Page:The History of San Martin (1893).djvu/213

Rh citizens as a committee to draw up a plan of a provisional constitution, which "should define the powers of each authority and should establish on a solid basis the rights of citizens." A constitution was accordingly drawn up and promulgated.

Rodriguez was sent under arrest to the barracks of Alvarado's battalion under charge of a Spanish officer named Navarro, who was told by Alvarado and Monteagudo that Government desired "the extermination of Rodriguez," for the sake of public tranquillity and the existence of the army. On the 23rd May the battalion left Santiago for Quillota, where Rodriguez was to be tried by court-martial as a disturber of public order. On the march an officer presented Rodriguez with a cigarette on which was written, "It would be well for you to fly." On the evening of the 24th the party encamped on the banks of a stream. As night fell Navarro, with a corporal and two men carrying carbines, walked with Rodriguez into a gorge near by. Soon after a shot was fired. "Rodriguez is dead," said some officers in the encampment. Next morning his body was found covered with stones and twigs; his escort said he had tried to escape, and the affair was hushed up.

Of all the trophies of the victory of Maipó, San Martin had reserved only one for himself; this was the portfolio containing the secret correspondence of Osorio, which was found in his carriage when it was captured by O'Brien. On the morning of Sunday, the 12th April, San Martin, attended only by O'Brien, and taking the portfolio with him, rode out from Santiago some seven miles to a secluded spot called "El Salto." Procuring a chair from a house close by he seated himself under the shade of a tree, opened the portfolio and read the contents carefully. They were letters written by several of the leading citizens of Santiago to Osorio after the affair of Cancha-Rayada, declarations of their loyalty. Then asking for a small fire of sticks to be lighted in front of him, he burned them one