EX-PRESIDENT BALMACEDA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 8, 11 December 1891, Page 29

EX-PRESIDENT BALMACEDA.

Josb Manual Balmaoxda oame of an ancient family, rich, wellknown, and of high standing in Ohili. It wai the intention of his parents that he should become • priest, atad to that end he was carefally educated at the Seminario Ooooilias of Santiago. Bat the young man had other idea* for himself. His youth is described as turbulent and full of action, and as soon aa his academic studies were/completed he plunged into politics. By the time he was twenty-eight yean old, Balmaceda was known throughout Obili aa a coming man. He was elected a deputy to the Chilian Congress, and took a prominent part in all the debates. He was the best debater in Congress and a natural loader of men. He served five terms as deputy with credit to himself and his city. In Congress Balmaoeda was the champion and idol of the Liberal party of Chili. The Liberals had oommanded the majority of the voters for many years. At the time Balmaceda came into leadership they had more deputies in Congress than the other two parties combined. When President Santa Maria took up Balmaceda in 1885 and made him the national minister of foreign affaire, he greatly strengthened his administration and gratified the nation. Balmaceda was very popular. The next year the popular minister became his party's candidate for President and was elected by an overwhelming majority. For the first three years the leaders who had applauded Balmaceda'B candidacy, and helped him to his success were in complete harmony with his ideas and methods. In these three yesrs the progress of Chili was greater than in any like time in her history She developed in material and social welfare. The Chilians almost worshipped him then. To their mind he was the greatest President they had ever had. Opposition to him in the other parties died out. He was the moat distinguished man in South America . His character was without reproach. His patriotism and devotion to the public interests were celebrated on every hand. All this worship was completely changed in one year. From the most popular man in Chili, Balmaceda became in twelve months, among a very large number of his fellow-citizens, the mo9t cordially hated. Tha sole instrument in this change was Balmaceda himself. In Chili Presidents are ineligible for re-election. As the last year of Balmaceda's term began he laid plans for perpetuating his power through a nominal successor, one Sanfuertes. Dissensions followed and the ministry resigned. Another ministry was forme i, and Balmaceda deliberately insulted the country by making the unpopular Sanfuertes the chief. Next he began to systematically remove all the department chiefs through the country and put in their places his own creatures, who were subservient to hit designs. In a few months he had carried this to such an extent that not only the Cabinet, but tha governing influences in all the provinces, the militia commanders, the police and to some extent the chiefs of the Army and Navy were his own men. Ai soon as this was done, Balmaceda announced Sanfuertes as the next candidate for the Presidency. Tbere was another change of Cabinet. The President appointed a new one, compose i of the old objectionable material. Congress summoned the new ministers before it. They refused to go. When Congress appealed to the President he ordered the house of Congress to be closed and civil war was practically begun. The National Guard had been collected in the arseaals. The commanders were under his influence. The military posts were in his hands. All private arms had been ordered to be delivered to the authorities. Toe people were without weapons and the soldiers were marching towards the capital. After months of fighting, the superior numbers of the Congressional party overcame the stratagems of the President. Valparaiso surrendered, Balmaceda's power was broken, and the Preeid nt himself a fugitive, until at last he brought his stormy career to an end by suicide. He shot himself through the temple in his room at the Argentine •Legation, in Santiago, at 8.30 a.m., on September 19th. ' The event in Valparaiso created the greatest excitement. Every part of the city was brilliantly illuminated. And on every hand were heard the sounds of rejoicing. It seems Balmaceda left Santiago Aug. 29 last, in the hope of making his escape from Chili, but seeing that every avenue of retreat was cut off he returned there Sept. 2, and went direct to the Argentine Legation. No one, with the exception of the Minister of the Argentine Republic and one other man who was devoted to the ex- President's cause, was permitted to talk to or even see him. All the different schemes of flight were considered by the haunted ex- President. Senor Urriburia went to the theatre last night. When he returned to the Legation he had a long and earnest talk with Balmaceda

relative to the letter's ideas, previously broached, about the advisability of giving himself np to the Junta. Balmaceda and Senor TTrribnria went to bed at midnight. Benora Urriburia, about 8 a.m. to-day, heard a piitol shot in the bedroom that hid been assigned to Balmaoada, She notified her husband . Upon breaking in the door of B&Xmtceda's room it mi found that he had shot himself. The body was still warm. There was a wound in the temple. The body was nndrened and lay on the bed. Gradually the newt spread all over Santiago, The excitement created is indescribable. Great crowds of terribly excited people gathered all around the Argentine Legation. They ch«ered and they hooted and went into ajrenzy over the death of their chief enemy. Above all the discordant shouts were heard cries congratulating the unfortunate Balmacsda that in taking his own life he had escaped a wone fata