tates might be construed as
friendship. But the recognition of Mexico's independence by Britain in
1825 and treaty of friendship brought the first foreign capital to the
land's resources, whilst the war between Mexico and the United States
in a territorial dispute, showed that a spirit of equity was yet
foreign to the Anglo-Saxon Republic.

On the ruins of the transient empire of Iturbide the building of the
Mexican Republic was begun. The National Constitution was proclaimed in
October, 1824, by the Federal Congress, and the famous insurgent
leader, Guadalupe Victoria, named President, with Bravo as
Vice-President. Great Britain and the United States recognised the new
Republic in the first year--1825--of its existence, and the latter
country sent its Minister in representation. Two political parties came
into existence--the Centralists, principally Spanish, and the
Federalists--and to the dissensions of these the continual revolutions
and disturbances from that date to the middle of the century were due.
Another disturbing factor was the introduction of Masonic lodges--the
Scotch rite and the York rite, the latter introduced by the American
Minister, which, becoming adopted by various partisans, were
respectively opposed by others--and these Masonic institutions were the
cause of disturbance in the politics of Mexico for many years. Among
religious people the word "Mason" became a term of reproach. Due to the
work of the York Masons, a great expulsion of Spaniards took place in
1827, the Spaniards having been finally ousted from the country, losing
their last stronghold of the Castle of San Juan de Ulua at Vera Cruz in
1825.

It might have been supposed that Mexico, having gained its heart's
desire of freedom from the dominion of Spain, with its own independent
Government, would have established itself in peace, and continued on
along the lines of national development. But it was not so. Insistent
and sanguinary revolution reared its sinister head, to destroy all
peace and security, and hold the country in barbaric strife for many
years. It would be tedious to follow the causes and incidents of these
_pronunciamientos_, imprisonings, seizings, shootings, executions,
treachery, cruelty, and bloodshed of which this half-century of Mexican
history is largely built up. The profession of arms became almost the
only one which ambitious men would follow, and ambition and
unscrupulousness went hand in hand. A condition of c