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 ERA OF CONSTITUTION MAKING 251 vastly superior numbers and resources, and promised peace. Congress, however, knowing these Indians of old, took the precaution to vote ^25,000 to fortify forts among the stubborn savages. A year had barely passed before the Indians were again on the warpath, and con- gress voted ^5,000,000 and two thousand men to put an end to the guerrilla warfare. In October, 1870, the Indians were defeated and clamored for peace. A line of forts was built on the Malleco river to protect the new cities of the south, which now began to grow into importance. Congress, during the year 1868, was occupied princi- pally with the question of electoral reform, and in an attempt to impeach the supreme court, of which ex- President Montt was the president. The charges were for high crimes and misdemeanors in the administra- tion of justice. San Fuentes presented the matter by motion to the chamber of deputies in August, and it was decided by a vote of forty-two to sixteen to begin impeachment proceedings. The trial created the great- est excitement, the moderate liberals, in the main, sym- pathizing with the court. It was not until the follow- ing year that the long pending question was settled and the court exonerated, the accusations being de- clared unfounded. Among the reformatory measures passed by this congress was the amendment of the constitution pro- hibiting a president from being reelected ; the law of civil responsibility for political treasons was repealed ; imprisonment for debt was abolished. In the matter of electoral reforms the liberals con- tended earnestly for an extension of the franchise to all voters who could read and write. In his message at the opening of the congress in June, President Perez expressed his approval of the measures which had been