72 MEMOIR OF COLONEL TUPPER.
"September 15. — I think I mentioned in my last letter that a conspiracy had been discovered, the object of which was to effect an entire change in the government ; it was intended to seize upon the pre- sident and upon several of those who surround him, putting them to death if the least resistance were offered. We had, however, timely notice of the affair, and were enabled to suppress the mutiny en- tirely in one battalion. An order having been sent at the same time to arrest some officers of dragoons, the whole regiment rose and marched to the province of Conception, where, being met by a superior force, they were obliged to lay down their arms. On the 18th of this month the civil authorities and military will swear to the maintenance of the constitution. There are two houses of representation elected every two years ; foreigners can occupy every situation excepting that of president and minister of state. On the whole I think the constitution is not a bad one, but the popular elections are too frequent."
On March 10, 1829, he again wrote to his brother as follows : —
" I procured Miller's memoirs yesterday, and turned over to the taking of Chiloe in 1826; the author had much better have said nothing about it. He states our force at four thousand men, while the real number embarked at Valparaiso was this : —
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