The Chilean Civil War of 1891 grows…
January 1891 CE
In 1889, the congress had become distinctly hostile to the administration of President Balmaceda, and the political situation became serious, at times threatened to involve the country in civil war.
According to usage and custom in Chile at the time, a minister cannot remain in office unless supported by a majority in the chambers.
Balmaceda had found himself in the difficult position of being unable to appoint any ministers that could control a majority in the senate and chamber of deputies and at the same time be in accordance with his own views of the administration of public affairs.
At this juncture, the president had assumed that the constitution gives him the power of nominating and maintaining in office any ministers of his choice and that congress had no power to interfere.
The Congress was now only waiting for a suitable opportunity to assert its authority.
In 1890, it came to light that President Balmaceda had decided to nominate a close personal friend as his successor.
This brought matters to confrontation and the congress refused to approve a budget for supplies to run the government.
Balmaceda had compromised with congress, agreeing to nominate a cabinet to their liking on condition that the budget would be approved.
This cabinet, however, had resigned when the ministers understood the full scope of the conflict between the president and congress.
Balmaceda then nominated a cabinet not in accord with the views of Congress under Claudio Vicuña, whom it was no secret Balmaceda intended to be his successor.
To avoid opposition to his actions, Balmaceda had refrained from summoning an extraordinary session of the legislature for the discussion of the estimates of revenue and expenditure for 1891.
On January 1, 1891, president Balmaceda had published a Manifest to the Nation in various newspapers to the effect that the budget of 1890 would be considered the official budget for 1891.
This act had been interpreted by the opposition as illegal and beyond the attributes of the executive power.
As protest against the action of President Balmaceda, the vice-president of the senate, Waldo Silva, and the president of the chamber of deputies, Ramón Barros Luco, had issued a proclamation appointing Captain Jorge Montt commander of the navy, and stating that the navy cannot recognize the authority of Balmaceda so long as he does not administer public affairs in accordance with the constitutional law of Chile.
The majority of the members of congress side with this movement, and sign an Act of Deposition of President Balmaceda.
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