306 THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN 1851. 



ment of the government was ready to support them, must have insured the election against a 

 much more powerful party. 



"As near as could be learned, their organization was as follows : Head-quarters were established 

 in the house of one of the leading men near the centre of the city, and there a bank was formed 

 by subscription of all the wealthy men belonging to the ministerial party. Branch banks, 

 drawing supplies from the central coffer, were instituted near each poll ; about which last, three 

 distinct classes of men were employed. The most numerous were the apretadores (pressers), 

 whose business it was to jostle or intimidate from the polls as many opposition voters as possible, 

 and facilitate the entrance or exit of their friends. A few intelligent men were stationed inside 

 of the apretadores, to answer objections, challenge votes, and exchange checks with those whose 

 votes had been purchased by their friends a precaution necessary to prevent fraud by the ven- 

 dor. Outside and circulating among the crowd was the third portion the purchasers. These, 

 on concluding a bargain, gave the vendor a check, with which and his vote he repaired to the 

 polls, deposited his ballot, and received the counter-check from one of the ' intelligent ' gen- 

 tlemen standing near. This counter-check was an order on the local branch bank for the 

 market value of the vote, regulated by the central institution, through intercourse constantly 

 kept up by men on horseback, whom they called vapores (steamboats). Thus, when a steamer 

 arrived from San Lazaro with intelligence that the opposition was very strong, and a majority 

 of the voters were of that party, reinforcements of men and money were despatched there, the 

 former having orders to hustle their opponents away from the ballot-box, and raise the price 

 for votes one, two, or four dollars, as might be necessary. When another came from La Oate- 

 dral with news that their friends carried everything before them, the apretadores were with- 

 drawn, and a diminution ordered of the sum to be paid for votes. Although there was no actual 

 great necessity for economizing, yet, under this system, no more money was expended than was 

 essential to secure their objects, and uniformity of action was preserved in all the parishes. 

 Their bank seemed inexhaustible. 



"The opposition party abstained generally from voting at all ; and from the fact that they made 

 no efforts to carry the election after the first day, it was supposed that their bank had run out. 

 That they were less willing to exercise corruption, must not be understood ; they wanted but 

 the leader and previous organization, and there were men among them who would have stopped 

 at nothing. These perhaps relied on the chances of effecting their purposes by revolution, ex- 

 cusing themselves for such violent remedy on the ground that they were not allowed to vote ; a 

 charge which, if not strictly true, was not wholly without foundation, for it was certain that 

 they had not equal chances with the ministerialists to approach the ballot-boxes. 



" Some members of the latter party appear to have been especial favorites. A very intelligent 

 gentleman of their number, in relating some of the occurrences of the election of which he had 

 personal knowledge, mentioned one man in La Catedral who had voted seven times. He voted 

 right, of course, and no objection was made ; but when any Cruzista attempted the like, as they 

 did once or twice, and was detected, he was immediately imprisoned. The poll was held in this 

 parish at the entrance to the prison, and was presided over by gentlemen all of whom belonged 

 to the ministerial party. For the preservation of order, as some said, in this central plaza (the 

 usual locale of Spanish- American revolts) to force the election, as others thought two lines of 

 soldiers guarded the immediate entrance to the ballot-box. On the arrival of a voter at the 

 extremity of the lines, his certificate of qualification was held up to attract attention, and his 

 intention to vote being announced, the president would direct the troops to open a line for him ; 

 but it was generally thought that this gentleman became both short-sighted and deaf whenever 

 the applicant belonged to the liberal party. 



"On one occasion the rotos (loafers) in the plaza got up quite an enthusiasm, vigorously hurrah- 

 ing for Cruz. Imagining that they contemplated an attack on the ballot-box, the presiding 

 judge ordered the troops to fire on them. Fortunately for humanity and the peace of the city, 

 the soldiers understood their duties better, and the command was not obeyed. Other than this, 



