494 POLITICAL TROUBLES. 



the tumult "by discharging the prisoners under recognizances. But he refused them all; defied 

 the people with provoking and abusive words, offering them the heads of the prisoners ; and 

 as his fury rose momentarily, orders were given to the guard to fire on the crowd an impotent 

 command that none obeyed, and which only served to impel the populace on the cuartel. That 

 was taken without resistance. At this time a younger brother of Senor Caldera most gener- 

 ously interposed between the Intendente and the infuriated crowd, succeeding at the risk of his 

 life in securing liberty to one then seeking the head of his brother, and subsequently escorting 

 him to the mayoralty, whose door he resolutely guarded to prevent the people from penetrating 

 and putting him to death. 



The people armed themselves forthwith, and- named a military chief to lead them. On the 

 other hand, the principal citizens, alarmed at these unexpected results, met at the municipality, 

 and appointed a council for the preservation of public order. The military leader promptly sub- 

 mitted to the orders of that authority, as he might do without disobedience to the orders of the 

 supreme government, or any other authority the latter might send into the province. A record 

 of their proceedings was prepared and signed by the Cabildo and principal citizens. 



As soon as this was done the chief of the council informed the President of the republic of 

 the occurrences, and placed himself at his orders, notifying the minister at the same time that 

 as tranquillity was restored, and the Intendente (not the acting chief Mardones, heretofore men- 

 tioned) was known to be in the province, he had written to him to come and resume his authority. 

 Both communications were despatched at 1 A. M. that to the President by express, the other 

 by a well known gentleman of the province, who was accompanied by the public notary. A 

 few hours later two officers arrived, bringing word from the Intendente, pledging his honor 

 that, if the people would be orderly and peaceable, no one should be molested, nor should the 

 least charge be brought against any individual for participation in the events of the preceding 

 day. The excitement of the moment having passed over, the citizens were well satisfied with 

 the conditions, and caused them to be written out and signed by the officers and authority 

 selected by themselves. Perceiving how easily they were controlled, the Intendente endeavored 

 to mystify the affair, giving greater consequence than it merited to the successful termination 

 of a difficulty which may almost literally be said to have been stifled in its birth. Noticing 

 the delay, and suspecting a political plan to give importance to a momentary tumult resulting 

 rather from the action of the authorities than from the people, the citizens referred to their 

 council to learn the manner in which their anxiety would be appeased, and the latter sent two 

 of their number to the Intendente. Wilfully forgetful of the pledges and terms signed on the 

 same day by his commissioners, this gentleman sent a letter conceding pardon, couched in lan- 

 guage almost such as Roman emperors directed to plebeians ; without doubt mentally reserving 

 the patriots who had served in the cause of liberty to be used as warnings for the nation when 

 disposed to resent the encroachments of tyranny. 



Such being the case, it was not until after two hours' entreaty that the citizens induced the 

 troops to lay down their arms; but by I A. M. they issued quietly from the cuartel, and law and 

 order reigned again. 



This is what some persons designate a revolution, probably with the sinister hope of involving 

 in revolutionary processes at law our most pacific citizens and earnest friends of order. The 

 acting Intendente was the whole and sole cause of the difficulty; but the desire to declare mar- 

 tial law in the province of Santiago needed support in ideal crimes he claimed to have found in 

 Aconcagua. These are the sole acts for which our citizens have been imprisoned, more than 

 forty of whom, of the most respectable standing, have been incarcerated to satisfy the exigencies 

 of a wretched policy and the revenge of the acting Intendente, inspired by the antipathy they 

 had always shown for him. This is the reward of moderation to those who desired the pre- 

 servation of harmony and order at every risk, and to whom there have been given such 

 repeated causes for complaint. 



The preceding version, embodied in the "Comercio" of Valparaiso, was very generally ad- 



