THE GOVERNMENT. 131 



rejected by the President, a majority of two thirds may re-enact it at any time within the 



period tor which they wen- elected ; aii'l in such case it heeoines a law, bin veto to the contrary 

 notwithstanding. Moth liodies are required to dose their s, .,..;,, ,, K at the same time, the lower 

 house having authority to remain, after the Senate lias adjourned, only when sitting a* a pre- 

 senting jury; and the Senate, after the Chamher of Deputies has cloned its labors, only when 

 exercising judicial functions, or when assembled to count the votes for President or for members 

 of their own body. 



An oblong room in the old university building is occupied by the lower branch of the legisla- 

 ture. It is probably sixty feet long by half that breadth, has a high ceiling, three or four small 

 grated windows in its north wall, and a door at each extremity. The walls are covered with 

 painted paper, ornamented with medallions and panels in fresco. On a raised platform at the 

 western extremity there is a table for the president of the body, as also for the secretaries and min- 

 isters of state, when tliey attend the sessions. Back of the president's chair there is a drapery 

 of crimson velvet; and from beams ornamentally carved, which tie the north and south walla 

 together near the ceiling, two or three cut-glass chandeliers are suspended. On the same level 

 as the platform, and ranged opposite each other on the north and south sides of the room, are 

 the seats of the deputies. Between them is the space allotted to the audience, from whom they 

 are separated by balustrades, supporting boards placed at regular intervals, to serve as desks, 

 though the only use to which it was our fortune to see them applied was the support of hats 

 and canes. Writing, and the luxurious appliances to that end, deemed essential by North 

 American legislators, are thought of little moment by republican law-makers of the South. 

 Altogether, the room is tasteful, and its occupants nearly every individual of whom, at the 

 session of 1850, was in the prime of life were properly grave and dignified. 



Once seen, there is nothing to induce repetition of a stranger's visit. It is as unlike an 

 assemblage of Anglo-Saxons met to discuss the affairs of the nation as possible ; for there is no 

 eloquence, no animation indeed scarcely more life among the speakers than a moderate Qua- 

 ker meeting offers. They never rise to address the Chamber ; but a debater, turning to the 

 president, says, in his ordinary conversational tone, "Pido la palabra" (equivalent to "Mr. 

 President ;" literally, "I ask the word"), and continues to harangue in the same quiet tone, 

 without gesture, until his "He dicho" ("I have said") notifies you that he will drop back to 

 apathy again. It is to be regretted that the like grave and dignified deportment is not usually 

 observed by the auditors, and that the Chamber does not promptly enforce respect, by the pun- 

 ishment of deliberate contempt, too frequently shown by partisans. When the audience is 

 pleased with the opinions of speakers, or takes an opposite view of public policy from them, 

 cries of "viva," "abajo," "muera," (hurrah for down with death to), coupled with the 

 name of the speaker or measure, are sometimes heard ; nor is applause or loud whistling very 

 rare. Such conduct in a little room the portion of which allotted to visitors is incapable of 

 containing one hundred persons, is no less annoying to the deputies than disgraceful to the 

 persons guilty of it. 



For the first time in the annals of government, at the session commencing June, 1850, there 

 was not only a decided opposition, but the two parties were accurately divided, and it was a 

 matter of interest to know how the Chamber would organize. It must not be inferred that 

 members originally opposed to government had been elected: indeed, from what has been said, 

 it will have been seen that such could not have been the fact ; nor had more than one solitary 

 case ever occurred ; and this was so remarkable a result, that it gave rise to many congratulatory 

 editorials in the liberal or democratic paper then published at Valparaiso. The dissension and 

 division of the Chamber originated in the removal of a portion of the ministers only a month 

 or two before Congress met, the friends of the ejected cabinet officers taking ground against the 

 President. Unlike the struggle for supremacy which had taken place in nearly the same par- 

 allel of north latitude only six months before, in order that the duties of legislation might 

 proceed, a compromise was at once made, and the officers chosen. But rumors soon became cur- 



