238 
of its illusions, It is also to be feared, 
that in resolving to maintain this 
unexpected conquest,it was far from 
adopting the system best calculat- 
ed to preserve it. When the immense 
extent and scattered population 
of the Spanish colonies are consider- 
ed, and the habits, prejudices, and 
character of their inhabitants taken 
into the account, it must be obvious, 
that no foreign power can reduce 
to obedience or retain in subjection 
such extensive regions, so amply 
provided with the means of defen- 
sive warfare, except by gaining over 
the population of the country, and 
attaching them to the party of the 
invader. But, however discon- 
tented with their government, none 
but the refuse of a people will join 
an invading army of foreigners, un- 
less with the hope of obtaining free. 
dom and independence by their as- 
sistance. . We ought, therefore, 
either to have renounced all views 
upon the continent of South Ame- 
rica, or have proclaimed to its inha- 
bitants, that in the exercise of legi- 
timate war against their government, 
we came to assist them in establish- 
ing their independence, to conclude 
with them treaties of commerce and 
alliance, and to pledge ourselves, 
if they accepted our offers, to make 
no peace with their present govern- 
ment, in which they should not be 
included and recognised as free and 
independant states. But, if we 
were not prepared to make such a 
declaration, it must be confessed, 
that it was honourable in our go- 
vernment not to excite popular in- 
surrectionsin the Spanish colonies, 
till we had made up our minds to 
support them throughout, For, 
nothing could have been more base, 
* August 4th. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1806. 
than to have encouraged the cola- 
nists to take up arms against their 
sovereign, and afterwards to have 
abandoned them to his vengeance. 
But, long before the system pro- 
per to be followed with Buenos 
Ayres came to be discussed in the 
British cabinet, that settlement was 
in the hands of the enemy. The 
Spaniards had been taken by sur- 
prise and beaten by a handful of 
men, because attacked where they 
were unprepared for resistance; 
but no sooner had they recovered 
from their panic, and discovered 
the smallness of the number of their 
opponents, than ashamed of their 
defeat, they began to concert mea- 
sures to expel their invaders. 
Emissaries from Buenos Ayres ex< 
cited the country people to arms, 
and an insurrection was organized 
in the heart of the city, under the 
eye of the English commander in 
chief, which seems to have escaped 
his vigilance, till it had arrived at 
maturity, and was ripe for action. 
Liniers, a French colonel in the 
Spanish service, crossed the river in 
a fog,* unobserved by the English 
cruizers, and landed at Conchas 
above Bucnos Ayres, bringing with 
him about 1000 men from Monte 
Video and Sacramento. Encourag- 
ed by this reinforcement, the armed 
levies from the country, which had 
been defeated by general Beresford 
in a sally, advanced again to the 
city and summoned the castle to 
surrender.+ ‘I'he whole inhabitants 
of the town were nowin arms, and | 
the danger appeared so imminent, 
that the English had determined to. ; 
evacuate the place and retire to their 
ships ; but they were prevented by 
the state of the weather, and after 
t+ August 10th. 
a dese 
