SAN MARTIN ABDICATES THE PROTECTORSHIP. 



17 



the minister Monteagudo, forcibly deposed, im- 

 prisoned, and afterwards banished him to Panama. 

 A new minister was chosen by the supreme dele- 

 gate, and confirmed in his appointment by San 

 Martin on his return from Guayaquil ; from whence 

 he sailed in August with a body of troops furnished 

 by Bolivar. 



The Sovereign Constituent Congress, consisting 

 of representatives, elected by the different liber- 

 ated provinces, had been several times convoked, 

 but as often prorogued : till at length, San Martin, 

 to the surprise of many persons who believed he 

 was aiming at permanent power, complied with the 

 general wish of* the people, and actually assembled 

 the deputies on the 20th of September 1822. 

 Into their hands he immediately resigned the 

 supreme authority which he had assumed a year 

 before. The Congress, in return, elected him, by 

 unanimous decree, generalissimo of the armies in 

 Peru. But he resolutely declined receiving more 

 than the mere title, which he consented to accept 

 as a mark of the approbation and confidence of 

 the Peruvians ; declaring that, in his opinion, his 

 presence in Peru in command of the forces was 

 inconsistent with their authority. The following 

 is a translation of the answer which he made to 

 the Congress, on their invitation to him as gene- 

 ralissimo. 



"At the close of my public life, after having 

 signed into the hands of the august Congress of 

 Peru the supreme authority of the state, nothing 

 could have flattered me so much as the solemn 

 expression of your confidence, in naming me Gene- 

 ralissimo of the national forces, by sea and land, 

 which I have just received by a deputation from 

 your house. T have had the honour to signify my 

 sincere gratitude to those who made me this com- 

 munication ; and I have since had the satisfaction 

 to accept the title alone, because it marks your 

 approbation of the brief services which I have 

 rendered this country, 



" But, in order not to compromise my own feel- 

 ings, and the best interests of the nation, allow me 

 to state, that a painful and long course of experi- 

 ence has taught me to foresee, that the distinguished 

 rank to which you wish to raise me, far from being 

 useful to the nation, were I to exercise the authority, 

 would only frustrate your own intentions, by 

 rousing the jealousy of those who are anxious for 

 complete liberty ; and by dividing the opinion of 

 the people, would diminish that confidence in your 

 decisions, which nothing but unqualified inde- 

 pendence can inspire. My presence in Peru, 

 considering the authority I lately possessed, and 

 the power I should still retain, is inconsistent with 

 the moral existence of your sovereign body, and 

 with my own opinions ; since no prudence, nor 

 forbearance, on my part, will keep off the shafts of 

 malevolence and calumny. 



" I have fulfilled the sacred promise which I 

 made to Peru : I have witnessed the assembly of 

 its representatives : the enemy's force threatens 

 the independence of no place that wishes to be 

 free, and possesses the means of being so. A 

 numerous army, under the direction of warlike 

 chiefs, is ready to march in a few days to put an 

 end to the war. Nothing is left for me to do, but 

 to offer you my sincerest thanks, and to promise, 

 that if the liberties of the Peruvians shall ever be 

 attacked, I shall claim the honour of accom- 



[PART II.] 



panying them, to ' defend their freedom like 

 a citizen." 



The Congress, who were either unwilling, or 

 affected to be unwilling, that San Martin should 

 view their offer in this light, wrote to entreat him 

 to take the actual command of the armies ; quoting, 

 in their letter, his own expression in his address 

 to them on their meeting, where he says : " The 

 voice of the sovereign authority of the nation 

 shall always be listened to with respect by San 

 Martin, as a citizen of Peru, and be obeyed by 

 him, as the first soldier of liberty." 



This appeal, however, did not change the reso- 

 lution which San Martin had formed on the occa- 

 sion ; and having issued the following proclamation, 

 he went to Callao, embarked in his yacht, and 

 immediately sailed for Chili ; leaving the Peru- 

 vians, as they had wished, to the management of 

 the Congress they had themselves elected. 



" PROCLAMATION. 



" I have witnessed the declaration of the inde- 

 pendence of Chili and Peru : I hold in my hand 

 the standard which Pizarro brought over to enslave 

 the empire of the Incas : I have ceased to be a 

 public man : and thus are repaid to me, with 

 usury, (con usura,) ten years spent in revolution 

 and war. 



" My promises to the countries in which I 

 made war are fulfilled — I give them independence, 

 and leave them the choice of their government. 



" The presence of a fortunate soldier, however 

 disinterested he be, is dangerous to newly-consti- 

 tuted states ; on the other hand, I am disgusted 

 with hearing that I wish to raise myself to the 

 throne. Nevertheless, I shall always be ready to 

 make the utmost sacrifice for the liberties of the 

 country, but in the chai'acter of a private indi- 

 vidual, and in no other (en clase de simple par- 

 ticular, y no mas). 



" With respect to my public conduct, my coun- 

 trymen, as usual, will be divided in opinion : their 

 children will pronounce the true verdict. 



" Peruvians ! I leave you the national repre- 

 sentation established : if you repose implicit con- 

 fidence in them, you will surely triumph : — if not, 

 anarchy will devour you. 



" God grant that success may preside over 

 your destinies, and that you may reach the summit 

 of felicity and peace. 



" Dated in the Free City, (Pueblo Libre,) 

 " 20th September, 1 822. 



(Signed) " Jose de San Martin." 



The sovereign Congress, thus left to themselves, 

 appointed a governing junta of three experienced 

 men. They also passed an immense number of 

 decrees to little or no purpose ; and everything 

 very soon went into utter confusion under their 

 inexperienced guidance. Indeed, the greater 

 number of the deputies were men who knew 

 little or nothing of the science of legislation, fci 

 November 1822, an expedition sailed from Lima 

 for the south coast ; but in January 1823, shortly 

 after landing, they were completely defeated. This 

 disaster was followed by general discontent, and 

 in February, the sittings of the Congress were 

 suspended by Rivaguero the president, who sub- 

 sequently dissolved them in a summary, and, as 

 it was said, a most unconstitutional manner. 



