Page:A history of Chile.djvu/276

 252 A HISTORY OF CHILE proposed and recommended them to the consideration of the chambers. The measures were opposed by the clericals and conservatives and the discussions pro- longed into the following year, when the radical-liberal press made strenuous efforts to bring about the reforms ; but it was decided by a majority in congress that only those who possessed a certain amount of property, or practiced some profession, in addition to being able to read and write, should vote. Numerous meetings were held by the progressionists, who had formed many re- form clubs in Santiago and other cities, and a pro- gramme setting forth their views was adopted. In sub- stance this was : "That individual liberty should be se- curely guaranteed, that local governments should be invested with that complete independence necessary for the thorough exercise of their prerogatives, that the different branches of government should be independent of each other, that all persons should be equal before the law and that all special privileges should be abol- ished." Pledges were made to use every effort to ac- complish something toward a realization of these re- sults in the forthcoming elections of 1870. As will be seen, the main object of the struggle was to bring about a liberal reaction and to reduce the enormous public patronage in the hands of the presi- dent. It was a movement away from the oligarchy and toward democracy, and meant, in the event of the adoption of these progressive principles, the extension of the franchise to 200,000 voters, where it was only exercised before by 30,000. These popular movements induced the government, which had been upheld by a coalition of conservatives and moderate liberals, to re- cede from its too conservative policy and to place some of the leading radical liberals in the offices of pre- fects and governors of provinces, hoping thereby to