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348 A HISTORY OF CHILE court but were unable to obtain crews in European ports, so that they were detained first at one place and then at another. The fact that they might come, however, may have spurred on the revolutionists to their final determina- tion to attack Balmaceda on his own ground, and not wait for him to attack them in the north. By March, public feeling in the south had changed somewhat, and in Santiago and Valparaiso there was not the same general outspoken sympathy for the revo- lutionary cause as at first. In the rural districts of the south, the sympathy was generally with Balmaceda. Interest began at this time to be taken in the approach- ing elections. The old congress would have no exist- ence after May 31st. Senators and deputies must be elected. Soon, too, a new president must be elected, June 25th. President Balmaceda, it was thought, would probably carry the elections for his choice as a succes- sor, he being Don Claudio Vicuna, a country gentle- man of vast wealth, and popular enough. This caused some trimming to the wind by many oppositionists in the south, but in the north enthusiasm increased for them and recruiting went on actively. The impartial historian can not uphold all the admin- istrative and political acts of Balmaceda, but when all is said, he was rather an Andrew Johnson than a Robes- pierre. He said : "Congress by the express terms of that constitution, has no more right to dictate to me what ministers I shall choose than it has to advise what food I shall eat, or what clothes I shall wear." Technically correct ; but if a parliamentary precedent had grown up beside the constitution by which the ministry was formed after the English plan, and not upon the American plan, courtesy should have led the president to bow to that precedent. The Chilean con-