Page:A history of Chile.djvu/218

 iq8 a history of chile
 * by a committee from the disaffected party, headed by

General Guzman, and asked to resign his authority into its hands. This he refused to do, but signified his willingness to resign to any proper and competent authority. He was then asked to yield his authority to a junta composed of Don Agustin Eyzaguirre, Don Fernando Errazuriz and Don Jos6 Miguel Infante. This he did on condition that the new junta should without delay summon a new national congress, to which they should resign their temporary executive authority; and if after six months the difficulties which had separated the disaffected parties from the main government should not be removed, the functions of the junta should entirel)' cease and their power revert to the people. This treat}' was signed by O'Higgins and by Don Mariano Egana, who represented the peo- ple of Santiago. Three citizens were to determine the power of the junta, according to the usual South Amer- ican method of having one body watch and prescribe rules for another; thereupon the junta appointed Don Marian Egana as minister of state and marine, and Don Agustin Vial, minister of finance and war. The junta summoned a congress. It was at this time that both O'Higgins and San Martin prepared to quit the capital, the former going to Valparaiso to embark for Peru, the latter to ^lendoza. Lord Coch- rane had departed for England on the i6th of January, the government owing him some S6o,ooo on account of prize money, according to his claim. When General O'Higgins reached Valparaiso, Gen- eral Freire arrived there on board the "Independencia"' which came conveying two transports bearing 1,500 men. The force was landed and O'Higgins taken into custody, but he was soon released by the request of leading citizens and went on his way. Freire then