EVENTS SUCCEEDING THE ELECTION'. 3U 



and Iiitrndciitr at tin- winu- time a sagacious and bold move to Bocare a valuable advocate, 



long a personal friend ami partisan of < 'ruz. 



On tin- morning of th<- l:itli ;in rxiin-.su carae from an estate witliin thirty leagues of Co- 

 <|iiiniho, thr rider ha M so closely watched ut many places that he only got through by 



subterfuge. He brought alarming news to government from a relative of the President. It 

 was to the rll'rct that the troops sent to preserve order in Co|iiimho in July had revolted: thev 

 had ->hot the < oinniandant of the civic force and one other officer who hod resisted ; imprisoned 

 the luti -ndrntr ; seized the custom-house, with its treasure ; banished a part of the ministerial 

 party ; levied heavy contributions on others ; and, finally, had created a provisional govern- 

 ment. This had taken place on the day after the outbreak was to have been installed at Val- 

 paraiso. Many of the villages through which the rider passed were already in the possession of 

 the disaffected; and, indeed, the whole northern part of the province might be regarded as in a 

 revolutionary state. A few hours later in the day, by sanction of the Council of State, San- 

 tiago and the neighboring provinces were declared under martial law, and orders were issued 

 for the Chacabuco battalion to take up its line of march next morning for Coquirabo. 



To circulate such intelligence on the very day that a grand public ball was to be given would 

 not only have subjected their own party to mortification, but anxiety for the fate of relatives 

 and friends whose homes were near the seat of conflict would have deterred many from attending ; 

 and therefore few were informed of it beyond the palace. However, incidents were accumula- 

 ting, and before the festivities were closed another was added to the national sources of regret. 

 Instead of marching loyally to Valparaiso, about midnight the Chacabuco regiment revol 

 imprisoned the colonel ; placed at their head an officer who had risen from the ranks ; and 

 started for Aconcagua, with their whole equipment and the contents of the military chest. 

 Both facts had to be told, and the ball hastily broke up none knowing how soon the sounds 

 of strife might be near their own domicils. 



Prompt measures were indispensable. A confidential officer was forthwith despatched to the 

 Intendente of Aconcagua, directing him to collect all trustworthy troops and march towards 

 the capital. By avoiding the route the Chacabucos had taken, and riding with all speed, it 

 was hoped he would be able to cross the hills for which the revolted regiment was named, and 

 return with an opposing force by the time that it arrived there on the way north. Preparations 

 were made to send other troops in pursuit ; Congress was convoked, and requested to confer 

 Npevial powers on the President ; and at earliest dawn a bando was published, declaring all the 

 northern provinces except Atacama under martial law. By this time, too, portions of the artil- 

 lery and lancers had gone, and the protective police remaining in the city were not only greatly 

 increased in numbers, but each individual of them was furnished with an escopette in addition 

 to his sabre. Later in the morning a part of El Buin, a new regiment, was also sent after 

 their mutinous colleagues. This regiment was formed when the Valdivias were disbanded after 

 the fight on the 20th of April ; and as there was in fact little more than a change of name, many 

 feared the Buins would array themselves under the banners of the Chacabucos as soon as they 

 met. In such case, a military President was inevitable. It was believed that the regular 

 troops almost to a man were opposed to Mr. Montt, and indeed to every civilian ; and the fact 

 that of five battalions the whole number of civic troops who obeyed the summons to the quartels 

 was less than 200, whilst arguing little for the popularity of the government cause, was not 

 much less indicative of the feeble opposition a mob would meet. No wonder, then, housekeepers 

 were found preparing fire-arms ; and the palace doors were besieged all day by a crowd anxious 

 to obtain the earliest intelligence brought by the expresses. One who had been sent to the insur- 

 gent leader, with an offer of pardon if he would surrender, arrived while I was making a cus- 

 tomary visit to the family of the President ; and so great was the excitement that the crowd 

 thronged even to their private apartments. The answer brought was, in effect, he would take 

 his chance " seguir la suerte" rather than give up. 



Before night Congress had conferred the extraordinary powers asked by the President. 



