GOVERNMENT. With the exception of the tem porary organization of a municipal government at Vera Cruz to further the ambitious plans of Cotes, the municipal corporation of Mexico ('itt• was the first to be established upon the Auueric•an continent. The probable dale of its establish ment by the Great Conqueror is 1522, but the earliest preserved record of its meetings is thql of -March 8„ 1524. In that year the officers eon• sisted of two (amides Imunieipal judges), six rcynloiTs (members of council). a secretary, and a major doino. Later the number of these officers was increased and other official places created. At first there was a nominal form of election for these men. though influence of Corti.s prleti eally dominated the choice• of the corporate mem hers; but later the gover»ing body of the city became more of a close corporation. filling a por tion of its own vacancies. The remaining posi tions were at the disposal of the King o• Vice roy; both classes were often bestowed by sale bequest.
Although created at first as the creature of Cort6:. the cabildo (municipal corporation) of Mexico soon became a powerful body. strong enough in some eases to make or mar the repots• thin of succeeding viceroys. It greatly inter fered with the salutary reforms of the Count of (1789-931, and on the abdication of Ferdinand \'l I. in it took a prominent part in the assembling of a general junlu of New Spain to resist the pretension: of Joseph Bona parte.
Following the declaration of Mexican inde pendcnve and the division of New• Spain into the States of the Republic of Mexico, there arose a conflict between the State authorities of Mexico and the National Government which resulted the creation. November 18, 1824, of a Federal Dis
trict, comprising the territory within a radius of two leagues of the main plaza. The Federal District was sub:4111(.101y enlarged, until it cone prises four prefectures besides the municipality of Mexico, which of itself covers some twenty square miles.
The present governing body of the municipality is the _Lymiturniceto Constitueional (Constitu tional City Council), under the direction of a president. Among those who within recent years have filled this station with credit are General Gonzalez Cosh), the present Minister of War, who has the reputation of having completely changed the appearance of the Mexican metrop olis. Following him Senor Gallant° began the great Drainage Canal. When the latter was transferred to the headship of the whole Federal District, lie was succeeded by Don Sebastian Camacho, who is laboriously continuing the good work of his predecessors—which work is but a po'rtion of the beneficial policy of President Diaz. As an indication of recent municipal progress it may be noted that the revenues of the cities of the Federal District (and those of Mexico City are by far the largest) have increased from $1,331,403 in 1884 to 83,395.638 in 1895; while the expanses have shown a eorresponding in crease. The same figures for the past seven years would show a still greater contrast.