600- South American Sketches : [ Dec. 
Nearly two months after the deposition of Agueros, he was suffered 
to retire from the province; and the Cabildo met for the purpose 
of electing a new governor. Their choice, 2s might have been expected, 
devolved upon Quiroga; but he again declined the honour, as an 
office he was inadequate to discharge with credit to himself, or benefit 
to the community. They sent a deputation to him a second time, 
but he still refused; and a third deputation was sent in vain. Like 
Cesar on the Lupercal,— 
“ They thrice presented him a kingly crown, 
Which he did thrice refuse.” 
In fact, Quiroga was not disposed to give up the actual power he possessed 
for any such puppet-like office. The Cabildo, finding that he was not 
to be prevailed upon, then sent him another humble deputation, saying 
that they felt themselves perfectly incompetent to the office of electing a 
governor, if he would not accept the offer; and they begged that he 
would name one for them. This was precisely what he had been aiming 
at; and he accordingly appointed to the office one of his ignorant gaucho 
neighbours—a man who could neither read nor write. When some of 
his confidants inquired of him the reason for so extraordinary an appoint- 
ment, he replied with much sang froid, “ A governor is a kind of 
animal, who will never cease to rob as long.as he has an opportunity ; 
no threat of punishment will deter him from it, or keep him honest. 
Now my friend, Silvestre Garban, would be as great a rogue in the 
office of governor as any other, but that, fortunately, he has been brought 
up entirely in the Llanos; so that he does not know how to steal any 
thing but cattle. Now, as there are no cattle to steal in the town of La 
Rioja, the presumption is that he will be an honest man, from want of 
temptation.” And, as Quiroga had predicted, Silvestre Garban proved 
a very excellent King Log sort of a governor; making his mark occa- 
sionally, when a public document required it—like the lion’s paw dipped 
in ink, recorded in the Turkish tale. 
At the period of which we are now speaking, the brave and patriotic 
citizens of Mendoca had, with admirable good sense and resolution, freed 
their native province from the species of tyranny which had so long been 
exercised, and their writers had incited the neighbouring province of San 
Juan to follow the example, so that a free government was established 
therein. About this time the war with Brazil had caused a national 
congress to be assembled in Buenos Ayres, to which the provinces sent 
two members each. They had hardly been in session three months 
when they received the news that the priests and fanatical party im San 
Juan, having conspired with the troops, had seized the person of the 
liberal governor, and formed a new despotism, on the old model, against 
the will of the people ; and, at the same time, calling on the neighbour- 
ing provinces to assist them in purging the land from infidelity and 
atheism (liberalism !). The province of San Juan borders on that of La 
Rioja; and therefore Quiroga, now the virtual governor of the latter, 
secretly rejoiced at the change which had taken place, so congenial to his 
own views, but hesitated to make any open manifestations, wishing to see 
the farther result. Immediately upon the receipt of this intelligence, the 
congress sent orders to Mendoca to march a body of troops forthwith to 
San Juan, for the purpose of restoring the liberal government, and 
punishing the fanatical authors of the revolution. The orders of the 
