Minister Hicks to the Secretary of State.

[Extracts.]
No. 84.]

Sir: In accordance with the provisions of the constitution of Chile, the new President, Don Pedro Montt, elected in June last, was duly installed in office on Tuesday, September 10, and is now the chief magistrate of the Republic.

The 18th of September is the anniversary of the national independence and is the day fixed by law for the inauguration of the President for a term of five years. It is made a holiday throughout the Republic, and the succeeding two days are also given up to festivities among the people. It is a sort of combination of the 4th of July and the 4th of March, although, on account of the natural differences of temperament, it is celebrated here quite differently from the manner in which the day is observed in the United States.

At 1.30 the two houses of congress assembled in the large hall known as the Salon de Honor, in the congressional building, with Mr. Sanfuentes, president of the Senate, in the chair, and the secretary of the Chamber of Deputies acting as clerk. President Riesco, accompanied by his cabinet, entered and took seats behind the desk, the President wearing his badge of office, a broad sash of red, white, and blue ribbon, bearing the shield of the Republic. The new President, Don Pedro Montt, was seated near the door.

On one side of the hall were the members of the two houses and distinguished citizens. On the other side were the members of the diplomatic corps in full uniform, naval and military representatives, and citizens. A guard of military surrounded the building and filled the anteroom of the hall, while the galleries were filled with citizens.

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As soon as the President and his cabinet were seated, the clerk began reading the result of the election in the electoral college, showing that Don Pedro Montt had been duly elected President. A committee of senators and deputies then waited on the Presidentelect and escorted him to the desk, where he took the oath of office. Immediately President Riesco took from his shoulders the tricolored sash, emblem of his high office, and placed it on his successor, and then arose from the spectators in the galleries and from many in the body of the hall a mighty chorus of cheers. Viva Don Pedro Montt was heard in one great acclaim.

The President then announced the appointment of his new cabinet, as follows:

  • Minister of interior and president of the cabinet, Don Javier A. Figueroa.
  • Foreign relations, Don Santiago Aldunate Bascuñañ.
  • Justice and public instruction, Don Enrique Rodriguez.
  • Treasury, Don Raimundo del Rio.
  • War and navy, Don Belisario Prats Bello.
  • Industry and public works, Don Eduardo Charme.

The gentlemen named appeared and signed the oath of office, and the public ceremonial connected with the inauguration closed the first part.

At once the President and his cabinet, accompanied by the senators and deputies, public officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and distinguished citizens, formed in procèssion and marched to the Cathedral, two blocks distant.

At the entrance of the Cathedral the new President was met by the venerable Archbishop of Santiago and escorted to a seat, while the others were seated in prominent places in the body of the church. A “Te Deum” service was sung with the assistance of a choir of men’s voices and about fifty priests and bishops. At the conclusion of the religious service, which lasted less than an hour, the procèssion was formed again, the President and cabinet going last, and marched on foot to the Moneda, or government building, distant some six or seven blocks. The entire way was lined with troops, and the houses were filled, as to the balconies and windows, with citizens.

Every square had its band, which discoursed military music, and the new President received the cheers of the crowd, which came almost unanimously from the lips of the people in the whole course of his journey.

At the Moneda the new President, diplomatic corps, cabinet ministers, and distinguished guests reviewed the procèssion from the balconies. All the troops which had guarded the streets during the procession defiled in front of the Moneda, and the square in front and adjoining streets were thronged with people. At the end of two hours the guests present accompanied the new President to the dining hall, where a glass of champagne was drunk in honor of the new administration, and then the company dispersed.

At 7 o’clock in the evening, President Montt gave a dinner in the Moneda to the cabinet, members of the diplomatic corps, and heads of departments. Don Santiago Aldunate Bascuñañ, minister of foreign relations, made a brief speech, welcoming the visitors and stating briefly the objects of the new administration. He was answered in a [Page 147] short speech by the dean of the diplomatic corps, Monsignor Monto, papal delegate. Both speeches were read in manuscript.

At 9 o’clock the ladies of the diplomatic corps arrived and the entire party went to the theater, where an Italian opera company gave II Trovatore. On the arrival of the President the national hymn of Chile was sung, and a new hymn, written for the occasion, in honor of Don Pedro Montt, was sung amid great cheering. The opera concluded the exercises of a busy day.

The new President takes office while enjoying great personal popularity. He is the son of Don Manuel Montt, who was President of Chile from 1851 to 1862. His reputation is that of a calm, well-balanced man, of unimpeachable integrity, strong and self-reliant, but conciliatory and far-seeing. He begins his career with many difficulties on his hands. One question left over from the last administration—that of the rectorship of the university—is already causing considerable trouble. Under the law the President appoints the rector from three persons named by the doctors of the university itself. Senor Letelier has been so named, but as he is said to be a liberal and even a freethinker, the church party and the conservatives generally are fighting him. The new President selected a cabinet last week entirely different from the one now in office, but owing to the rectorship question and some other things it failed and a new one had to be appointed hurriedly.

Among other difficulties to be met by the new President is the opposition of the Senate. It is understood that there is a majority in that body against him, and it is liable to operate unfavorably to him. Still his friends have full confidence that he will succeed in quieting opposition and will retain the unlimited confidence of the people.

Under the Chilean constitution much of the power delegated to the President under the American Constitution is retained by Congress. That body really dictates to the President the appointment or removal of his cabinet, and thus his functions are quite different from those of the President of the United States.

The country is recovering from the effects of the earthquake, and the new administration gives great hopes and expectations of prosperity to the people. A few months will probably see a marked improvement in the business and financial affairs of the Republic.

Your obedient servant,

John Hicks.