84 INTRODUCTION. 



former promises*, he tells the Peruvians that his ten years' experience 

 of revolutions had proved to him the dangers of assembling con- 

 gresses while the enemy still had footing in the country ; and that 

 therefore, till the Spanish forces were entirely driven out, he should 

 direct the affairs of Peru, though he sighed for a private station. 

 He named Garcia del Rio his minister for foreign affairs, Bernardo 

 Monteagado, minister of war and marine, and Torre Tagle that of 

 finance. The despotism was absolute : all old laws were annulled, 

 but nothing was substituted in their room but the protector's own 

 will ; and it was not long before that will displayed itself in acts 

 for which nothing can account but the intoxication occasioned by 

 absolute power. 



No time was lost in transmitting the tidings of these transactions 

 to the director of Chile ; and perhaps San Martin thought, that by 

 sending him the four flags which Osorio had taken at Rancagua, and 

 which were found in the cathedral at Lima, he made up for that 

 breach of his oaths of fidelity to Chile and its government, which he 

 had now virtually committed by declaring himself an independent 

 chief.f 



Nor was this the only injury he meditated against the country he 

 had left. The squadron had now been a year in constant activity ; 

 scantily supplied at first with rigging and sails, and provisioned only 

 for a few weeks, nothing could have maintained it, but the good 

 conduct of the officers generally, and the activity and vigilance of 

 its commander. Sometimes making use of the powers given him to 

 commute custom-house duties into supplies for the fleet ; or, accord- 



* See Appendix, for San Martin's proclamation before the squadron sailed from Chile. 



f This seems indeed to have produced great effect on the director, who, in his circular 

 letter published in the Gazette on the 25th August, 1821, congratulating the country on the 

 success of the army and squadron, and on the acquisition of a sister republic, dwells at great 

 length on the restoration of the flags in question. On the 30th of September they were 

 sent in solemn procession, under an escort, to Rancagua, and delivered to the municipality, 

 with a proclamation from the director. On the 2d of October, the anniversary of the 

 unfortunate rout of Rancagua, they were conveyed to the altar of N. S. da Carmen, the 

 protectress of the arms of Chile, and consecrated. The city presented a scene of festivity 

 for several days. 



