No. 513.
Mr. Thomas to Mr. Fish.

No. 81.]

Sir: Insurrectionary movements are so frequent in all South American republics that I have not supposed it necessary to report to the Secretary of State several which have occurred in Peru since the inauguration [Page 800] of President Pardo. They have been generally at points remote from the seat of government; have not been led by conspicuous men, or even encouraged, to all appearance, by men of wealth and position in society, and have been promptly suppressed by the government. A movement occurred last night, about 9½ o’clock, in one of the barracks, where a battalion of the regular army were stationed, which, from its locality, requires notice. I can readily suppose that at a distance this affair would probably be magnified, but from all that I can learn, and I have taken some pains to ascertain the truth, the affair originated with some raw recruits who have been recently enlisted, of men who reside in the interior east of the Andes, not far from the famous battle-field of Ayacucho. The officers in charge of these recruits were, in the judgment of the men, too rigid in their discipline, and a mutiny which had for its object an escape of a portion of the soldiers, headed by no commissioned officer, resulted unfortunately in an armed conflict between the guards and the mutineers, resulting in the death of ten and the wounding of nineteen soldiers before the mutiny could be suppressed. A colonel of a different battalion, who came to assist in suppressing the mutiny, was unfortunately killed.

President Pardo and the principal officers of his cabinet being notified, were promptly on the spot, and the President has organized a court to investigate the affair, with a view to punish the guilty parties.

I see nothing in this affair to justify the belief that disloyalty to the government exists to any extent in the ranks of the regular army. It is proper for me to add, however, that there is a prevailing perturbation throughout all orders of society, growing out of the fact of the government being unable to meet the current demands on the treasury. These pecuniary embarrassments have their origin in the policies of the administration which preceded that of President Pardo. The financial difficulties are complicated, and require for their solution courage and talents of a high order.

I am, &c,

FRANCIS THOMAS.