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 THE COLONIAL PERIOD 115 Cadiz commercial monopoly, which had long enjoyed almost exclusive trade with South America. In 1780 occurred a conspiracy. An increase in the amount of contributions levied and certain reforms of the religious orders, caused much discontent and pub- lic excitement. There were in the capital two French- men, who attempted to take advantage of the popular agitation to stir up a revolution, hoping to establish in Chile an independent republic. Their names were Antony Gramuset and Antony Berney. But Chile was not yet prepared for a revolution, or for republican principles, and the Frenchmen were apprehended and sent to Peru, where they languished in prison for a time before being sent to Spain. Berney perished in a shipwreck, Gramuset died in a Cadiz prison. The ideas they advanced found sympathizers and they had some adherents of note. Don Jos6 Antonio de Rojas was one of these. He was a wealthy and well educated Chilean of good family. He had introduced revolu- tionary books and revolutionary ideas into the country furtively, and was for that reason held by many to be a wizard. Governor Benavides suffered so much from constant bad health during his term in office, that it was thought almost miraculous that he could accomplish the amount of work he did before his death, which occurred on the 28th of April, 1787. During his administration, from 1781 to 1787, Chile was well governed. Following the death of Benavides, occurred a pro- visional government, or superintendencia by Don To- mis Alvarez de Acevedo, who received his papers from the viceroy of Peru and continued his administration one 5'ear from the 30th day of April, 1787. On the 26th of May, 1788, he delivered his office to Ambrosio