SANTIAGO. 



237 



so that he has caused that imposition to cease : besides, his purchas- 

 ing, building, and planting to the extent he is doing, gives people 

 confidence in the stability of the government ; and that confidence 

 of itself will contribute to the stability it looks to. This is rather 

 a remarkable day in Chile: Rodriguez the bishop, who has lono- 

 been an exile on account of his political principles, and his inter- 

 ference in state matters, has at length been recalled. A few days 

 since he came privately to his lodge at Nnunoa ; and to-day he made 

 his first public appearance in the cathedral. Before that ceremony 

 he waited on the Director, who congratulated him on his return to 

 his diocese, telling him he trusted that he would henceforth remem- 

 ber that the advancement of the age and of public opinion demanded 

 a more liberal feeling and action in ecclesiastical matters, than was 

 the case formerly ; that he trusted to His Lordship's good sense to 

 shape his conduct accordingly : but that while he was Director of 

 Chile, neither pope nor priest should possess temporal power, or a 

 right of exemption from the civil and criminal jurisdiction of the 

 country. The bishop then proceeded to take fresh possession of the 

 see, with what appetite he might ; and performed a solemn Mass 

 himself in the cathedral on the occasion. His restoration has mven 

 satisfaction to many of the devout, who have languished for their 

 spiritual pastor ; to numerous private connections, by whom the 

 bishop is beloved ; and more than all, to the families of persons exiled 

 for political crimes, because seeing the greatest of these recalled, they 

 may entertain hopes of the restoration of others. * 



Fortunately for us there were no strangers but ourselves ; and the 



* A few days before I came to Santiago, the festival of St. Bernardo, the Director's 

 patron, was celebrated. It had been the old Spanish custom for the captains-general of 

 the province to grant some boon on their .birth-days or saints'-days ; and this year the 

 Director was entreated to mark his feast by the recall of the exiles. He answered, " No :" 

 I am but a private citizen, and have no business to distinguish my day ; but if you apply 

 to the Convention to mark the 18th of September, the anniversary of your independence, 

 by such an act of grace, I will support the request with all the power and all the influence 

 I possess." 



