thers; the establishment of a constitutional monarchy separate from
Spain and ruled by Ferdinand himself, or, if he declined the honor,
by some other European prince; and the union of Mexicans and Spaniards
without distinction of caste or privilege. A temporary government also,
in the form of a junta presided over by the viceroy, was to be created;
and provision was made for the organization of an "Army of the Three
Guarantees."

Despite opposition from the royalists, the plan won increasing favor.
Powerless to thwart it and inclined besides to a policy of conciliation,
the new viceroy, Juan O'Donoju, agreed to ratify it on condition--in
obedience to a suggestion from Iturbide--that the parties concerned
should be at liberty, if they desired, to choose any one as emperor,
whether he were of a reigning family or not. Thereupon, on the 28th of
September, the provisional government installed at the city of Mexico
announced the consummation of an "enterprise rendered eternally
memorable, which a genius beyond all admiration and eulogy, love and
glory of his country, began at Iguala, prosecuted and carried into
effect, overcoming obstacles almost insuparable"--and declared the
independence of a "Mexican Empire." The act was followed by the
appointment of a regency to govern until the accession of Ferdinand VII,
or some other personage, to the imperial throne. Of this body Iturbide
assumed the presidency, which carried with it the powers of commander in
chief and a salary of 120,000 pesos, paid from the day on which the Plan
of Iguala was signed. O'Donoju contented himself with membership on the
board and a salary of one-twelfth that amount, until his speedy demise
removed from the scene the last of the Spanish viceroys in North
America.

One step more was needed. Learning that the Cortes in Spain had rejected
the entire scheme, Iturbide allowed his soldiers to acclaim him emperor,
and an unwilling Congress saw itself obliged to ratify the choice. On
July 21, 1822, the destinies of the country were committed to the charge
of Agustin the First.

As in the area of Mexico proper, so in the Central American part of the
viceroyalty of New Spain, the Spanish Revolution of 1820 had unexpected
results. Here in the five little provinces composing the captaincy
general of Guatemala there was much unrest, but nothing of a serious
nature occurred until after news had been brought of the Plan of Iguala
and its immediate outcome. Thereu