No. 229.
Mr. Gibbs
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Lima,
Peru, August 12, 1876. (Received August
31.)
No. 82.]Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the
President, General Don Mariana lgnacio Prado, was inaugurated on the 2d of
August, the change of administration being carried out peacefully, with all
the dignity due to such an act. On that day Congress met in joint session,
D. Manuel Pardo, the outgoing President, reading a short address, of which I
inclose copy and translation; when finished, the President took off the
bi-colored sash, the insignia of his office, handing it to the president of
the senate. The president of the session read an answer to Mr. Pardo’s
address, of which I inclose copy and translation.
Immediately General Prado, the elected President, entered the chamber
accompanied by a joint committee of senators and deputies, advancing to a
table on which were placed a copy of the Holy Evangelists, a crucifix, and
two lighted candies. The general knelt on a cushion placed before the table,
placing his hand on the scriptures, reading the prescribed oath, swearing to
maintain the constitution and the religion of the State. Arising from his
kneeling position he subscribed to the oath. The president of the session
handed him the sash, which he placed on his shoulders, and he was thus duly
installed as constitutional President of the republic for four years to
August 2, 1880.
The president of the session read an address directed to General Prado, of
which I remit copy and translation. When concluded, the President and
Ex-President walked together from the chamber of deputies to the
government-house, nearly half a mile distant. On their way it was a
continuous ovation by cheers for both from the multitude who lined the
streets, while flowers were thrown from the balconies as they passed.
The diplomatic corps occupied a gallery set apart for their use during the
foregoing ceremonies, and at the conclusion went in a body to the
government-house, and through the dean, Mr. Godoy, minister plenipotentiary
from Chili, congratulated the President on his exaltation to his position.
His Excellency in a few expressive and well-chosen words gave his thanks,
saying, also, that he heartily desired a continuance of the good feelings
that so happily existed between Peru and the nations represented. They then
proceeded to the house of the Ex-President and awaited there his arrival,
and individually spoke a few words of congratulation for the success of his
past administration, so peacefully carried out.
I feel pleased to be able to inform you of this very peaceful transmismission
of power from one administration to another, as a dread has been freely
expressed of some revolutionary movement in the republic, principally in the
south, but up to the present, as far as I can learn, the change has been
received peacefully and apparently by acclamation of good will in all
parts.
I will add a few lines, giving a sketch of the President’s political career.
When the Vivanco Pareja treaty was signed, in January, 1865, Colonel Prado
was prefect of Arequipo, and organized a revolution against General Pezet.
This movement terminated successfully with Prado’s entry into Lima,
November, 1865. He was immediately proclaimed dictator, and his first step
was to form an alliance with Chili, Bolivia, and Ecuador, and declare war
against Spain. He at that time
[Page 427]
formed one of the best cabinets ever organized in Peru—Galvez, Pacheco,
Pardo, Quinpee. Under his direction the fortifications of Oallao were put in
order, and, the 2d of May, 1866, the Spanish fleet were driven off. He was
afterward proclaimed President by the constitutional Congress. In August,
1867, Arequipo rebelled against him. Leaving the supreme power in the hands
of General La Puerta, he took the field against the insurgents, was
defeated, and, in December, left and came to Lima, took refuge in this
legation, and was secretly conveyed on board the United States steamship
Nyack. By that vessel he reached Chili, in great poverty, subscriptions by
his friends in this capital being necessary for his support.
The Chilian Congress conferred upon him the rank and pay of general, in view
of his services against Spain; later on, in 1870, Peru also gave him the
same grade.
Since 1868, greater part of his time has been passed quietly in Chili,
farming and banking, the latter pursuit proving disastrous.
In 1874 he returned to Peru to take his seat in Congress as senator from
Callao; from there he retired to Chili, and was nominated by the
administration party as candidate for President, being elected 17th of
October last.
There were three candidates for the first vice-presidency, Elguera, Rivas
Aguero, and General Le Puerto. Neither of the candidates having a majority
of the electoral college, the election was thrown into the National
Congress, and on the 8th General Luis La Puerta was declared elected, and on
the 10th was duly inaugurated by the same ceremony as the President.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
82.—Translation.][From the
South Pacific Times, August 5, 1876.]
