Popular Consultation
On November 13, 1817, the Superior Governmental Junta, in the absence of Bernardo O'Higgins who was overseeing military operations in the southern part of Chile, issued a decree declaring that a referendum was to be set up to run for fifteen days. The referendum would be held in each of the four administrative quarters of Santiago, and would run for fifteen days, during which residents would sign their views in favor or against the Declaration of Independence. Cities and towns were advised to follow the same procedure.
The decree was sent alongside the referendum form to the authorities of the regional governments and bore the signatures of several Junta members: Luis de la Cruz, Francisco Antonio Pérez, José Manuel Astorga, and the Minister of the Interior Miguel Zañartu. On November 15, Zañartu sent a brief to the same recipients instructing them to publish the form "as soon as possible".
The result of the referendum was favorable to O'Higgins. The new order had the support of the majority of citizens who participated in the referendum, though many who did not agree did not participate because they feared their votes would bring persecution towards them. However, in Concepción, the plebiscite was not complete, and was only held in a few locations, as reported by O'Higgins on December 23, 1817 from his camp opposite Talcahuano: " habían empezado a remitir algunos partidos las suscripciones pero las ocurrencias ulteriores en la provincia y la medida últimamente adoptada de hacer emigrar de ella a todos sus habitantes, no permiten esta operación". During the month of December, after checking the results, the government began preparations to make a solemn declaration of independence. This coincided with news about the upcoming arrival of a new Royalist expedition under the command of Spanish Brigadier Mariano Osorio, aimed at reconquering Chile.
Since the plebiscite had decided in favor of a declaration of independence, it was decided that a formal act would be drawn up which concisely and clearly represented the will of the Chilean people. The process would mimic that of other countries which had already declared their independence. A manifesto was also to be published which would outline the rationale and reasons for the declaration. The person in charge of this work would be Miguel Zañartu, and secondly Bernardo Vera y Pintado.
At the end of 1817, Bernardo O'Higgins was present at the siege of Talcahuano against the Spanish forces. When the uncertain military situation forced them to lift the siege, they retreated to Morrillos de Perales (now known as the "U" hill). This was a position which the patriots had chosen and which dominated one of the gates of Talcahuano. On January 1, 1818, a message of independence asserting that Chile was a "free and sovereign country, not a rebel province" was drafted, written on a drum according to folklore. The message was addressed to the Spanish colonel José Ordóñez, controller of the port of Talcahuano and former mayor of Concepción. This document is considered the first declaration of independence of Chile.
Read more about this topic: Chilean Declaration Of Independence
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