368 JOURNAL. 
“ the nation from the fangs of the anarchy which threatened to over- 
‘“ whelm it; and procure for his country the happiest and most bril- 
“ liant destiny. Never mortal saw himself in a situation to render 
“ more important services to the country to which he owed his 
“‘ birth, the theatre of his exertions and his glory. His voice, heard 
«“ with the liveliest emotions of pleasure from one end of the re- 
“ public to the other, was to be the signal of re-union for the whole 
“nation, under a government as respectable and vigorous as that 
which had passed away, and as free, just, and beneficent as we 
“had a right to expect. In this conjuncture he presented himself 
“in Valparaiso at the head of an army, and of an expedition which 
had sailed from Talcahuana, after having received communications 
from the junta assuring him of its cordial support, of the abdi- 
cation of the Director, and of the unanimous wishes of the nation. 
This act, which perhaps might have been considered by some as an 
indication of a conduct hostile, or at least equivocal ; as marking 
exorbitant pretensions, founded on the strength of arms; as want- 
ing in respect to the government, without whose authority, and 
even without a pretence, he had brought an army into the territory 
it ruled ; — surprised the junta, but did not alarm it. Why distrust 
the man whose modesty and the liberality of whose principles 
were so well and so generally known? Why draw back from the 
citizen in whom the country placed its hopes, and to whose virtue 
it was willing to trust its fate? He was invited to Santiago: he 
was called to the meeting, whose object was the general good of 
“nation. We assure you, Gentlemen, that we have omitted no 
“ means, proposals, or efforts, in order to avail ourselves of his in- 
fluence in healing the public dissensions. He demanded the com- 
mand of the army of the province of Santiago, and it was granted 
«him as a proof of our unlimited confidence, as a guarantee of our 
“ uniformity of sentiment ; and on condition of acknowledging the 
* authority of whoever should receive that command, that we might 
“not be wanting to the duties imposed on us by the people, when, 
* together with the government, they entrusted us with the force 
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