202 A HISTORY OF CHILE tions of etiquette when it was in session. A new tariff schedule was constructed, but was soon found to be quite as obnoxious as the old system. Toward the end of the year 1823, a new constitution was promulgated in which it was sought to formulate a representative government without representation, in other words to keep the power in the hands of the oligarchs, and all public offices and officers were to be under the sur- veillance of an aristocratic committee, or of the aristo- cratic senate. The duties of the director, ministers, senators, representatives and other officers, were mi- nutely defined and due guards placed over the official lives of each, while public morals were carefully looked after in the declaration that, "habits, exercises, duties, public instruction, rituals, and pleasures, were to be transformed into laws, laws into customs and customs into civic virtues, and morals." The constitution passed in 1823, was similiar to this, but somewhat less anomalous. The effect and inten- tion was to perpetuate the power of juntas, of the oli- garchical senate, of the rule of aristocrats. The re- result was general dissatisfaction, which was greatly augmented by the failure of an expedition, which Freire directed in person, against the island of Chilo^ to drive the Spaniards from the archipelago. Great preparations were made for the expedition, both the military and naval forces being brought into active service. General Freire took the command, January, 1824, leaving the government in charge of Don Fernando Errazuriz. He landed without opposition on the island with a force of 2,500 men, but instead of advancing at once upon the two principal towns, he divided his forces and sent for- ward one-half against Castro, while the other half pre- pared to advance upon San Carlos. The first division, commanded by Colonel Beauchef, routed the roj'alists
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