482 APPENDIX. 



on the plains of Maypu, without attending to the feelings of a most righteous 

 vengeance on a barbarous aggressor, or the right of reprisal for the evils 

 caused in Chile, as a complete proof of my pacific wishes I wrote to your 

 Viceroy on the 11th of April of this year — that I felt for the situation in 

 which he was placed ; wished him to consider the extent of the resources of 

 two states intimately united, and the superior amount of their armies ; and, in 

 a word, the inequality of the struggle which threatened him. I made him 

 responsible to the inhabitants of the land for the effects of the war ; and in 

 order to avert them, I entreated him to call together the illustrious neighbour- 

 hood of Lima, to represent the sincere wishes of the governments of Chile and 

 the United States ; to hear their complaints and the exposition of their rights ; 

 and that the people shoidd be freely permitted to adopt wliat form of govern- 

 ment they wished ; and that the spontaneous expression of the will of such an 

 assembly should be the supreme law of my actions, §c. This liberal proposal 

 was answered by insults and threats ; and thus the order of justice as well as 

 common safety forced me to adopt the last rational resource, — the use of a 

 protecting force. The blood, therefore, that may be shed will rest solely on 

 the heads of the tyrants and their proud satellites. Nor were my intentions 

 less apparent after the day of Chacabuco. The Spanish army was entirely 

 routed : Chile became completely an independent state ; and its inhabitants 

 began to enjoy the security of their property and the fruits of liberty. This 

 example of itself is the surest warrant for my conduct. Tyrants accus- 

 tomed to disfigure facts, in order to kindle the torch of discord, have not 

 been ashamed to say, that the moderation observed by the victorious army in 

 Chile was for its own interest. In God's name, let it be so! For what is that 

 but to say, that our interest is one with that of the people ? Is not this a 

 fresh guarantee, and a new reason for confidence ? Doubtless this army wi'l 

 root out the tyrants of Lima ; and the result of its victory will be, that the 

 capital of Peru will, for the first time, see her sons united, freely electing their 

 government, and appearing on the face of the globe in the rank of nations. 

 The union of the three states will teach Spain to feel her weakness, and all 

 other powers to esteem and respect us. The fust steps of your political 

 existence being secured, a central congress, composed of the representatives 

 of the three states, will give to the organisation of each new stability ; and 

 the constitution of each, as well as its perpetual alliance and federacy, will be 

 established in the midst of universal harmony, intelligence, and hope. The 

 annals of the world do not record any revolution more holy in its end, more 



