POLITICAL HISTORY OF CHILI. 219 
in session, and Don Augustin Azyguine Vice-President. Blanco 
was one of the vainest of men. Fortunately for the country, he was 
so much mortified at the opposition shown to some of his fancies, 
that he resigned, two months and three days after his appointment. 
The Vice-President succeeded him. Such dissensions, however, 
prevailed, that he also became disgusted and resigned. Pinto was 
charged with the presidency, which he exercised from the 5th of 
May, 1827, till 14th July, 1829, when, on the plea of ill health, he 
resigned and went to his estate. 
In conformity with a law of 1826, the President of the Senate acted 
as president until the middle of October, when the elections took 
place, and General Pinto was returned to the office. During his 
acting presidency two military revolts had occurred, and the country 
was full of factions. As the elections to Congress were considered to 
have been illegally conducted, the general opposition to its measures 
was ascribed to that cause. Pinto, therefore, on being elected, in- 
formed them, that he would only accept on condition that the Congress 
should be dissolved, and that new elections, according to the consti- 
tution, should take place. They did not concur in this, when he 
declined occupying the office, and it went begging again. Vicunea, 
President of the Senate, entered upon the duties of President ; the 
clamours throughout the country increased; the whole population 
was in movement, a party behind pushing it on. Town meetings 
were held and representatives sent to Santiago. 
The government refused to receive their committee, and on this 
being told to the meeting, a junta gobemativa was appointed, and the 
country was pronounced to be against the Congress, as an unconsti- 
tutional body Collecting a great number of all classes, they again 
went to the President's house, and found he had set out in the night, 
with all his ministers, for Valparaiso. The greatest confusion pre- 
vailed in the capital ; orders were received at the public offices from 
the Junta and from the acting President, both claiming to be repre- 
sentatives of the people. In the mean time the southern army, under 
General Prieto, approached the city. It had declared for the Junta. 
The troops in the city, under General Lastra, considered themselves 
subject to the order of the President for the time. The armies met 
on the field of Ochagavia, and the first blood in civil war was shed. 
Both parties claimed the victory after a sharp contest, A convention 
was, however, entered into, and Freyre was again called forward to 
aid in restoring tranquillity to the country. Nothing satisfactory 
