362 JOURNAL. 
“tiago might not likewise hope for? Their evils were the same, 
‘“ their wants the same, their circumstances the same, and the reme- 
“ dies the same: in no one province could there exist separate 
“ interests or separate views. Nevertheless the junta had not the 
“ folly to assume the supremacy without the consent of the other 
“ towns. It indeed desired that the republic should continue entire, 
“and informed the provinces, that it was about to call a congress ; 
“ and that in the meantime it was necessary, in order to avoid the 
‘ appearance of anarchy, that a central and supreme authority should 
“ exist ; that it was in the power of the provinces themselves to ap- 
“ point it provisionally to act till the meeting of the Congress ; but 
“ that as the election of the deputies to the Congress, as well as that 
“ of members for the provisional government, must be a work of 
“ time, it appeared better and more consonant to the despatch with 
‘“‘ which the nation desired to call together its representatives, to ac- 
“ knowledge the junta of government as a provisional government, 
“ until the installation of the said Congress; for whose convocation 
“the assemblies of Conception and Coquimbo were consulted, in 
“ order that the terms and time of election might be agreed on. The 
‘“‘ answers of the provinces were contradictory: none were willing to 
“ recognise the central authority of the junta of government, nor to 
“ agree to the convocation of a congress, without first establishing 
“a new provisional government. We then perceived that the dreaded 
“ evil was hanging over our heads — the immediate separation of the 
“ different provinces of the state. In order to form a general go- 
“‘ vernment, a centre of union to a republic, one and indivisible, the 
“ junta opened negociations with General Freire and his deputies ; 
of which the minister will give a particular account. These were 
“in great part listened to, but remained ineffectual to the end, on 
“ account of the full powers which the deputies from Conception de- 
clared they had demanded from that assembly. To this day, the 
“ provinces therefore are independent in fact ; and a deputation from 
“the assemblies of Conception and Coquimbo have but now arrived 
“in this capital, with ample powers to bring about the re-union of 
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