LERDO DE TEJA'DA, SEBASTIAN, b. Jalapa, Mexico, 1825; educated at Puebla for the priesthood, but afterwards studied law at a college in the city of Mexico. He was received at the bar in 1851, and in 1855 was a magistrate, and two years later was made minister of foreign affairs. In 1861 he became a member of congress, and was re-elected, serving also as president of that body. In 1863 he was, first, minister of justice, and then minister of foreign affairs, always being allied with the liberal party. Ile was one of the most prominent leaders in opposition to the French intervention in Mexico, and preserved a consistent attitude of antagonism to the unfortunate Maximil ian, the representative in Mexico of the aggressive policy of the French empire. The execution of the Austrian arch-duke may be legitimately charged to the determination of Lerdo de Tejada and Benito Juarez. On the return of the republican government to the capital in 1867, after the withdrawal of the French, Juarez was re-elected president, and Lerdo became vice-president, succeeding Juarez as president in 1872, on the death of the latter. In Oct. of that year lie was elected president for four years. In 1875--76
a revolution broke out in several Mexican states at once, and gen. Porfirio Diaz came forward as the leader of the insurrection, having previously headed similar revolution ary movements. In July, 1876, an election took place, and Lerdo was continued at the head of the government, his term of office to expire in Nov., 1880. Diaz, at the head of an army, marched against the capital, and on Nov. 26, 1876, president Lerdo and his cabinet fled to Acapulco to take passage on the steamer running between San Francisco and Panama, leaving Diaz in supreme control of the government. Lerdo visited the United States early in 1877, and was hospitably received in New York and other prin cipal cities. He has not since been prominent in political affairs. He is characterized as being profoundly skilled in politics and diplomacy, an astute and courageous leader, and a pronounced adherent of the policy of reform in his native countty.