EARLY MASONRY IN MEXICO (1806-1828)

Lillian Estelle Fisher

For years Masonry was a powerful factor in shaping the destinies of the young Mexican
nation, but it is difficult to determine whether the results were good or bad. On account
of the intense rivalry between the Scottish ite and !or"ist Orders acts of violence were
fre#uently committed and the country was thrown into disorder. $lthough the secret
societies had some advanced ideas and, no doubt, meant well, they did not have
experience in self%government. &heir methods caused hostility and they could not be the
true guides of the nation to lead it into democracy.
'hen Masonry obtained a hold on Spain it was only a #uestion of time until it
permeated the $merican colonies. (opes condemned it for denying the existence of
)od, for declaring that the soul died with the body, and for spreading heresies. $t first
they blamed the *ews for scattering its seeds abroad. +ings feared it because Masons
had a tendency to obey no authority but their grand master. Lodges, nevertheless,
existed from an early date in Salamanca and in ,-., /r. /omingo 0apata of the
1niversity of Salamanca was suspected of being an adherent of Masonry. Masonic
writers maintained that by ,2.2 there were more than two hundred lodges in Spain and
that they all belonged to the great lodge in London. 3t was not until ,245 that Masonry
in Spain became independent of England and after that it was under French domination.
For a time $randa, the famous minister of 6harles 333, was the director of the
organi7ations in Spain.
1
$t the end of the eighteenth century popular Masonry made war on aristocratic Masonry
and the latter declined. &he popular variety was connected with the French lodges,
which wor"ed for the French cause in Spain, and 8apoleon made use of them for his
purposes. Even before he entered Spain he had a vanguard of more than twenty
thousand French sympathi7ers recruited from all social classes. Many French Masons
accompanied his invading armies and established new lodges in the con#uered towns,
but the few independent lodges, not under French influence, did all they could to retard
the arms of the invader.
2
3n ,45- Masonry was introduced into Mexico and the first lodge was established by
Enri#ue Mu9i. Meetings were held in the street of Las atas, at house number :, where
the councilman Manuel Luyando lived. $ number of influential people belonged to the
organi7ation; among them were <idalgo and $llende, and it was thought that =iceroy
3turrigaray wor"ed with the Masons. &here were Masons in the ayuntamiento, or
municipal council, of Mexico 6ity and, when it heard of the abdication of the royal
family in Spain, it too" such an active part in Mexican affairs that the Europeans
suspected it of promoting designs for independence.
'hen 3turrigaray was imprisoned the Masonic lodge was denounced by a certain 6abo
Franco who lived in the same street where it was located. 3t then met in different places
but most fre#uently at the country home of Se9or Luyando in the town of San *acinto.
&he Masons too" part in <idalgo>s revolution and were not spo"en of again until ,4,?,
3

for they lived in isolated places and concealed themselves on account of fear of the
3n#uisition. &he basic idea of the society%%the brotherhood of man%% and the indifference
of some of its members to theological beliefs caused the church to oppose it.
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&he publication of the Spanish 6onstitution of ,4,. in Mexico and the coming of the
troops from Spain, in which some of the officers were Masons, caused the organi7ation
of the Scottish ite Masons in ,4,?. Few were admitted except members of noble
Spanish families, fairly well%to%do people, or those of recogni7ed professional or
commercial standing, but the events of the French war changed this. 3n order to ma"e
their wor" more effective the Mexican Masons decided to adopt a political program,
which was contrary to their rules, prohibiting the promotion of religious or political
#uestions in their lodges. &hey advocated the representative system of government and
reform of the clergy, and it was said that =iceroy $podaca tolerated their activities
becausehe was a Mason.
5
Meanwhile in Spain, after the downfall of 8apoleon, Masonry exercised a strong
influence in the Spanish army. Many military lodges were established and later it was
believed that to them was due the loss of $merica.
6
3n ,4,: the "ing was informed that
in 6Cdi7 there was a secret Masonic society, connected with one in 6aracas, the sole
purpose of which was to bring about the independence of $merica, but that it was also
scattering its ideas in England by means of branch organi7ations.
