POLITICAL HISTORY OF PERU. 
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port, with the ostensible object of encouraging a direct trade fmm 
Lurope and the United States, to Peru and Bolivia. The Chilians 
took great offence at this act. Peru in her struggle for independence 
had received much assistance, first from Chili, and then from 
Colombia, and was in debt to both for the expense of the war. This 
very aid produced its usual consequences, b Y creating those feelings 
of hostility which the ungrateful indulge in towards their benefactors 
It soon became apparent that the vessels of war were chartered by 
General Freyre, who embarked in them with a number of the dis- 
contented Chilians who were in exile, and about two hundred soldiers 
This was done secretly, but the Chilian consul-general contriving to 
get the information, as has been related, despatched a vessel to notify 
his government, before an embargo was laid. We have heretofore 
seen, m the chapter which treats of the affairs of Chili, how the 
whole affair was frustrated, and how Freyre and the others were 
taken prisoners. 
The party in power in Chili had always been opposed to Santa 
Cruz personally, and believed that he had planned and aided the 
attempt to revolutionize Chili. Under pretence therefore of danger 
from the preponderating influence of the Peru-Bolivian Confedera- 
tion, under so ambitious and intriguing a head, they resolved on 
war. For this purpose they deemed it necessary to secure the 
command of the sea, and they sent two vessels of war to Callao, 
ostensibly on a friendly mission, but with secret orders to cut out the 
Peruvian vessels of war, then undergoing repairs in that port. This 
perfidious act was successfully perpetrated, and the next day Santa 
Cruz ordered the arrest of La Valle, the resident Chilian consul- 
general in Lima, but released him in an hour or two, and sent him 
his passport. 
Negotiations were entered into, and resulted, as we have before 
seen, through the intercession of the English diplomatic agent, in a 
convention and a cessation of hostilities for four months. It was 
evident from the first that no peace would ensue ; both parties had 
done wrong, and it is believed that neither wished for peace. Chili 
having now become mistress of the sea, saw no difficulty in carrying 
on the war. Accordingly, three thousand men were embarked, landed 
in South Peru, and marched for Arequipa, where they were speedily 
cooped up, left without resources, and surrounded by superior forces, 
daily augmenting under Santa Cruz. He finding the war unpopular 
in Peru, was desirous of making peace, and waived all the advantages 
