The law of the 1st of October has ameliorated the condition of the soldier, granting a generous reward for a lengthened period of good services. The project I presented to you with regard to the pay of the chiefs and officers will produce for them a similar result, without weighing heavily on the public revenue. Justice and propriety, moreover, require that the condition of those who, by loss of limbs, or otherwise, have been rendered unfit for active service, should be taken into account. The sacrifices of these servants entitle them to more ample recompenses than those conceded to persons who are rendered unfit for service by ordinary and common infirmities.

The national guard, with a few exceptions in the south, has been limited to its ordinary duty. Always animated by a good spirit, opportunity has only been wanting for it to have rendered during the last epoch services equal to those of the army. In those armed citizens are found a firm support of the institutions, the necessary and due counterpoise of the army, and a powerful element of internal order and external defence. At present, it is composed of 35,600 men. A law for its organization and regimen should not be delayed; upon this matter I have already submitted to you the ideas of the Govern

ment.

The navy has been in constant activity; the operations on the frontier, and the care and protection of our extensive seaboard, have afforded it occasion for the display of zeal and devotion to the discharge of its duties. Limited in numbers, even as regards our small materials, it looks for augmentation from the school specially founded for it. It is composed, at present, of 4 steamers and one sailing-vessel; a new brigade of marines has been created for it.

The pay fixed by the law of October 1st of last year, which was immediately put into execution, has obviated the difficulties experienced in completing the service of naval officers and seamen. This result will be more complete when you have given your attention to the project which I have presented to you regarding the enlistment of seamen.

The unfortunate events through which the Republic has passed, have, by paralyzing industry and commerce, had an unfavourable effect upon the augmentation of the mercantile marine. It has not, however, remained stationary, and measures, at present, some tons more than it did last year.

The condition of the Chilean seamen abandoned on foreign shores has called for some measures for securing to them a return to their country. Thus merchant-vessels will obtain seamen with greater facility when the men see themselves free from the risk of abandonment to which they were formerly exposed.

A new lighthouse is now in course of erection on the north point

of the island Quiriquina, and as soon as this is finished, others, which are prepared, will be established at those places on our coasts where they are most required.

Fellow citizens of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies! In the abstract which I have just laid before you of the labours of the Administration, you will doubtless observe that it has with preference occupied itself in re-establishing and ensuring public confidence and internal tranquillity, but without neglecting to further the work of improvement and prudent advancement which the country requires. Herein I have shunned the exaggerated ideas of those who imagine that a forward impulse may be profitably given to a country without taking into consideration its condition and the elements of which it is constituted; as well as those of persons who, ignoring that progressive advancement which all nations follow, only look at the dangers of innovations, and without seeking the measures by which to render them effective, leave with a sluggish indolence the course of time to effect by violent changes that which ought to be the natural result of the impulse towards perfection prudently directed. I am strongly convinced that such an advance is the only one suitable to the country; it is that which has enabled it to attain the advantage of its present position, and which can elevate it more every day in civilization and riches, in order and liberty, without compromising the benefits already obtained. I also see that this is what the majority of the country supports and which will prevail among us. But in behalf of that judicious progress it is necessary to remove all kinds of difficulties. There may be different ways of arriving at the end in view, and it is for the common interest of all our citizens that they should judge of the means of attaining it. A time is approaching in which it behoves those who look upon the national prosperity as identified with liberty and order to remember the influence which elements foreign to the general interest exercise in political struggles, and, throwing aside personal affections and considerations, to place the solution of important political questions upon a higher ground, and to confide the realization of this great purpose to him who has faith in it, and who, somewhat removed from the impressions produced by political strife, only represents the triumph of that idea. They would thus give a proof of the patriotism of their acts, of the elevation and disinterestedness with which they regard the great interests of the country, and at the same time they would make an appeal to the patriotism of those who look with distrust at that prudent progress from considering it partial and insincere. Should they not be listened to, the country will not on that account fail to be persuaded whose was the loyalty that sought the welfare of the State, and the moral force, far from being weakened by

those who raise the banner of liberty and order, would receive the support of every person of upright ideas and sentiments. I pray, my fellow-citizens, that in the exercise of your rights you may only listen to the well-understood interests of the country, and succeed in harmonizing and securing liberty and order on our soil, so that we may thus see our beloved country advance without obstacle in the career of progress, and occupy a distinguished place among the

nations.

MANUEL MONTT.

MESSAGE of the President of Peru on the Opening of the Legislative Assembly.-Lima, July 28, 1860.

(Translation.)

GENTLEMEN,

LITTLE more than a year has passed since the extraordinary Congress closed its sessions; and the ordinary Legislature having now assembled in virtue of the decree of convocation issued by the Government in the exercise of its constitutional powers, my mind is pervaded by a feeling of patriotic satisfaction, at finding myself again in this honoured place, and in presence of the chosen of the people.

As the serious circumstances which called for the Decree of 11th July last year are well known to all, it would be useless and out of place to repeat at this time what occupied the periodical press for many days, and was the object of undeserved attacks, as well as of substantial and triumphant vindications, which were perhaps unnecessary for the justification of a measure uniformly approved by the people, who embraced it with good will and prepared to elect their representatives within the period prescribed by the laws.

