nized nor permitted the establishment of monastic orders of any denomination whatever. These important laws were incorporated into the constitution, and became organic by decree of the seventh congress September 25th following:[1] It cannot, however, be expected that such sweeping reforms would be quietly accepted without some trouble from the clergy. All public functionaries and municipal authorities were required to make a formal and solemn protestation to observe the new laws.[2] Excommunication was fulminated from the vatican against those who did so, and the clergy stirred up the passions of the ignorant Indians. In Fresnillo, Juchipila, and Villanueva, the municipal authorities refused to protest. The cry of Mueran los protestantes! — death to those who protest! — was heard in numerous towns in Oajaca. In the state of Mexico, the chief of police and the administrador de rentas at Tejupilco were murdered, and the town pillaged and reduced to ashes. At Zinacantepec the municipal buildings were assaulted by 2,000 or 3,000 infuriated fanatics, and three employés put to death. But these wild efforts soon spent themselves.[3] Priestcraft in Mexico was henceforth and forever fangless.
The elections for the seventh constitutional congress passed off quietly, but not without indications of government intrigues.[4] On the 16th of September con-
- ↑ Diario Debates, 6° Cong., iv. 658-9; Id., 7° Cong., i. 184-93. The decree was definitely approved Nov. 12th. The legislatures of the following states had recognized the new laws; namely, Mexico, Morelos, Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Oajaca, Tlascala, Michoacan, Aguascalientes, Querétaro, Puebla, Vera Cruz, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Guerrero, Chiapas, Durango, and Campeche. Riva Palacio, ut sup., 304-5.
- ↑ The form administered to the president and members of congress was as follows: 'Protesto sin reserva alguna guardar y hacer guardar las adiciones y reformas á la constitucion política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, decre. tadas el 25 de Setiembre de 1873 y promulgadas el 5 de Octubre del mismo año.'
- ↑ Fuller particulars will be found in Id., 313–14; El Federalista, Nov. 11, 1873; El Monitor, Oct. 1, 3, 5, Nov. 13, 15, 20, 25, 1873.
- ↑ In Jalisco instances of double elections of deputies occurred, establishing a pernicions precedent. The "dobles elecciones,' as explained by Riva Palacio, occurred when two members were appointed, the one by credentials issued by a legitimate electoral college, and the other by falsified credentials. One of the cases in question was this: In the district of La Barca, Alfonso Arzo