Honorable Representatives: I have now to
perform my last duty as President by delivering to you the supreme
authority of the nation; and in doing so I have yet another to perform,
and to thank the nation for the assistance it has given me in the
performance of a difficult task; to thank you for the honorable proof
you have given me of your confidence in me, and all classes for their
decided and friendly co-operation. I trust that these common efforts may
prove as beneficial to the republic as the motives have been patriotic
which have sustained us, and that when posterity gives its decision on
our conduct, it will concede that we have fulfilled our duty to our
mother country.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
82.—Translation.][From the
South Pacific Times, August 5, 1876.]
The speaker of Congress answered Ex-President Pardo as follows:
Honorable Citizen: In publicly returning the
insignia of the high office with which you were honored four years ago
you have loyally fulfilled your duty. The decided and self-sacrificing
support you have received from the country; the confidence reposed in
you by Congress; the hearty manner in which the populace has supported
you in the arduous work you have so patriotically undertaken and
performed, have all arisen from the common interest which exists between
the governed and the governors in the orderly and peaceable life of the
republic. The judgment of posterity upon contemporaneous events will
form one of the brightest pages in our history, since, in rendering
justice to truth, it will have at least to say that your government has
been a loyal and submissive one, which has accepted the responsibility
of its actions, and has submitted itself to the double tribunal of the
state authorities and public opinion. You may well, sir, await the
judgment of the future in the full confidence that you have done your
duty to your country.
[Page 428]
[Inclosure 3 in No.
82.—Translation.][From La
Patria, Lima, August 2, 1876.]
Citizen President: Under a solemn promise given
with sincerity on the faith of the Holy Evangelists before the
representatives of the nation, you have assumed the serious
responsibility to comply faithfully with the high duties that patriotism
and the law imposes on the magistracy which the free and voluntary vote
of the country have honored you with.
Happily for Peru the time has passed with many other things, vain
desires, want of knowledge, that supplanting of the popular will; at
times by astuteness, others by the subversion of the army carried out
with success imposing on the republic a tutelage more or less somber,
more or less durable those usurpations.
The moral and intellectual progress of the country, the evident
improvement of its tone and social state, and, in consequence of those
dearly-acquired qualities, the predominance of sensible opinions in the
aspiration and advance of parties, in the originating and solving of
political acts, have obstructed the fountains of those abuses and
restored to public power the true titles of legitimacy.
Although popular spirit was over-excited in 1868 by a severe recent
intestine strife, they founded under the shadow of the law a government
of peace, and the desire of the majority in 1872 realized another
succession equally constitutional; this same sovereign will ratifies
to-day a firm decision to maintain in all its integrity obedience to the
law, having established and consecrated by an election, free as
peaceful, the new administration inaugurated on this solemn day.
Notwithstanding all the convulsions which have commoved the entire
country in those eight years past, placing the stability of the
government more than once in danger, public opinion has been powerful
enough, under all circumstances, to confine the fearful ills of anarchy,
and we congratulate ourselves with the assurance that your
administration will not be less zealous in defending the conquests of
peace, and will be equally fortunate in meriting the confidence and
assistance of the nation.
The voluntary free indication with which the people have again named you
to control their destinies is doubly honorable to you, citizen
President. It signifies that the country have not forgotten, on the
contrary, desires to correspond to, the eminent services due to you in
the liberal reform, of patriotic institutions, honest policy, and
administrative probity, strengthening your past government by the true
democratic spirit which will animate you, and by the high examples of
integrity and abnegation; it also signifies that the Peruvian nation,
loving its glories, does not wish to see tarnished with the ingratitude
of factions the brilliancy of the laurels that crown the brow of the
fortunate victor of the second of May.
Exceptionally critical are the circumstances and the epoch, citizen
President, in which you assume the administration of our country.
Re-established the regenerating movement which political reaction would
strangle in the narrowness of its views, the nation has a second time
entered with an invincible resolution, and full of confidence of its
national destiny in the path of prudent reforms, useful advances of
positive improvements, and the sound solutions of liberty. If the
previous administration has had the honor and satisfaction of having
fixed the basis of our reorganization, and communicated the first
impulse to the propagation of all the strength created, of all the vital
elements, of all the legitimate and useful inspiration to be seen by an
inquiring mind, you, sir, are called to a mission as grand and noble,
but more laborious and patient; that is, to utilize and make effective
for the republic the new institutions which have been given, using them
with intelligence and perseverance, assisting with judgment their
consolidation and perfection.
Laboring in this manner, under the inspiration of the patriotic faith
that animates you, doing justice to the spirit of your government, and
making the law and public wishes the principle of your administration,
you will realize, sir, the national prosperity which is the desire of
all hearts, and will add another mark of honor to your glorious
antecedents.