7
Masonry made steady progress in Mexico and influential men began to Doin it. Felipe
MartEne7 de $ragFn and Fausto de Elhuyar were active members. Elhuyar became a
Mason while studying in )ermany under a pension from the Spanish government. &here
were two Franciscans and several members of other religious orders, all Spaniards, in
the organi7ation. &he soldiers who went to con#uer the revolutionists in Mexico made
common cause with the colonists when Masonic lodges were founded there by
emissaries of the Supreme 6ouncil of 6harleston. 3n ,4,2 or ,4,4 a lodge existed in the
ancient convent of &eresas in the street of that name. Later it was transferred to number
.5 of the street of 6oliseo and was called Arquitectura Moral AMoral $rchitectureB. &wo
brothers, one the secretary of the 3n#uisition and the other employed in the secretariat of
the viceroyalty, Doined it, and afterwards members were ta"en into the lodge in every
possible manner.
8
$fter the uprising of ,4.5 in Spain, which was inspired by Masonry, the Mason,
O>/onoDG, was sent to Mexico as viceroy and he gave a great impetus to Freemasonry,
although he only lived there for a short time.
9
<is attendants were incorporated into the
lodges which existed, and new ones, all under the Scottish ite, were formed. &here was
one called El Sol, which sponsored the newspaper of that name, edited by Manuel
6odorniu, a doctor who came with O>/onoDG. &he idea of excluding the clergy from
intervening in the instruction of youth began to be emphasi7ed, and Lancastrian schools,
li"e the one in the Helemite convent called El Sol, were to be established under the
auspices of Masonry.
10
'hen independence was obtained in Mexico the Masons, who had begun their wor"
under a dove%li"e cloa", grew bolder, for they desired to preserve independence. Openly
the lodges were transformed into political centers. &he clergy in Mexico, as in all
countries, was conservative and hostile to Masonry; since it wished to dominate public
affairs it used 3turbide as its agent.
11
&he Scottish lodges multiplied after 3turbide came into power and persuaded his
opponents to enter them. Some persons Doined them on account of the spirit of novelty,
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others to ma"e themselves and their relatives more important, and others on account of
interest. 6uevas saidI
&he mastery with which they covered up their reunions, the ceremonial which they
observed, the doctrines which they sustained, the hatred for "ings and the 3n#uisition,
and most of all the power which they held in their hands by occult manoeuvers infused a
terror similar to that of the 3n#uisition itself.
Even among the most intelligent people it was believed that such associations were
capable of overthrowing the illiberal government of 3turbide and of consolidating the
public liberties advantageously.
12
&he assassination of 3turbide was contemplated. 3n
one of the sessions of the lodges a Mason declared that if a Hrutus were lac"ing to ta"e
away the life of the tyrant, he would offer his arm on the altar of the country.
$t another meeting the presiding officer, 6olonel $ntonio =alero, a man who came
from Spain with O>/onoDG, said he would assassinate 3turbide. 'hen 3turbide>s spies
learned of this remar" Masonry was discredited for some time and the man who made it
had to return to Spain to avoid punishment.
13
&he Masons published their newspaper El Sol for the purpose of opposing 3turbide, but
when FernCnde7 de Li7ardi, under the pen name of the KMexican &hin"er,K wrote an
article entitled K/efense of Freemasonry,K he was excommunicated by the church.
14

'hen the emperor could no longer wor" with 6ongress and dissolved it, the lodges
increased their efforts and helped to overthrow him. &hey substituted the word republic
for empire and added to it the name federation.
15
&hey continued to be the focus of
intrigues after 3turbide fell; then their chief care was to exclude from public positions
those who were considered their rivals. &he lodges "ept multiplying as the fear which
they in% spired at first disappeared and the most respectable men were incorporated in
them.
16
&he ma"er of the Mexican federation, amos $ri7pe, had affiliated with Masonry while
in Spain and had obtained high degrees in it on account of his great political activities.
<e wor"ed for his brother Masons and O>/onoDG was his intimate friend. 'hen he
returned to Mexico, after serving in the Spanish 6ortes, with his characteristic energy he
caused the lodges to multiply and converted them into political centers from which to
combat the empire of 3turbide. <e also used them as a means to prepare the way for a
federal republic and to bring about the acceptance of the 6onstitution of ,4.:%%the
product of his handiwor".
17
3n Mexico he was initiated into the Scottish ite Masonry,
headed by )enerals HarragCn, Hravo, 8egrete, EchCvarri, &erCn, and others.
