New-York daily tribune., 1854-07-14
NEW-GRANADA.
TEE HEREvOLUTIoN-ITsO ORIGIN AND HISTORY
Cane -fsy,rs cfT

draws 10 It's close and that Meo s about to retire from
the stage; and it is pity that he should 60 of
uncLroncled, to be abused after his fall-perhsps
after his DEATH will take up the history Of the
affair from the beginDing.
Jose Maria Abando was President, Jose Maria
Obalda Vice President, and Jose Maria Melo Com
mander in. Chief. The Adminstrati,n IN was good
sound one, and gave no cause of complaint, but
wholly unsupported by the Congress then IN session.
1t consisted Of ultraists of two classes bu equally
hostile to the Administration The CoRsercadOrs had
carried the election of Governor in nearly all the
provinces of ten By scsndaOus abuse Of the power
Of the priests. They constituted majority Of the
Senate and had Julio Arboleda of New-Ycrk for its
President The majority of the House were GoIgoias,
who had left the Liberal or Administration party be-
cause they did not 60 fast enough for them. Some OF
them adopt the whole Red Republican creed of
France Most of them v ish to abolish the army. the
custom-houses, capital punishment, the preside
road.making prison, the revenue arising from the
national salt mines the restraints the spirit trade,
&c. They wish all the revenue raised on the income,
mot prorerty) ard so arranged that it shall fall
heavily the rich, and progressively heavier that
if mans income were twice that OF another his
taxes would be four times great.
The third enemy OF the Administration was the Con
stitution Of 2lst May 1853. This a fraud on the
nation by those who made it, and solemn perjury by
those Who swore to it. Congress last year had the
power to confirm Constitution made in 1851, and
give it effect. That was not bad one; it gave the
right to vote only to those who could read and write
much less than half of those over 81. This provision
was stricken out, the power of the Executive cut
down to a contemplate weakness, and the monster
rassed by Congress- signed by the President, and
ceived by the people the Constitution Of 1851. By
ths the Executive could not appoint its own local Of
fcers for whose conduct it was responsible and the
House alone could pass bill obnoxious to both Pres
dent and Senate and ,chOm wO-thlrds majority but
only bare majority Of the whole Congress
The Adminif ;ratOn had nothing to hope for the fu
ture The army was voted down to eco men, and the
militia exists in theory only, without one single organ
lied company in all the nation Add to all, they were
certain of defeat in the next Presidential contest, as
the priests had more to fear and more to revenge in
them than in the conseryadors who could also greatly
influence the votes of the ignorant through the Gov
ernors and the educated by the Provincial newsPa
pors published at the public cost.
Add 70 this the army and Mel0 IN particular, had
much hatred to bear and many insults to pocket. I'm
fortunately it seems that in December last he had
stabbed corporal in moment OF passion; and though
tie man died with lie in his mouth by the permission
OF his conessor and protested Mco's innocence to the
last the affair got wind and the general about to
be brought TO trial. .
Such was the origin of the coup dftdt Of Eth April
Of which | think none Of the Cabinet, except the
President had more than vague suspicious MeIo
numerous body perhaps by vague promise OF pliiage
that be has never kept The night after the 10th April
they were armed and set to arrest the obnoxious BE-
fore daylight they had succeeded in hns the prisons
to oyerowiDg though most OF those they most deslred
escaped them Sentines were posted so that none
could escape from the city, but houses were not
searched unless the occupants themselves were OBJ
noxiOus. , -,
Rut what WAS President Obsndo doing all this
while / will not mine matters, for do not speak
aI
courses settled on Either be is the chief of the re-
beon or he holds himself prisoner ill be sees which
party will triumph. and then will turn against the
weakest; hope the first is the true supposition, but
il never can be known. do not know OF braver
man in all NewGranada but he kept in bed all that
NIGHT ard at day break summoned his Cabinet When
they were assembled and there was no opposition to
the revolution possible Melo offered him the Dictator
ship which he, acting with the advice OF MS Cabinet
rejected, whereupon they were all made prisoners;
thew really and vigorously; he the most da lgerous of
an enemy to Melo in his own palace where even
woman would have escaped the first night.
Vice.President Obalda was soon released and why
is the knottiest question in all the affair cannot
waste your time with onjectural solution OF it,
He has since staid under Mr. Green's flag, doing, he
saws. the best he can to put down the revolution.
Melo had arms for about II, 900 troops and hoped
bv the aid of private seized in Bogota TO raise
his force, by cOnscnption to l6,OcO men. 10 feed
them he relied on some Sl7,0OO in rhe treasury
over 10 the United States) what be could raise by
forced contributions and considerable sum belonging
to the Government then on its way up the Magialena
Here let us note the geographical position of some
places concerned in these affairs Bogota, city oil
80 Geo. larger than any other two in all the country
stands ON an immense high, cold prairie, three days
east Of the Magdslena. North of here extends high
rough country, with a denser, more active population
than we have elsewhere of which Socorro the prl'-
cipal province. The road from the coast to Bogo'a
leaves the Magdalena at the old half ruined town oil
Honda. Further up, on stretch OF nayigabe water
extending far above the falls OF Honda is the larger
newer town of Ambalema. Above this crosses the
main road from Bogota TO the Pacific. Following this
road east we rise the first lay 70 Tocama the hottest
place for its altitute known IN the western worid.
The next day reach La Mesa where is part OF the
convcts making roads under the guard of small de-
tachment of soldiers not easy TO be tampered with, as
the Governor Of the Province of Tequendas is one Of
the best and most efficient ever known. Hall day
from La Mesa most of carriage road brings you up
TO the plain and half q day more over good maead-
amized road. takes you across the plain to Bogota-
AT the northern point of the plain nearest Socorrc
another detachment, guarding the revenues OF the
salt.works Of Cpaquirs made their revolution on the
same night, with the same results as at Bogota.
Doubtless many of the conspirators OF llth Apni
found that playing soldier harder work than play
inc loser but they repented TOO late. Meo strict
dsciplinarian and prevented excesses II was neces
sary that he should give foreigners no cause OF COM
plant, and he has done so. Conseription has been
very severe but it has yielded little and desertions
have been 30 numerous that this moment think his
troops cannot be more than 4,0O0-possiby not much
more than s,OOO-snd of these many would gladly de,
sert. The money on the Magdalena has been paid
over to Gen Herrera the Designado, who becomes
the Executive when both President and Nice-fres-
Jsrt s,e ;ncsnac;tated. He was Presidential candi
date against 0bsndo and was supported BY the Con-
serysdors. though he fought against them in le5l.
Ohaldia tried 10 draw from Obando some sort OF