The reasons which supported the Government were undeniable: they rested on the spirit and letter of the Constitution, on the history of the extraordinary Congress, and on the public conscience. That Congress had been convoked for certain definite purposes; it had fulfilled the most important and principal objects of its mission; it had prolonged its sessions for a number of days more than double that which is granted by the fundamental law, and for this reason, among others, the time appointed for the convocation had long passed away; it had convoked, and had convoked itself, assuming the function of the ordinary Congress, which had not been assigned to it, despoiling the Government of its Constitutional powers, and the people of the essential right, inherent in their sovereignty, of electing their representatives upon every occasion determined. by law.

The confusion and disorder which such proceedings might produce in the political mechanism and constitutional movement; the responsibility which an imprudent, weak, and culpable acquiescence might entail upon the Government before the nation, before its own conscience, and before the whole world, did not allow of any hesitation; and after serious consideration, and with mature resolution, it was decided at last to take a step for the safety of the institutions and of public order, by issuing the decree of Convocation, which is now fulfilled to the utmost, and triumphantly justified by your meeting here as faithful agents and depositaries of the confidence of the people: an event which is, of itself alone, an answer to all the invectives hurled at that act of the Government, and which condemns that seditious and anarchical idea, which error or malignity has endeavoured to propagate, that the supreme authority had infringed the constitutional law, and ought to descend from his high position. That very decree, the foresight and watchfulness of the Government, and, above all, the good feeling of the people, have preserved order and domestic tranquillity from one end of the Republic to the other; so that you may, without reserve or auxiety, devote yourselves in the present sessions to the improvements and reforms which experience and the counsels of your constituents have suggested as necessary, and to the enactment of beneficial laws tending to the welfare and aggrandizement of the nation, aud to the assurance of its future.

Our peaceful relations and fraternal amity with the other Republics of South America remain, with few exceptions, in a satisfactory state. Peru has had serious and weighty cause of complaint for injuries done to her at various periods, and especially of late, by the Government of Ecuador; and as all the applications and efforts on our part to obtain justice and the recognition of our rights had been disregarded and fruitless, it had become necessary to appeal to arms as the last resource. But fortunately the salutary counsels of reason prevailed in the mind of the supreme authority which had succeeded to the aggressive administration, as well as amongst the generality of the citizens; and a Treaty, preceded by sincere and ample satisfaction and the spontaneous acceptance of the ultimatum, put an end to the old disagreements, re-established the relations of friendship and good understanding between the two Republics, and by ridding us of the serious inconveniences of the actual situation, and preventing those which might occur in future, averted the imminent conflict of war, which would have cost torrents of blood and tears, and the desolation of a fraternal people; and as we were not seeking either blood-stained laurels or easy conquests, but asking for justice and vindicating our rights, when the object was obtained by means of honourable stipulations, our generous and

valiant soldiers returned to the shores of their country, leaving only friendly and grateful recollections behind them among the people of Ecuador, and also leaving the Ecuatorians at full liberty to settle among themselves their domestic difficulties, in which we had been very far from interfering.

It may be stated here that those difficulties, far from having been settled in a more or less pacific manner, have become more complicated from the interposition of an entity foreign to the country, to its political interests, to the popular views and tendencies, and even to the sympathies of Ecuatorian society in general. To this fresh element of disunion and disorder, to the exasperation of parties, to insidious and ignoble machinations, conceived in impotence and spite, will that unfortunate country owe the indefinite prolongation of the civil war, as well as disasters and devastations much more grievous and severe than those which might have been inflicted on her by an external war from which she has just freed herself.

To interest the people by playing upon their caudour, and to inflame their passions to their own injury, recourse is had to fraud and imposture; by calumnies and absurd vulgarities it is sought to make Peru odious to them; Peru that has never given them aught but proofs of friendship, that has declined to interfere in their political affairs, that has never defrauded them, but, on the contrary, has poured immense treasures into their territory, whilst her forces were stationed on their shores; and that has finally conceded to them by Treaty such frank and generous conditions, that she has been exposed to some censure arising from a zealous feeling, excusable though excessive.

But neither Peru nor her Government will allow ignoble caprices and senseless aspirations to spoil and overthrow the work of conciliation and peace which has cost such labour and sacrifice, so much time and treasure; they will not allow the interests and rights, the dignity and honour of the nation, and the securities obtained for the future to be trifled with, by returning to the former position of infamous outrages and noisy scandals.

It is painful to inform you that the Cabinet of Bolivia, far from appreciating and showing itself grateful for the proofs of friendship and goodwill which it has ever received on the part of Peru and her Government at all times and under all circumstances; far from satisfying the Republic for the injuries and outrages with which it has so often transgressed our rights, breaking solemn compacts, inundating our markets with base money, and trying our sufferance with imperturbable tenacity in every way; not only has it always disregarded the justice of our demands; not only has it continued insensible to all the applications addressed to it in amicable and conciliatory terms, but setting forth imaginary complaints and