18
&hey
helped to establish the federal system and the 6onstitution at his whim. For a long time
the influence of Masonry was very great and the Masons directed politics without
difficulty.
19
3n the elections held under the new 6onstitution of ,4.: the Scottish ite lodges
obtained a very pronounced maDority as opposed to the clergy and the Spanish Masons
who lost their organi7ation and importance. &he latter did not unite and were soon so
thoroughly immersed in the great mass of the population that by ,4.L they had almost
disappeared from the republic.
20
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For )uadalupe =ictoria, the first republican president, every% thing seemed to announce
an epoch of prosperity and well%beingbecause the Spanish ite Masons, who had at first
opposed him, offered their support. =ictoria, however, did not ta"e much stoc" in that
promise.
21
=ery soon the struggle of parties bro"e out more furiously than ever on
account of differences of opinion between the Federalists and 6entralists.
$s the Scottish ite Masons allied themselves with the 6entralists the most exalted
partisans of the federal system decided to found a new Masonic association, the !or"
ite Order.
22
&he idea was conceived by *osM MarEa $lpuche M 3nfante, a priest of a
parish in the state of &abasco and a senator in that state. $lpuche was a man well "nown
in Mexico on account of his great 7eal for the federal system of government. <e is
repre% sented as a restless spirit, a "ind of /anton but without his brains. 3n the Senate
he annoyed the ministry with incessant #uestions and bitter reproaches. <e gave his
political opponents no rest and they hated him.
23
<is ideas were supported by amos
$ri7pe, 3gnacio Esteva, minister of the treasury, 6olonel *osM $ntonio MeDEa, =ictoria,
the president of the republic, and others.
Five lodges were organi7ed and (oinsett, minister from the 1nited States, was as"ed to
obtain through his friends the regulating patents for them. <e accepted the re#uest and
was commissioned to install the grand lodge.
24
(oinsett always said that he did not
expect the !or" Masons to depart from their legitimate functions of benevolence and
humanitarianism. 'hen they began to lay plans for a revolution because they were
excluded from participation in the government to which they thought themselves
entitled, and as they felt conscious of their superior strength, were resolved to overthrow
their adversaries, he felt it his duty to interfere and advise a milder course. <e told them
that they had only to unite, to organi7e their party, to establish a press of their own, and
to bring the whole weight of their numbers to bear upon the election in order to effect a
great moral change, which would assist their views much more effectually than could be
done by force.
3t seems that they heeded the more democratic way suggested by (oinsett and gave up
the idea of starting a revolution.
25
3t was thought nevertheless that the organi7ation of the lodges, their influence and the
success which crowned all their plans was due largely to the machinations of (oinsett
and the spirit which he infused into those associations. 6uevas declared that (oinsett
with all his wisdom, peculiar to men who have consecrated their lives to government
intrigues and who conse#uently have forgotten honesty and Dustice, proposed to oppose
to the Spanish ite Masons a sect organi7ed under the more popular forms which would
deserve more favor and would be considered as the strongest support of independence.
3t was easy to gain this end and he was going to obtain a situation more advantageous to
the 1nited States.
<e goes on to say that (oinsett probably thought that the Scottish ite Masons were
partisans of the Spaniards; for that reason it was easy to present them as the most
terrible enemies of the country and the most powerful obstacle to organi7ing it properly.
<e also "new the ease with which the Mexicans went from one extreme to another.
26
&he Sottish ite Masons hated (oinsett and attributed to him the direction and all the
manoeuvers of the popular party. &heir newspapers accused him of failing in his
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obligations of a foreign minister who was not expected to get mixed up with the internal
affairs of the country to which he was sent. &o him was ascribed the plan of getting rid
of the somewhat aristocratic character of the government, which was still influenced by
the old families, the clergy, and the army, and of replacing it, not with a pure democracy,
but by introducing a class of men who were merely ambitious office%see"ers. On the
other hand, (oinsett said that he never attended a lodge where political principles were
discussed or political combinations formed and that he never too" part in any of the
domestic affairs of Mexico; but one finds this difficult to believe.
Esteva was elected grand master of the new lodges, amos $ri7pe was made a
venerable of one of them, and the other officers were selected.
27
$mong the members of
those lodges were generals, many deputies, senators, ecclesiastics, employees,
merchants, and artisans.
