Peru has gone through a Revolution which ended in a
remarkable triumph for the Constitution, one of the first we can remember in South American history. Colonel Gutierrez, Minister at War, having secured the garrison -of Lima, arrested Colonel Balta, President of the Republic, assassinated him in prison, and proclaimed himself Dictator. According to all South American precedent, G-utierrez ought -to_ have killed all his enemies, plundered most of his friends, awindled the foreign bondholder, and reigned, say, for two years and a half in great luxury and ease ; bat it appears that the Limenos are tired of this kind of thing. They took up arms in the most creditable manner in defence of the Constitution, defeated the soldiers, hung Gutierrez on a lamp-post, and restored legal authority in the person of the Vice-President, Colonel Zevallos, As no insurgent in the interior would have a chance against the President while supported by the capital, this is really a strong .demonstration in favour of settled government, and one which
might be imitated with advantage in Spain on the occasion of the next military pronunciamento.
Previous page
