upon his person, and sent him to Spain to give an account of his
conduct.

Tyrannous counsels prevailed; the prudent plans of Iturrigaray were
rejected, and Mexico fell back into the same political bondage under
which she had groaned since the conquest of Cortez.

The dismissal of Iturrigaray took place in 1808. The Gachupinos were
not without apprehensions of an outbreak; but as two years passed over
in tranquillity, their doubts became dissipated, and they ceased to
believe in the possibility of such an event.

Theirs was but fancied security, and lasted only two years. In 1810 it
was abruptly terminated by the rising of Hidalgo in one of the northern
provinces, the news of which event descended upon the Gachupinos like a
thunderbolt.

Strange enough that a priest should be the leader of this movement in
favour of liberty: since it was through priestly influence that Mexico
had all along been governed and oppressed! But in truth Hidalgo, and
the other priests who figured in this insurrection, were a very
different class of men from the great metropolitan ecclesiastics of the
capital and the larger cities, who conducted the affairs of state.
Hidalgo was but a simple village _cura_--a child of the people--and so,
too, were most of the other patriot priests who espoused the popular
cause.

In October 1810, Hidalgo had nearly one hundred thousand men in the
ranks of his army. They were badly armed and equipped, but still
formidable from their very numbers. This immense host, which consisted
principally of native Indians, overspreading the country like a torrent,
could not fail to produce consternation in the minds of the Gachupinos.

Even among the Creoles themselves it created a certain confusion of
ideas. All these were the sons or descendants of Spaniards, and of
course connected with the latter by ties of consanguinity. It was but
natural, therefore, that some of them should believe it to be their duty
to take the part of the government against the insurrection, while
others should sacrifice the ties of family relationship to the more
noble idea of liberating their country from a foreign yoke.

This difference of opinion among the Creoles existed only in families of
the higher and wealthier classes. Among the poorer Mexicans--the
people--whether white or half caste, there existed only one sentiment,
and that was in favour of independence from Spain. The Indians of pure
blood had their own ideas. Th