the readiest means for revolution, was the alternate instrument and arbiter in the struggle; sustaining anarchy or military despotism, as strikingly evidenced by the fact that during the time between 1821 and 1857 the country had more than half a dozen forms of government, under imperial and republican regencies, empire and federal, central and dictatorial rules, of varying shades, and over 50 different administrations, for which fully 250 revolutions were undertaken.

Revolution became so common that it was often treated more as a joke than as something to be hanged for, and captured conspirators were elegantly entertained and afterward pardoned. A man did not know,