Chap. VII.—B. S.] GENERAL MARTINEZ. 
103 
is proved by the fact that in 1856 he was made Pro¬ 
visional President, while in the following year peace 
having been restored, mainly through his instrumen¬ 
tality, he was unanimously elected President. During 
the years 1857—62 he filled the chair as Chief Magis¬ 
trate of Nicaragua with ability and satisfaction, not 
only to his own countrymen, but to those foreigners 
who were brought to Nicaragua either by business or 
pleasure. At the expiration of his term of office he 
was re-elected President, and occupied that position 
until February, 1867, when Don Fernando Gusman 
assumed office. It was not, and never will be, the 
fate of any man, however able, to take a prominent 
part in the government of his country without experi¬ 
encing trials and troubles. In 1863, Salvador, in alli¬ 
ance with Honduras, declared war against Nicaragua. 
In April of that year the allies invaded the Republic 
and marched straight on Leon; in the meantime the 
standard of revolt was raised in the southern part of 
Nicaragua, and thus the President found himself sur¬ 
rounded by foes on all sides. But the man who mainly 
contributed to the downfall of Walker was equal to 
the occasion. The battle of Leon finished the campaign 
in favour of the Government,—a battle in which the 
General displayed great gallantry. During his pro¬ 
tracted career of power, General Martinez never, in a 
single instance, was guilty of sacrificing the life of a 
fellow-creature in cold blood. Besides the humanity 
which so thoroughly characterizes him, he understood 
in how great a degree a nation’s happiness and great¬ 
ness depends on commercial prosperity, and never lost 