28
$lamCn contends that those who wanted to become deputies
or receive other public offices, who desired to be exempt from public responsibility,
those who hoped to be free from persecution, ruined people who aspired to ma"e a
fortune, and the 3turbidists, who were always enemies of the Scottish iters, Doined the
new organi7ations.
29
&he Mexicans thus came from all sides to be initiated in the lodges so that they might
say K3 am a !or"ist.K &hey seemed to thin" the !or"ists were true patriots and defenders
of the rights of the country.
30
Some of them had been members of the Scottish ite
Masonry and "new its secrets and purposes. &he deserters said that they could not
continue to belong to a society which had as an obDest the re%establishment of the
monarchy. )Fme7 (edra7a abandoned the order because he thought it wanted a foreign
dynasty, but he did not enlist in a new one.
31
&he !or"ists, imitating the Scottish ite Masons, paid little attention to the observance
of rules, had scarcely any ceremony, and performed few philanthropic or benevolent
wor"s. /irecting affairs of state and placing their partisans in positions were evidently
the most important purposes of the lodges. 6uevas saidI
amos $ri7pe, Esteva, 0avala, )uerrero, $lpuche, and some other men favored by
=ictoria who considered this society as a support of their policy and as the most secure
means of counterbalancing the Spanish influence, were disputing among themselves the
preponderance which each one believed belonged to him, either on account of his
personal relations with the president as Esteva, or on account of his greater talent and
learning as 0avala, or on account of his profound versatility in affairs and the intrigues
of the cabinet as amos $ri7pe, or on account of his name among the ancient insurgents
as )uerrero, or on account of the demagogical boldness which seemed to be a natural
instinct in $lpuche and a most recommendatory title of being one of the founders of the
!or"ist ite. 'ith protection so decided and ideas so radical about the plans believed
the most national, it is not strange that it was extended throughout all the republic.
8othing could be hoped from the !or"ists under the aspect of interest and national
honor.
32
&he new Masonic Order soon became a formidable power which made =ictoria
suspicious although he had supported it at first.
33
&he maDority of the ministers of
=ictoria did not favor it, but amos $ri7pe upheld it energetically and placed his hope
in it because he Dudged that it would be the means of destroying the Scottish ite
Masons, the maDority of whom were the partisans of 6entralism. &oro says that amos
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$ri7pe remembered the evils of Scottish Masonry in politics in Spain and desired to get
rid of those secret societies by a "ind of homeopathic politics.
34
&he newspapers of that period either praised or condemned the !or"ists Masons
according to their political tendencies. $t first the wor" of the new lodges was confined
to ceremonies and wor"s of beneficence, but they too soon became occupied with
politics.
35
Elections, proDected laws, resolutions of the cabinet, and filling of offices were
discussed in the grand lodge where many influential men assembled.
36
&he !or"ists
united themselves against the Scottish ite lodges, and on *une .:, ,4.-, *uan
odrEgue7 (uebla delivered at 6hapultepec a violent discourse against them. 3n it were
hints that the Scottish iters should be expelled from the country. &he !or"ists wor"ed
hard to increase their membership and now received all "inds of people into their
lodges. $mong them were many military men and this gave the Order an immense
power, but it also caused the revival of the Scottish ite Masons who still had a mar"ed
influence over the government and 6ongress.
&he Scottish iters imitated their rivals and began a campaign of proselyting to
establish new lodges. &heir activities "ept increasing and they became a center for men
to unite who had a fortune to defend. &hey hoped to chec" the influence of )uerrero,
amos $ri7pe, 0avala, and )Fme7 (edra7a. &hey desired to "eep =ictoria on their side
and in this they were partly successful. $lthough the president flattered the popular
party, he could not cut himself off completely from his old companions in arms who
belonged to the Scottish group of Masons.
37
&he Scottish Masons declared that when they governed public affairs the nation was
peaceful and prospered, but the moment the !or"ists tried to ta"e part in the direction of
the administration the greatest disorders and anarchy resulted everywhere.
38
Some said
that foreign nations "new very well the sad condition in which the !or" ite Masons,
who acted li"e lords of $merica, had placed them. &hey controlled printing and
condemned all writings, except their own, as seditious.
