onarchical _regime_ of Iturbide--Great area of Mexican Empire--Santa
Anna--The Holy Alliance--Execution of Iturbide--The Monroe Doctrine--
British friendship--The United States--Masonic institutions--Political
parties--Expulsion of Spaniards--Revolution and crime--Clerical
antagonism--Foreign complications--The "pie-war"--The Texan war--The
slavery question--Mexican valour--American invasion of Mexico--Fall of
Mexico--Treaty of Guadalupe--Cession of California--Gold in
California--Benito Juarez appears--Conservatives and Liberals--Massacre
of Tacubaya--The Reform laws--Disestablishment of the Church--Dishonest
Mexican finance--Advent of Maximilian--The English, Spanish, and French
expedition--Perfidy of the French--Capture of Mexico City by the
French--Crowning of Maximilian--Porfirio Diaz--Rule of Maximilian--Fall
of his empire--Death of Maximilian--The tragedy of Queretaro--Diaz
takes Mexico City--Presidency of Juarez--Lerdo--Career and character of
Diaz--First railways built--Successful administration of Diaz--
Political stability--Forward policy.

Mexico began her independent history with a monarch, a prominent figure
which now stands forth in the history of the country,
Iturbide--royalist, soldier-general, candidate for viceroy, insurgent
chief, and Emperor by turns. Despatched at the head of the Spanish
Royalist army from the capital to crush the insurgent forces under
Guerrero, who maintained defiance in the south, Iturbide, after
conference with the enemy, announced to his officers and army that he
espoused and would support the cause of independence. Whether this was
a result of conviction of its justice, or whether it obeyed dictates of
personal ambition to whose success a surer road seemed to open by his
defection, remained best known to himself; but, be it as it were, his
eloquence and enthusiasm inspired all who lent ear to him.

Events followed rapidly. The "plan of Iguala," a document proclaiming
the independence of Mexico, with a suggestion of royal rule, was drawn
up and promulgated on March 2, 1821, and the change of side by its
author, Iturbide, called many other persons to the insurgent cause, and
city after city fell to their arms or capitulated at their advance. At
the moment the last Spanish Viceroy, Don Juan O'Donoju, was landing at
Vera Cruz, but, sagely taking in the situation, he saw that Mexico was
lost for Spain, proposed a conference, accepted the plan of Iguala,
joined forces with Iturb