540 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



sumed a higher tone, and acquired 

 a controlling influence, which she 

 has sometimes abused. 



Another source of discontent 

 is the unfortunate disputebetvveen 

 the Banda Oriental and Buenos 

 Ayres, which had an influence on 

 the proceedings of the latter to- 

 wards the Portuguese. 



The original cause of division 

 may be traced to a jealousy long 

 subsisting between the rival cities 

 of Montevideo and Buenos Ayres. 

 This has become habitual, and 

 has ^extended to the country. 

 Private interests and personal 

 views have also increased their 

 dissensions. 



_ General Artigps (who bears 

 the character of chief of the 

 Orientals, as has been alreadv 

 stated, and has also assumed thtit 

 of Protector of the Entre Rios 

 and Santa Fe) was originally in 

 the roj'al service, a captain in a 

 provincial corps. In this he con- 

 tinued for some time after the 

 revolution had commenced at 

 Buenos Ayres. But, in the j^ear 

 1811, taking offence, as it is said, 

 at some conduct of the Spanish 

 commandant of Colonia, he aban- 

 doned the royal cause, and en- 

 tered into the service of the 

 patriots. So early as the year 

 181.3, when acting against Mon- 

 tevideo, he became dissatisfied 

 with Sarratea, the commander- 

 in-chief from Buenos Ayres. On 

 his removal from the head of the 

 army, he quarellcd with General 

 Rondeau, who, it was supposed, 

 would have been acceptable to 

 him, and finally v^ithdrew, before 

 the siege of Montevideo was 

 finished under General Alvear. 

 For this conduct, Posadas, when 

 he succeeded to the government, 



treated him as a deserter from 

 their service. By a proclamation, 

 he offered a reward for his appre- 

 hension, and set a price upon his 

 head — an act which General Ar- 

 tigas never forgot or forgave. 



During the subsequent director- 

 ship of Alvear, he induced the 

 cabildo of Buenos Ayres to issue 

 a similar proclamation against 

 General Artigas. When Alvear 

 was dismissed, the people of Bue- 

 nos Ayres endeavoured to atone 

 for their conduct, by burning, 

 with every mark of ignominy, the 

 degrading proclamation. They 

 also addressed a conciliatory letter 

 to the General, and received from 

 him a corresponding answer. 

 These were preliminary to a 

 fruitless attempt at reconciliation, 

 made by the director, ad interim. 

 Colonel Alvares, who succeeded 

 Alvear. Other endeavours to 

 reconcile him have failed, not- 

 withstanding the changes in the 

 office of director at Buenos Ayres. 

 On one occasion the propositiou 

 was made, that the Banda Orien- 

 tal should remain independent of 

 Buenos Ayres, and merely send 

 deputies to the General Congress, 

 to concert measures against the 

 common enemy. On another, 

 when the Portuguese army was 

 approaching the frontiers of the 

 Banda Oriental, an effort was 

 made by Pueyrredon to reconcile 

 him, and to unite him in the 

 common defence. Ample sup- 

 plies of arms and munitions of 

 war were offered, and some fur- 

 nished ; but this attempt also 

 failed. 



It is but justice to add, that 

 General Artigas is thought, by 

 persons entitled to credit, to be a 

 firm friend to the independence 



of 