&hey spread their principle of immorality by means of sarcasm. &hey brea" the public
faith in the administration of the (ost Offices in the same manner as =enegas and
6alleDa did. Liberty does not exist, only power without limit.
39
Francisco 3bar blamed all the calamities of the nation on the !or"ists, sayingI
From the time that the infamous rite of !or" was introduced our calamities began.
$s soon as it appeared the aspiring, ambitious, and false patriots deserted the
Scottish ite Masons. 3t too" in all classes of people and bound them to it. &he
!or"ists tried to ma"e the people believe that they were the most 7ealous patriots
of the public welfare. Hehold that fury which we all have seen in the election of
deputies to the present legislatureN /id not the agents of (oinsett spend on it more
than four thousand pesos for favorsO Finally the ayuntamientos and all the offices
were occupied by them as the fruit of their intrigues.
40
Lucas $lamCn also thought that the establishment of the !or"ist lodges was the origin of
the many evils suffered by the nation. <e saidI
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&o belong to them was not only the best recommendation to obtain positions, but
even a title to become free from the rigor of the laws in the tribunals. Many bodies
of the army had their moving lodges which followed the banners. Soon the lodges
came to be in Mexico what the *acobins were in France.
41
$leDandro =aldMs thought that all Masonic societies were inDurious to public tran#uillity
and hostile to liberty. <e said that their exclusive purpose was domination which would
lead to mental and political tyranny. <e did not, however, denounce them as heretical,
for in them there were many respectable and patriotic men. 8either did he believe in
persecuting them, as that would be contrary to the high ends of society. <e as"ed for
cooperation with the government so that the elections might not go to either the Scottish
or the !or"ist Masons.
42
Louis Mora made a bitter tirade against secret societies. <e showed that every nation
obDected to the establishment of particular societies within it, which created interests
contrary to thegeneral interest, and the government usually abolished them. $ccording
to history they served alternately to destroy and establish liberty and absolutism,
republics and monarchies. <e contended that Masonic lodges were unnecessary if their
purpose did not promote the public welfare. &hey pretended to encourage a free system
of government but the means which they used were opposd to free governments. <e
pointed out that publicity inadministration and political opinions must be the rule in a
free government. On the contrary, the Masons maintained a mysterious silence and met
during the shadows of night. <e declared that they did this because they wanted to
introduce reforms by surprise against the will of the maDority, which was nothing but
despotism. Such reforms would be useless and unDust. <e saidI
3n a free government anything done in secret is destructive to the fundamental
bases upon which public authority restsP which are opinion and agreement. &his
is what the secret associations constantly do. $ small faction of society ta"es upon
itself the right of thin"ing and wor"ing for the rest, hiding what every one should
"now. &he Masons do not dare to ma"e "nown in public half the things which are
proposed formally in their gatherings. $t the impulse of the lodges social
guarantees and all the principles of morality are scandali7ed and violated.
43
Hoth groups of Masons appealed fre#uently to the constitution and pretended to be its
champions. &he Scottish iters did it to free themselves from persecution and, ma"ing
use of the confusion of ideas about the system of government, tried to decrease the
sovereignty and independence of the states where they were apt to be persecuted. &he
!or"ists also made use of the constitution for their purposes and tired to amplify its
democratic doctrines. &hus the parties were centralists and federalists, liberal sand non%
liberals, according to the circumstances and events which were presented.
44
&he Mexican 8ational ite Masonry was another order formed in ,4.L shortly after the
organi7ation of the !or"ists. Some Masons of good intentions, who thought that the
spirit of Masonry was lost because of the many persons ta"en into the Scottish and
!or"ist lodges, began to unite accidentally in some public places where they went to
express their ideas. &hey desired to correct the disorder among the lodges. First they
tal"ed to some of the venerables to see if they could not do something, but those
officials said that if order were established in the lodges they would be empty. 'hen
nothing was accomplished a meeting was held by a number of Masons who decided to
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form a new lodge. &his was done and it was agreed that the membership should be
increased with great circumspection and all proceedings were to be legal. &he founders
were five Scottish Masons and four !or"ists.
