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242 A HISTORY OF CHILE as follows : "The religion of the republic of Chile is the Roman Catholic, to the exclusion of the public exercise of any other. " The debates terminated in a manner highly gratifying to the liberal party, notwith- standing the full strength of the clerical party was marshalled in opposition. The law as amended, permits worship by other denominations within buildings be- longing to private persons or organizations, and further permits dissenters to establish and sustain private schools for the instruction of their children in the doc- trines of their faith. As a matter of fact, the liberal elements of Chile have made the republic as religiously, socially and politically free as any republican living there could wish ; and this evolution has been accom- plished though at every step opposed by most bitter prejudices. The Peruvian government had become involved in a serious difficulty with Spain in the spring of 1864. The Spanish government had sent an envoy, Seiior Eusebio Mazarredo, to Peru to arrange certain diplomatic ques- tions arising out of the killing of two persons and the wounding of four others at Talambo, in a difficulty be- tween Peruvians and some Basque colonists who had a short time before arrived from Spain. The matter was under adjudication in the Peruvian courts, which are proverbially slow, when this interference was made. Senor Mazarredo insisted upon being recognized as "royal commissary," a peculiar title not very satisfac- torily explained, and the Peruvian government would treat with him only as "confidential agent." This en- raged Mazarredo, and forthwith he seized upon the Chincha guano islands, April- 14th, 1864, claimed S3, 000, 000 indemnification, and took other high-handed measures, in conjunction with Admiral Pinzon of the Spanish fleet, to insult the government and retaliate