The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-28
CHAPTER vi.

REIGN OF TERR0R-wAR OF OAsras-RAFABL OAR.
RERA- DISSOLUTION or THs RsPgBLlO-RALL OF
MURAzAk--ANARCHY-l63G
We are nov approaching tho most DISASTROUS epoch In
the hstor OF Central America the reign Of anarchy and
bar baism, IN whish the terriss elements Of OWL
ana social discord involved that happy soantry. We
have seen how the services oifed their assaults upon
the repnoc, descended species Of consp tsoes and
ueas NJ how the prestige aad power Of the general 60
vernment had besn weakened by erroneous policy to-
yard the States; how tee great liberal party had not
on become divided, ku still at with ite how
British influence had operated against the government
and against every uoeral tendency Of the connty how
finally poS Of the clergy although dinaisbed had
bru,sly excited OF castles. the most fearful In
which engage, becaueit ID Of determination
The republic could sti have ell these adverse
ciroumstanses it could have outitvek attacks wns
directed sRsnst III it could have saved tbs body
potc from the evils which afflicted It, and tho s
ersl trpcples 70 triumph most g0ri Jusly nut ia tY
heart cancer which destroyed With certainty
than the attacks u the clergy OF the anti oerss and
devised IL was popular ignorance" Unfortu 70 ely
for the republic the Of the people, noswfthsts odig
cir deties and impulses were plunged Ia the most
The support which tho people In general had given to
every OF social progress and order had been
had in those than in thAr nvicon Of ther
utility ano importance for tho government like
kinds imports ano exactt0ns Sufficient motive for
the people hail with enthusiasm of the
Spanish yoke. Incapable of necessuss
OF government, they camored against every ,ntribu
tiop; and when the nsw code was adopted and whom
prisons were ordered ON different from tho dark
sdered the work and expense whch their csn.trucion
would OCCASION and opposed the Plaza most seri usy
without considering the advantages which humanit
would reap. Neither did they consider the rri BY jury
Of vital imp0, personal security ami
TO property, but only looked upon IL drudgs;
and ides they had faith ia the impary Of the
than 1aa
most important and prai.eworthy &C. Of he republic.
When livingsons code of laws WAS pa. int, pea ti,e
were almost all Datves body because they
called out to build the PRISONS and put flight the Cir
the troops of the district and toe in
which the former were victorious During fight they
car pieces Of their aacieos idols, which, BY advice
of clergy, they brought with them TO Al ID the VIC
tory This cir cumstan shows xhat extent the
ha bitants were supers,iious aud igaorant.
Bu the consequences OF ignorance severely
felt DUNG the following year. when tine CHI er+ for tn,
first time visited Central America. Physicians were
scarce and through careIe sness or bad the
epaemc spread very rapidly and cansed great ravases
general conformation came the country, which
had never suffered such cruel visitation. the govern
menu, in conformity with liza duty TOOK the most active
measures 20 mitigate the rigor OF the evil Not only
s the physicians of Guatemala, says writer then
cal students to places where their services we're
roOSt The poor Indians Who ded In gre
lers, completely terrified The clergy thought this
favorable opportunity put into execution their
against the liberals causing the Indans to believe that
they 1.-THE liberals, had poisoned the springs to destroy
and to people the country with strangers present.
ing them az proof of what they advanced the rising
ctiony OF Saint Thomas. The creduous aborgines who
bad already on excited ainst reforms and particular
V against the trial BY jury in rebe crying
oatn against the posoners and the strangers Many Of
the physicians escaped best they could. Some fell
into their HANDS and were murdered Obliged to
swallow all their medicines water until they died in
which manner they proved their guilt"
The insurrection became general in all the districts
where the Indian element predomnated aud to the hor
of the plague succeeded those of civil 1umut
and disorder and lawless obs marked the oteps of the
revolution. An Ill devised at empt 10 pAcify
band Of the latter with smni force produced very dis
astrous results for the th Of June 1887 they
by the insurgents and tho greater part slain
Tine matter not IN ITSELF Of very great moment and
like many others, might have produced irritation
at the moment and then been forgotten. But the
brought forward Morazan, who change his
trys destnies the destruction of the troops Santa
Rosa marks an era in the history Q, Central Amsrica
surrection of Santa Ro.a Rafael Carrera, whose
name from that moment begins to figure in the annals
. most terrible acourge to the people Of Guatemala,
where he exercised the most brutal and
power that has ever been known.
The history of Carrera forms q remarkable contrast
to that Of Morszan Both were sprung from tia revo
luton, both held unlimited power but they each fol-
publican institutions the other their assassin. The
hberaity generosity, and patriotism Of the could
and brutality Of the other The one personed progress
and liberty the ideal Of republican and well disci.
phned army; the other, darkness and tyranny the
leader Of blind fanacis and OF dsorderly bands ami
mated solely by love Of plumber blood and pillage
Carrera is an Indian mixed white and Indian; the
latter greatly preponderaEg obstinate irascbie bloody
unscrupulous and persevering. When he healed tue
Santa Rosa disturbance he only q years age his
business to slaughter hogs and he could neither read
write but he had some influence with tho Indians.
His relations and the pressure Of circumstances rather
than talent ability Of his the elements which
raised him to power which was ever with justice
tempered with clemency.
Carrera firmly believed the gross fabrication of the
clergy that the cholera from the waters being
poisoned and that the physicians, under preence Of
curing the evil sent by authorities for the pur
pose of accomplishing their designs against the Indians
Urged on by their success at santa Rosa aud fixing
upon Carresa their most fitting instrument the clergy
resolved to extend their influence in his favor and to
support him firmly. they gave the Indians to believe
that he was the guardian angel Raphael, who had de-
scended from heaven to avenge them and to punish
those heretcs the liberals and the foreigners that
aegeres distributed for this purpose in winch his
miracles set forth They placed upon the doors Of
srsvnS which showed the Vran Mav
Carrera to direct the revolution against the government
and assuring him Of the Divine intepositon In his be-
Init
These means placed ut the head of great
numbers OF rude Indian troops. Through fear policy
be always eynded an engagenent except when greatly
Rosa, uniayorabe to him, Notwithstanding the des
Ee,s.ion with which the lboans fought they having
been promised paradise should they fall in battle The
obstinacy with which they struggled such to
pei the government troops TO in the neat
Oh battle. This rendered all reconciliation impossible
This conduct onirmed them in the belief thai their
enemies really ecated the complete destruction Of the
Indians For this the bate Of Mataquescuintla
not decisive Carrera fed f:om village to village
blowing the fame Of insurrecton until the latter became
universal The energy Of the government spent In
vain Bands of robbers and assassius infested the
highways and attacked the helpless villages, and the
whole countrv with the exception Of the larger towns
in q state Of the most irightful anarchy.
In Guatemala the question which had divided its neigh
bors with regard to the common safety had reached
its eliminating point. The government sur
rounded by dangers and difficulties all Sides and the
anti libel al party found itself among the vc OF the
tempest which they had contributed to produce. In
this crisis the liberals proposed reconciliation The
tervies required the resignation Of Governor Galvez
OF the most decided yet moderate of the liberals,
and the dissolution Of the Cabinet and that all offices
should be filed by impartial persons. The liberals
eeded TO this demand and the consequence
anhberal power which only increased the dangers Of
the State
The administration, under the Plea that such
sssary for the restoration OF PEACE
suspended the law of habeas corpus, and many other
constitutional guarantees suppressed the liberty Of the
press, and established military regimen; in word set