&he new lodge was to be neither Scottish nor !or"ist and should be called Mexican
8ational ite. 3t was to unite all Masons and establish perfect harmony among men. On
$ugust ,:, the honorables, *osM MarEa Mateos and 6ayetano inaldi, clearly set the
propositions down in a document. &he central theme was the preservation of the purity
of Masonry. 3t was also stated that as Mexican citi7ens the 8ationalist Masons must
wor" for the welfare of the republic and remedy its evils. Masons of all rites and
honorable and distinguished men with liberal ideas might Doin the organi7ation. 3t would
be the nucleus of a truly national party with a progressive program which would ma"e
the country happy. Masonry would thus cure the evils caused by the parties which had
ta"en its name.
&he 8ational Mexican ite was to have the three general ran"s of universal Masonry%%
apprentices, companions, and masters. $ committee was appointed to draw up the rules
of the new order, and on $ugust .., they were accepted. (rovisions were made for
symbolic lodges and their government. Hy March .-, ,4.-, a grand lodge and five
symbolic lodges had already been established. &here was strong opposition to the
Mexican ite Masonry on the part of the Scottish iters and !or"ists, who declared it
illegal because it attac"ed habits and customs respected by the wisest men of all the
world. &he founders of the new order answered that they intended to preserve the purity,
mystery, and essence of universal Masonry. &hey said that the old groups had only used
the name to cover their tendency toward political parties.
45
(resident =ictoria decided to separate himself entirely from both the !or"ist and
Scottish ite Masons and form a society of the old patriots who had fought for Mexican
independence. <is purpose was to consolidate it in order to frustrate the designs of the
Spaniards and clergy. <e made use of a Hethlemite friar, SimFn 6ru7, who organi7ed
the society called the Hlac" Eagle and gave it a Masonic character. &he members were
"nown as Guadalupanos for its founder. &hey too" an oath to defend independence and
prevent the Spaniards from occupying government offices, and some thought they
should be expelled from the country. &he ideas propagated by the Guadalupanos were
already found in some of the !or"ist lodges and the Hlac" Eagle group was soon united
with them. &he power of the !or"ists was thus greatly strengthened by the increase of
membership.
46
&he Scottish Masons lost influence when they were accused of being implicated in the
$renas plot. 3n ,4.2 *oa#uEn $renas, a priest with a bad record, conceived a plan for the
restoration of the Spanish government and the protection of the true faith. (oinsett was
absurdly accused of having suggested the idea to $renas. &he plot soon failed and
$renas was put to death, but the Scottish ite Masons made no answer to the charge
that they were involved in it. &hey did deny that there was a conspiracy and said that the
ministers, )Fme7 (edra7a and amos $ri7pe, and the !or"ists had made a mountain out
of a mole%hill for consummation of their long%meditated schemes against the Spaniards
and for destroying their political rivals.
47
&he Scottish iters would not be outdone by the loss of influence; hence in ,4.Q they
formed a new society of Novenarios A8ovenariesB. 8ine honorables were appointed and
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each one of them was to present nine persons to the lodges for membership. Each one of
the latter was also to obtain another nine and each house was to have eighty%one
members. &hey would thus "eep on multiplying indefinitely. $t first this group was
composed of the clergy and religious brotherhoods who had been hostile to the Masons.
3t soon had 2.Q new members and desired to destroy the !or"ists whom it feared.
&he Novenarios began their functions by performing the rites of the church in the parish
of San Miguel where they honored the =irgin of (ilCr de 0arago7a. $ procession was
made during which they threw from the houses wafers, flowers, and verses codemning
the !or"ists. &hey called them heretics and wic"ed persons. 3n order to obtain revenge
the !or"ists held a procession for the =irgin of (ortacoeli and threw verses in which the
Scottish Masons were declared heretics, enemies of religion, and defilers of the services
of the church. Hoth groups of Masons thus made use of religion for their purposes. &he
!or"ists were already tal"ing of reform in the church, accordingly most of the clergy
supported the Scottish iters who wor"ed against them. 3f the !or"ists were chec"ed the
clergy could still exercise its domination and sovereignty. Hoth parties caused the
proscription of Spaniards with all the awful conse#uences.
48
&he Novenarios spread to the states of =era 6ru7, (uebla, and )uanaDuato. &he
membership was not large in those states, but some Spaniards and wealthy men Doined
them. &hey established a newspaper called El Observador which had for its sole
purpose the destruction of the !or"ists.
