Page:A history of Chile.djvu/164

 148 A HISTORY OF CHILE But the radicals soon began to conspire against them- selves as they had previously against the conservatives. Carrera met with opposition and now obtained tempor- ary support from the godos, whom he deceived into believing that he wished to restore the colonial regime. A new military commotion in the capital placed him again in full control and he immediately formed a new junta composed of himself, Gasper Marin and Doctor Rozas, as representative persons from Santiago, Co- quimbo and Concepcion. Rozas declined the position which Carrera had forc- ibly obtained for him, and remained in Concepcion. His followers in congress assumed a hostile attitude and conspired against Carrera. This caused the latter to forcibly dissolve congress, December 2nd, 181 1. Thereafter, Carrera ruled in Santiago and Rozas in Concepcion. Their rivalries increased and soon threatened to ter- minate in a civil war. They advanced against each other with troops and encamped on opposite banks of the river Maule. The Spanish party, taking advantage of these discords, fostered reactionary sentiments against the patriot cause. In Valdivia, the godos over- threw the junta. In view of the danger of a royalist reaction, Don Bernardo O'Higgins acted as mediator between the hostile patriot chiefs and succeeded in warding off civil strife. The rivals celebrated peace on the banks of the river Maule and each went to his own capital. But the country remained divided. Valdivia and Chilo6 acknowledged the government- of the viceroy of Peru ; Santiago was governed by Carrera and Concep- cion by Rozas, each at the head of a junta of patriots. In this situation Carrera soon schemed to overthrow his rival. When it came time to send pay to the