324 EVENTS SUCCEEDING THE ELECTION. 



nised ; and as he was not actuated either by passion or revenge, if General Bulnes would agree 

 to refer national interests (the Presidency) back to the people, he was ready to unite his force 

 for the preservation of public order. He then goes on to say: "Among the forces under my 

 command there is a division of Araucanos, whom it may not be possible to control in the defeat 

 that you may suffer. My first duty is to secure the triumph of the cause I defend. This done, 

 as our enemies have striven only to arouse the Indians against the provinces emancipated from 

 the government you obey, it would be but just to meet you on the same terms. You are 

 authorized to send an aid to examine the number of our troops. This examination will be 

 sufficient to convince you that victory must be on our side. Kelying, as we do, on justice and 

 the recovery of public liberty, their moral strength is superior beyond your thought ; and it 

 is in this that I have most confidence and security. Whatever be my fate, this proposition will 

 ever be a gratifying recollection to me.- A tear shed for our republic is inestimable: a field 

 of battle but a bloody memento of anger and passion, the result of obstinacy and the contempt 

 in which public opinion has been held." 



General Bulnes tells him, in reply, that he has not been invested with power to revoke the 

 political act recently effected by the republic, and consecrated according to the forms prescribed 

 by the Constitution, of which himself (Cruz) had long been a zealous defender, and by authority 

 of the National Congress, whose edicts had been respected alike by each. A soldier of the 

 government organised by this competent authority, he could enter into no stipulations which 

 would place in doubt the existence of the administration and throw back on the people a new 

 election the Constitution requiring of the military chieftains obedience only. Recognising the 

 humanity and patriotism that dictated anxiety to spare the blood of their fellow-country- 

 men, he reminds him it was not the government that invoked arms for the settlement of a 

 political question which the ballot-box alone should have decided, but that he had received its 

 orders to quell a revolt instigated by a part of the military forces garrisoned in the province of 

 Concepcion. Eespecting the employment of Araucanians, he repels the charge made against 

 the government of having attempted to engage these forbidden troops in its support, and asserts 

 that no single instance of such a discreditable measure can be cited, whilst he can show that its 

 influence has been exercised to control and moderate the savages when operated on by other 

 agents ; and he laments that at the moment he was about replying to a peaceful overture, 

 this perfidious portion of his opponent's force had made an attack on him, no doubt contrary to 

 orders, but which forced him into a defence, and did not permit the present answer at an earlier 

 hour. This letter also bore date November 19. 



Unfortunately, on the person of Zuniga, whose death has been mentioned, there were found 

 letters from officers on the staff of General Bulnes, and one from himself conclusive tokens 

 that he had left nothing undone to obtain the assistance of these very forbidden troops. In a 

 report to the Intendente of Concepcion, General Cruz claims the action thus brought on as re- 

 sulting favorably to himself; and, arguing partially from the facts, that General Bulnes retired 

 to Chilian early next morning, that the military secretary was despatched on a secret mission 

 to Santiago on the same day, and that new troops and ammunition were sent to the south im- 

 mediately, he appears to have had a right to do so. One of the objects of the secretary, it 

 leaked out, was to hasten a supply of ammunition, nearly the whole of that in the possession 

 of the government troops having been damaged in crossing the Nuble a secret too important 

 to be committed to writing, infested as were the roads by montoneros. These last were small 

 parties of young men, in many cases of good families, whose object was to intercept arms, 

 ammunition, and correspondence. They had predetermined points of re-union, in case of sep- 

 aration, and held themselves in readiness to disperse if attacked by a superior force, and to join 

 the ranks of Cruz whenever they could approach his vicinity. Personal robbery or injury 

 seemed to form no part of their plans. It is probable that they suspected something of the de- 

 ficiency in their enemy's camp; for an express-rider was robbed of his mail two days afterwards 

 on the very skirts of the city, and within cannon-shot of the palace. 