49
&he Sottish Masons, notwithstanding all their efforts, could not get ahead of the !or"ists
who finally had one hundred and thirty lodges scattered throughout all the states. Many
of the Scottish lodges became vacant while the !or"ists dominated the national
6ongress, the state 6ongresses, and many bodies of the army.
50
'hen the !or"ists passed a decree for the expulsion of the Spaniards on /ecember .5,
,4.2, the ire of the Scottish iters was aroused and as a last resort they agreed upon a
pronouncement. On /ecember .?, Lieutenant%6olonel Manuel Monta9o proclaimed in
the town of Otumba a plan which called for the abolition of all Masonic societies, a
change of ministry, for the recall of the 1nited States minister, (oinsett, and for the
exact fulfillment of the constitution and the existing laws. 8icolCs Hravo, grand master
of the Scottish lodges, and various military men proclaimed the (lan of Monta9o in
different places and the Spaniards provided funds for the conspirators. )eneral )uerrero
struc" the conspirators a severe blow and captured Hravo who was also the vice%
president of the republic. $fter this the Scottish Masons still held some public offices
and wor"ed against the !or"ists, but as a political party their power was bro"en.
51
&he insatiable ambition of the !or" ite Masons caused intrigues and divisions within
their lodges. &hey often confused patriotism with covetousness and plans of personal
aggrandi7ement and there were furious disputes over public offices and obtaining
influence in the government. Hoth groups of Masons actively spread their propaganda
by means of the press. El Sol and El Observador were the organs of the Scottish iters
and El Aguila Mexicana and El Amigo del Pueblo and El Correo de ederaci!n of the
!or"ists. 8eedless to say that the Masons used the press to declare ferocious warfare on
each other and fought almost li"e oman gladiators.
52
6IJmis/ocumentosJmasonerEaJ E$L! M$SO8! 38 ME@36O.doc
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E$L! M$SO8! 38 ME@36O A,45-%,4.4B
amos $ri7pe finally became disgusted with the Masonic societies because of their
abuses. <e thought that they neither represented the national will nor did their principles
amount to anything butto satisfy their own appetites. 3n order to counteract the
pernicious influence of the lodges in politics, with the aid of a number of distinguished
liberals, he formed a third party called "mparciales A3mpartialistsB. $s the term of
=ictoria was drawing to an end, he hoped that they might use their influence in the
presidential election so that a man who was above parties might be elected.
53
Some months after the (lan of Monta9o had failed a proposition against the secret
societies was presented in the 6hamber of /eputies. Moreles, #iscal of the court of
Dustice, had denounced them in $a Aguila Mexicana and declared their influence
pernicious. &he government then as"ed the state governors to express their opinion
about them. Many of the governors were Masons and in order to avoid suspicion they
pretended to be against them.
54
&he pope had issued a bull against Freemasonry in ,4.L
and now it was published toward the end of ,4.4; no doubt, this caused some people to
turn against the secret societies.
55
Finally through the influence of the Scottish ite
Masons a law was passed on October .L, ,4.4, which prohibited all clandestine
meetings, and the penalties for violating it were to be very severe.
&he new law was circulated immediately and was aimed at the !or"ist lodges which
wor"ed almost publicly. &he law, however, was to have a far different result from what
its originators expected, for they were to be the victims of it. &he )rand !or" Lodge
pretended to comply with the law to avoid persecution and to trap the Scottish Masons.
&he hostility between the two groups was worse than ever and acts of vengeance were
carried to the extreme. Sevarriano Ruesada, a venerable of the !or"ist lodge Silencio
number .L, was assassinated and there were many military executions. Such procedure
caused Masonry to lose its prestige in the country.
Many lodges were denounced to the government. $ Scottish ite lodge holding
meetings in the street of Las atas at the home of 6olonel 8i9o de ivera, who was a
venerable in it, was surprised by the agents of the government. Even the )rand Lodge in
the narrow lane of the Hethlemites at the home of 6ordorniu was raided and the
catalogue of members published. &he Scottish Masons then too" their vengeance by
publishing the membership list of the !or"ists who also suffered persecution.
56
&he
secret societies were not wiped out by persecution, but became even more active in
some states li"e /urango.
57
&he administration of )uerrero was stormy and a period of crisis in which the parties
were dissolved in order to assume new forms. &he clergy consolidated with the military
element and wor"ed against )uerrero. &hey supported Hustamante, who, forgetful of
his oath as a !or"ist, became the champion of the privileged classes.
