Manuel Murillo Toro (1864-1866) was
disturbed by various rebellions, and even Mosquera, who next came to the
helm, found matters in such a disorganized condition that he offered to
retire. On the refusal of his resignation, he entered into a struggle
with the majority in the congress, and ultimately resorted to an
adjournment and the unconstitutional arrest of 68 of the senators and
representatives. To the decree of impeachment published by the congress
he replied by a notice of dissolution and a declaration of war; but he
soon found that the real power was with his opponents, who effected his
arrest, and condemned him first to two years' imprisonment, but
afterwards by commutation to two years' exile. The presidency of Santos
Gutierrez (1868-1870) was disturbed by insurrections in different parts
of the republic, the most important of which was that in Panama, where
the most absolute disorganization prevailed. Under his successor,
General E. Salgar, a Liberal candidate elected in opposition to General
Herran, a treaty was finally concluded with the United States in
connexion with an interoceanic canal, a bank was established at Bogota,
and educational reforms instituted. Manuel Murillo Toro (1872-1874) and
Santiago Perez (1874-1876) saw the country apparently acquiring
constitutional equilibrium, and turning its energies to the development
of its matchless resources.

The election for the presidential term 1876-1878 resulted in favour of
Aquiles Parra, who was succeeded in April 1878 by General Julian
Trujillo. His administration was marked by a strong effort to place the
financial position of the government on a more satisfactory footing, and
the internal indebtedness was substantially reduced during his rule. In
April 1880 Senor Rafael Nunez acceded to the presidency. During his term
of office revolutionary disturbances occurred in the provinces of Cauca
and Antioquia, but were suppressed with no great difficulty. Provision
was made in 1880 for a settlement of the boundary dispute with Costa
Rica, and in July of that year the federal Congress authorized the
formation of a naval squadron. A movement was now set afoot in favour of
a confederation of the three republics of Colombia, Ecuador and
Venezuela on the basis of the original conditions existing after the
expulsion of Spanish authority, and a resolution was passed by the
chamber of deputies to that effect. The opposition shown by Venezuela
and Ecuador to this pro