CHAP. IX. PRESIDENTS OF THE REPUBLIC. 175 



on foot to remove him, and the conspirators would have endeav- 

 oured to accomplish this at an earlier date if they had seen 

 their way past his three thousand breechloaders. 



The Clericals lost no opportunity of perambulating the streets 

 with religious processions, and these were treated with respect. 

 The President made counter-demonstrations with his troops^ by 

 parading them every day. I noticed that individual Priests 

 walking about were treated with scant courtesy, and possibly on 

 this account they appeared little in public. By his opponents. 

 General Veintemilla was frequently termed the head of the 

 irreligious party, from his want of harmony with the Church.^ 

 Under his rule, newly-arrived ecclesiastics were refused admittance 

 to Ecuador,'* and the Jesuits, though not expelled, went more or 

 less into hiding. He was ultimately ejected in July, 1883, after 

 gix or eight months of ^volution, and Caamailo was elected 

 President. His term of office expired in 1888, and now Seiior 

 Antonio Flores rules the Republic." 



' The Church property, though somewhat despoiled, is still very extensive. 

 The Cathedral, the Jesuits' Church, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception 

 are the most important religious edifices. The latter was partly destroyed by fire 

 while I was at Quito, on the night of March 25, 1880 (the night preceding Good 

 Friday). At a time when the building was crowded, a candle on the High Altar 

 tumbled over and set the surrounding decorations in a blaze. There was a panic 

 amongst the congregation and several lives were lost. 



' This was the fate of some who arrived at Guayaquil on the same steamer as my- 

 self. They were sent on board again, having been previously informed that there were 

 too many of their profession already in the country and recommended to go to Lima. 

 They could not have looked more unhappy if they had been told to go to Jericho. 



^ A President is practically Dictator. See the Report to Mr. Blaine by Mr. 

 Church from which I have already quoted. He states that the Congress is com- 

 posed of a Senate and House of Deputies, and that it assembles (usuall}' for sixty 

 days) every second year. The executive power is confided to the President, who is 

 assisted by a Council of State. "The large majority of the Council are named by 

 the President, and are his willing servants." According to Article 80 of the 

 Constitution, the Council " may confer extraordinary powers " upon the President, 

 and authorize him ' ' to increase the army, dispose of the public funds, collect taxes 

 in advance, impose forced loans, change the capital of the country, expatriate or 

 imprison citizens, etc." 



