Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1885 — USURPER BARRIOS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

USURPER BARRIOS.

The Would'be Guatemala Dicta* tor’s Career.

General Justo Rufino Barrios, the man responsible for the excited condition of Central American politics, and who is now reported d ead, was born the 17th of July, 1835, at San Lorenzo, in the depar;ment ot San Marcos, Guatemala. He was educated in the College of Guatemala, in the city of that name, and was graduated,.in 1862. His special study was law, which he pursued in connection with keen observation of the mis arable condition of the people, kept down by bad government and the dominance of the clergy and upper classes. He began his public career in 1867, at the head of a revolutionary force, which in that year stormed the barracks of San Marcos and put the garrison to flight. This success initiated attacks on the Government undeiwils leadership, giving him great prestige. Failing to capture him, the ruling powers made his father and brother prisoners, and held them as hostages for the surrender of Barrios himself. In 1809 his forces were strengthened by the accession of Gen. SerapJs Cruz, but in the same year he was incapacitated by a wcund received in battle. Subsequently, while he was-still absent from the field of operations, disastrous reversea'overtook the revolutionary forces, Cruz and his army being taken prisoners and many of them being shot or exiled. Barrios was published dead, but the Government reckoned without the host in this matter, for upon his recovery he again assumed offensive opeiations, in which he was aided by Gen. Garoia Granados. May Bth, 1871, the revolutionists issued a proclamation. Subsequently they entered the territory of Guatemala, with Barrios at their head, and published their proclamation! Severe fighting followed with advantages to the revolutionists, and June 3 of the same year Gen. Garcia Granados was proclaimed President. Success still attended the insurrection, and Gen. Cerna, President of the republic, fled from the country. The revolutionary army' entered the capital the 30th of Jqne, 1871. Granados was then made Provisional President, and Barrios accepted the command of the West Departments, from which he expelled all Jesuits. The President followed this drastic policy with the expulsion of the Jesuits from the whole country. A reaction followed, and Granados, apprehending danger, sent for Barrios, who, having first forwarded troops to his coadjutor, followed them as soon as he could. Upon arriving at the capital he was commissioned to command the forces of the new Government. He disposed of the reactionary cause In two battles. Barrios then returned to his work in thq West Departments, but the Government not beihg able to carry out his policy,.-without his personal presence and assistance, lie was invited to take charge of it. In May. 1872, he entered the capital, the virtual head of the Ilenublic. His Immediate action was to dissolve all Roman Catholic societies and t - declare their properties national; to establish the liberty of the press and effect other changes of the same general character. He then, once more, returned to the west, and in the early part of 1873 was again called on to take charge of the Government. A popular assembly was convoked, and Barrios elected President of the Republic,, to suceced Granados. He was inaugurated the 4th of June, tiTi. In October,1876, his tenure was. prolonged, and March 15, 1880, be was re-elected for a term of six years. Two or three months ago his scheme for consolidating the Central American States into one Government, with himself at the head, was promulgated, and the subsequent details are too fresh to require repetition.