154 CHARLES DARWIN 



changes in its government each governor, according to the 

 constitution, being elected for three years it would be very 

 unreasonable to ask for pretexts. In this case, a party of 

 men who, being attached to Rosas, were disgusted with 

 the governor Balcarce to the number of seventy left the 

 city, and with the cry of Rosas the whole country took arms. 

 The city was then blockaded, no provisions, cattle or horses, 

 were allowed to enter; besides this, there was only a little 

 skirmishing, and a few men daily killed. The outside party 

 tvell knew that by stopping the supply of meat they would 

 certainly be victorious. General Rosas could not have known 

 of this rising ; but it appears to be quite consonant with the 

 plans of his party. A year ago he was elected governor, but 

 he refused it, unless the Sala would also confer on him 

 extraordinary powers. This was refused, and since then 

 his party have shown that no other governor can keep his 

 place. The warfare on both sides was avowedly protracted 

 till it was possible to hear from Rosas. A note arrived a 

 few days after I left Buenos Ayres, which stated that the 

 General disapproved of peace having been broken, but that 

 he thought the outside party had justice on their side. On 

 the bare reception of this, the Governor, ministers, and part 

 of the military, to the number of some hundreds, fled from 

 the city. The rebels entered, elected a new governor, and 

 were paid for their services to the number of 5500 men. 

 From these proceedings, it was clear that Rosas ultimately 

 would become the dictator: to the term king, the people in 

 this, as in other republics, have a particular dislike. Since 

 leaving South America, we have heard that Rosas has 

 been elected, with powers and for a time altogether opposed 

 to the constitutional principles of the republic. 