58
Hy this time the
Mexican ite Masons had greatly increased in strength and some of the !or"ists
affiliated with them on account of their strict rules, and some, perhaps, because the
national idea flattered them, yet they never became very prominent in politics. &he
!or"ists were divided and declined but the Scottish iters were reorgani7ed into a
conservative political group based chiefly on the principles of a legal republican
administration.
59
&he membership of the new Scottish ite organi7ation consisted of the
remnant of the Scottish Masons and respectable men who had belonged to the !or"ist
lodges, including members of the clergy, the army, and the propertied class. &hey too"
the name of %ombres de bien and their chief plan was to get rid of )uerrero.
60
6IJmis/ocumentosJmasonerEaJ E$L! M$SO8! 38 ME@36O.doc
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E$L! M$SO8! 38 ME@36O A,45-%,4.4B
&he days of the great power of Masonry, however, were gone and after this its influence
in politics was comparatively wea". &he lodges began to be occupied more with the
functions of modern Masonry and the stormiest times were over. Other interests and
other activities occupied the center of the stage in public life.
O&lahoma College #or (omen)
FOO&8O&ESI
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Mariano &irado y oDas, $a masoner*a en Espa+a AMadrid, ,4Q.%,4Q?B, 3, -%,., .,5%
.,4, .:2%.QL.
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"bid), 3, ?LL, ?-?I 33, .5%?5.
,
-os. Mar*a Mateos, %istoria de la masoner*a en Mexico desde /012 hasta /003
4Mexico, /0035, 06/7)
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)eorge Loc"hart ives, 8he 9nited States and Mexico, /07/6/030 A8ew !or", ,Q,?B,
3, -..
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,4,:, $)3, ,::%-%,?. 3ndiferente )eneral de 8ueva Espa9a.
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$ucas Alam:n, %istoria de M.;ico, desde los primeros movimientos que preparon su
independencia en el a+o de /010 hasta la .poca presente 4Mexico, /03<6/0=75, >, =06
=<? 8irado y @o;as, "", =1)
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&irado y oDas, 33, 44, Q2.
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/07/ y /0=/ 4Mexico, /0=/6/0=B5, "", /<1)
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>ito Alessio @obles, Cr) Miguel @amos AriApe, memorias sobre el estado de las
provincias internas de oriente presentada a las Cortes de C:diA) Dibli!#ilos Mexicanos
4Mexico, /<,75, =/)
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/001 4Paris, /0,/6/0,75, ", ,3B)
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/0=75, ,106,1<)
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$lamCn, =, 4.:; 0avala, 3, ?:L, ?4L; <ubert <. Hancroft, %istory o# Mexico ASan
Francisco, ,44.%,444B, =, ??; *. . (oinsett, ExposiciFn de la conducta polEtica de los
6IJmis/ocumentosJmasonerEaJ E$L! M$SO8! 38 ME@36O.doc
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Estados%1nidos, para con las nuevas repGblicas de $merica. Mexico, ,4.2, in Papeles
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Mexico, $pril ,,, ,4.4. 3n Papeles varios, .2, num. .,, pp. L%-.
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Muerta polEtica de la repGblica Mexicana. Mexico, ,4.Q. 3n Papeles varios, ,.2, num.
,2, pp. ?%:.
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/efensa del ex%ministro de relaciones /. Lucas $lamCn. Mexico, ,4?:. 3n Papeles
varios 4>ariedades pol*ticas5, 2?, num. Q, @3.
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$leDandro =aldMs, Masones y elecciones. Mexico, ,4.-. 3n Papeles varios, ,:,, num.
3, pp. ,%4.
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*osM MarEa Luis Mora, Obras sueltas A(aris, ,4?2B, 33, ?5-%?,L.
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Lillian Estelle Fisher.
How to ct!"
Lillian Estelle Fisher, KEarly Masonry in Mexico A,45-%,4.4BK, =olume :., 8umber ?,
Southwestern <istorical Ruarterly Online,
httpIJJwww.tsha.utexas.eduJpublicationsJDournalsJsh#JonlineJv5:.Jn?JcontribS/3=L?,:
?.html
T$ccessed Fri /ec ,L ,QI?-I?5 6S& .55-U
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