Page:A history of Chile.djvu/250

 230 A HISTORY OF CHILE afterward paid promptly for several years. At this time the internal debt was about four millions of dollars. General Bulnes' administration was firm during his first term, and gave stability to Chilean institutions. It is barren of military incidents for the reason that the country enjoyed peace, and now began, after the first formative dissensions during the time the young republic was learning self-government, to become pros- perous under a constitution and more stable laws. People began to turn their thoughts to other matters than war. In 1846, General Bulnes was elected president for a second term and again sought to carry out his plan of conciliation. His minister. Vial, gave some assurances to the liberals, who had been outspoken in their oppo- sition. These reform tendencies alarmed the pelucones. Josd Joaquin Perez, Antonio Garcia Reyes and Man- uel Antonio Tocornal, were taken into the cabinet. They were moderate conservatives. But they were soon obliged to give up their places to conservatives more conservative. The liberals had a majority in the congress of 1849, and an agitated session was the result. The government influence, however, and the want of discipline and harmony in the ranks of the opposition soon caused the liberal majority to disappear. But the conservatives were well aware of their own waning in- fluence with the people, and to hold power again re- sorted to violent repressions and prepared to elect as Bulnes' successor a president who would make no com- promises. That man was Manuel Montt, and he was ably seconded in his presidential candidacy by Don Antonio Varas of the ministry. To oppose the combi- nation favoring the interests of Montt, the liberals formed a society in Santiago called La Igualdad (The Equality), the leading spirit of which was Don Fran-