1. Permission is granted to the actual president of the republic to take command in person of the forces which the government may place under his command, to resist the foreign enemy.
2. The vice presidency of the republic, established by the law of 21st December last, is suppressed.
3. The place of the provisional president shall be filled by a substitute, named by congress according to the terms of the law just cited.
4. If in this election the vote of the deputations should be tied, in place of determining the choice by lot, congress shall decide, voting by person.
5. The functions of the substitute shall cease when the provisional president shall return to the exercise of power.
6. On the 15th day of May next the legislatures of the states shall proceed to the election of a president of the republic, according to the form prescribed by the constitution of 1824, and with no other difference save voting for one individual only.
7. The same legislatures shall at once transmit to the sovereign congress the result of the election in a certified despatch.
This decree having been passed, it was at once signified to congress, through a minister, that Santa Anna was desirous of assuming the command of the army immediately and marching to the east to provide for the national defence. Congress went at once into permanent session, in order to choose a substitute for the president. The election resulted in the choice of Señor D. Pedro Anaya. He received sixty votes and General Almonte eleven, voting by persons, and eighteen votes against three, counting by deputations. The result being promulgated, permission was granted that Señor Anaya should at once take the oath of office. This was on the 1st of April, and on the 2d, Anaya entered upon his duties. He dispensed with the usual visits of congratulation and ceremony on account of the pressure of public business, and Santa Anna left the capital for the army in the afternoon of the same day.