Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/93

 COLOMBIA 89 of Venezuela, and in 1830 Ecuador also with- drew. The republic of New Granada was or- ganized Nov. 21, 1831. In 1832 a constitution was promulgated and the republic was divided into provinces, each of which controlled its local affairs. Under this constitution the presi- dent's term of office was four years. Gen. San- tander was president from 1833 to 1837 in- clusive ; Dr. Marquez, 1837-'40 ; Gen. Herran, 1841-'4 ; Gen. Mosquera, 1845-'8 ; Gen. Lopez, 1849-'52 ; Gen. Obando, whose term was con- cluded by the vice presidents Obaldia and Mallarino, 1853-'6 ; Dr. Ospina, 1857-'60. In the beginning of 1860 an important revolu- tion broke out. The liberal party, under the leadership of Gen. Mosquera, rose in arms against President Ospina, who was the rep- resentative of the federal or conservative par- ty. Bogota was captured July 18, 1861, and the reins of government were assumed by Mosquera. The federals, who controlled the southern portion of the republic, made An- tioquia the seat of their government. The representatives of the liberal states met in a congress at Bogota which closed Oct. 20, 1861, assumed the name of the United States of Co- lombia, adopted a new constitution, and con- ferred dictatorial power on Mosquera. In No- vember, 1862, Gen. Arboleda, the leader of the conservative troops, was assassinated, and was succeeded by Gen. Canal. An agreement was finally made between the latter and Mosquera, Dec. 29, 1862, which put an end to the civil war. Gen. Canal and his troops submitted to the authority of the United States of Colombia, and the latter granted an anmesty to politi- cal offenders. Deputies from all the states met in convention at Rio Negro, in Antioquia, Feb. 4, 1863. Mosquera resigned to this body his dictatorial powers, and the convention appoint- ed a provisional government, composed of five ministers, who were to hold office during the forming of the new constitution. The consti- tution which was framed bears the date of May 8, 1863. Mosquera was appointed pro- visional president, to hold office till April 1, 1864, when the executive elected by the peo- ple in 1863 was to take his place. During Mosquera's administration there was to be no fixed capital, he having the power to move it where he pleased ; after the close of his term it was to be at Bogota. The president's term of office was fixed at two years. Among the provisions of the constitution was one grant- ing religious liberty, and another confiscating church property. These acts called forth an encyclical letter from the pope to the bishops of the republic, urging them to use every effort to secure their repeal, which, however, was not effected. Dr. Manuel Murillo Toro was elected president for the term 1864-'6. He was succeeded by Mosquera, who was chosen for the two years ending in 1868. He re- signed Dec. 6, 1866, giving as reasons that it was impossible to replenish the treasury, which had been robbed of upward of $1,000,000 by false certificates ; that the archbishop of Bogo- ta and other bishops were in rebellion against the executive ; and that there was a general desire to disturb the public peace and to make way with him by assassination. His resignation was not accepted. In 1867, in consequence of attacks made on his policy by the majority in congress, Mosquera ordered that body to adjourn, and arbitrarily arrested 68 senators and representatives. Congress passed a resolution of impeachment April 29, and on the same day the president published a decree dissolving that body and declaring the country in a state of war. Most of the states declared in favor of congress, and Mosquera was arrested, May 25. His adherents were soon put down and peace restored throughout the country. Mosquera was tried and sentenced to two years' imprisonment and to lose all civil and political rights ; but the sentence was com- muted to two years' exile, and he went to Peru. The remainder of his term was filled by Gen. Santos Gutierrez. In 1868 Don San- tos Acosta was sent to the United States to conclude arrangements with the government at Washington in regard to the proposed canal across the isthmus. The Hon. Caleb, Gushing was sent to Bogota for a similar purpose. Santos Gutierrez was elected president for 1868-' 70. Under his administration the state of Panama suffered much from internal dis- sensions. An act of general amnesty per- mitting the return of Mosquera, passed by the lower house of congress, was rejected by the senate. In January, 1869, a treaty was con- cluded between the plenipotentiaries of the United States and of Colombia granting to the former power the right to construct a canal across the isthmus. It was approved by the president, but through foreign influence reject- ed by the Colombian senate. In the same year the United States government sent out an expedition under Commander Selfridge to make surveys in the valley of the Atrato. (See CA- NAL.) In 1870 a new treaty for an inter- oceanic canal was concluded between Gen. Hurlbut, the United States minister, and the Colombian commissioners, Senor Justo Arose- mena and Dr. Jacob Sanchez ; and it was ap- proved by the Colombian congress, with some modifications. Gen. E. Salgar, the liberal can- didate, was elected president for 1870-'72. He took great interest in popular education, and secured the passage by congress of a bill making an appropriation for normal schools. The bank of Bogota, with a capital of $235,000, was established Nov. 25, 1870. Manuel Mu- rillo Toro succeeded to the presidency for the term 1872-'4. Among the important mea- sures of his administration is the proposal to build an interoceanic railway from the bay of Buenaventura on the Pacific, across the valley of the Cauca, and thence down the Magdalena to the Atlantic. The portion from Buenaven- tura to the river Cauca has been put under contract. A contract has also been made for