Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-06

men and addressed them, with voice OF
thunder, with these memorable words:
SOLDIERS, the integrity of France is threat
ened by Prussia. Whoever threatens
France threatens civilization and liberty.
/ am going to protect the French, who
are our best friends, and whom | love as
my own countrymen. You are going
across the ocean with me. If there is not
vessel in readiness we will swim to meet
| one. but let every man take care not to
wet his ammunition"
Neither officers, men nor citizens dare
venture q word of protest and with Mel
garejo at the head of the column, they
| filed out of the city and up the mountain
| by the only road that leads from this cup
| like hollow to the outer world. Mean
while, in the city all was con-
| fusion and dismay A pouring rain
came on, and thunder and light
ming added terror to the scene. Near
the cemetery the troops were obliged to
halt to recover breath Here the Cabinet
Minister, who had been sent out to make
one more effort to dissuade Melgarejo
| from the mad enterprise, came up with
him; and the General, his ardor having
been somewhat dampened, and his intoxi-
| SuUQucu HC1tluS,
consented to return, and cheerfully or
dered the soldiers back to their barracks.
A thousand tales are told of this singu-
lar man, some of them terrible enough to
curdle the blood in ones veins That he
was not altogether cruel is proved by his
conduct after the battle of Tetanias, in
January, 1856, OF which occasion his army
routed the constitutional forces under Gen
| eral Castro Arguedas. In the midst of the
field, wih the dead and dying around him,
the victorious Melgareio, using drum
head for a table, wrote that historic proela-
nation beginning Men Of Bolivia! The
smoke of gunpowder has purified the po-
litical atmosphere A great many pris-
oners had been taken, among them num-
Der of prominent officers. They were con-
fined to the prison Of Loreto that place of
somber memories where, few years be-
fore, the ex-President Of the Republic,
Jorje Cordova, and his political associates
were sacrificed by the ferocity of the COM
mander of the department, Colonel Placido
Yanes, whose name, meaning tranquil"
does not seem to have been very well ap
piled. On the day after the battle Mel
garelo, mounted on horseback, made his
his way to the plaza of Loreto and ordered
all the prisoners to be brought before him
and placed in a row. Knowing the char
acter of the man, this order was received
by the prisoners as their death sentence,
and the people of the place, overcome with
terror, expected to witness horrible
scene of bloodshed and vengeance.
The prisoners were filed out, among
them many of Melgarejo's army, who had
fed from his stern rule and joined the en-
emy on the day of battle When the row
was formed, every wretch expecting in
slant death, General Melgarejo approached
and contemplated them with a gaze that
froze the blood in their veins He SAID
$50 these are my opponents; these are the
ours who thought to conquer Melgareio
Away with you, ye yermin, ye ofscouring
Stink back to your homes and return not
to seek auarrels with me- Dedicate your
miserable lives in the future to the service
of your families. Away with you, ye
carajo demagoguesw (Carajo is the worst
swear-word In the Spanish language)
1t is needless to add that the prisoners
skedaddled, fleeing through the streets in
all directions like so many frightened deer,
fearing that the great General might
change his mind before they were out of
reach. Melgarejo then took up his posi-
tion in the village of Viache, where in the
public square he signed, upon cannon,
the celebrated decree of convocation which
assembled National Convention in the
following August. He then and there an
nounced his intention to make triumphal
entry into the city of La Paz, mounted,
not on his stately Holofernes, but astride
the same cannon on which he had written
the decree, and he actually carried out the
programme, to the astonishment and terror
of the inhabitants.
As further illustrative OF phase of life
in Bolivia, it may be delieately limited that
while the poor Indians are notorious for
stealing small things-never under any
M stIess acc ct Ct ..eenptation or opportunity taking
/ articles of value-the Chol0s, and even
some members Of the so-called "best So
ciety," are great thieves. At public balls
and private parties theton must be secretly
watched and in spite of all precautions 1t
frequently happens that spoons, napkins
and costly bric-a-brae are surreptitiously
appropriated. Not long ago young man,
who is prominent in the highest circle Of
society here, had valuable diamond pin
stolen. He was certain who the thief was,
but said nothing about his loss. AT the
very next ball he beheld his diamond blaz-
ing on the shirt front of the gentleman
whom he had suspected; when he walked
up to him, partner on arm, and without
any attempt at privacy, said to him, "You
have my diamond pin, senior; | will thank
you for it." ''Oh, vel" nonchalantly re-
piled the thief "its all right; I'll return it
tomorrow" And he did.
The English governess Of the Presidents
children relates how she sent to London
while ago for some articles of wearing APP
parel for herself and her charge. The
things were packed in a strong wooden
box lined with tin, which appeared to be
all right when it came; but upon taking
off the cover what was the astonishment
OF all concerned to find it all empty, it
having been previously opened and the
contents distracted.
The President imported a lot of china
and glassware for his family's use, and
when the great box arrived company of
soldiers was detailed to unpaek it in the
court of the palace, and carry the articles
upstairs. When the work was done those
in charge, knowing the habits of the coun-
try so well, ordered the soldiers to pass one
By one into an ante-room, where they were
searched, those outside not knowing what
was going on and upon every mothers
son Of them was found one or more stolen
articles, which they had managed to stuff
into their capacious pockets.
| What a contrast to these trifing people
was Bolivar, the man who freed them! He
was very wealthy at one time, but instead
of sitting down, as he might have done,
and quietly enjoying himselfin his beloved
| Venezuela, he spent nearly all his money
in the service of his country Once when
a million of dollars was presented to him
as a token of gratitude, he purchased with