POLICY OF SAN MARTIN. 



215 



several persons came privately from Lima to dis- 

 cuss the state of affairS;, upon which occasion his 

 views and feelings were distinctly stated ; and I 

 saw nothing in his conduct afterwards to cast a 

 doubt upon the sincerity with which he then 

 spoke. The contest in Peru, he said, was not of 

 an ordinary description — not a war of conquest 

 and glory, but entirely of opinion ; it was a war 

 of new and liberal principles against prejudice, 

 bigotry, and tyranny. — People ask,'' said San 

 Martin, " why I don't march to Lima at once ; 

 so I might, and instantly would, were it suitable 

 to my views — which it is not. I do not want mili- 

 tary renown — I have no ambition to be the con- 

 queror of Peru — I want solely to liberate the 

 country from oppression. Of what use would Li- 

 ma be to me, if the inhabitants were hostile in po- 

 litical sentiment ? How could the cause of inde- 

 pendence be advanced by my holding Lima, or 

 even the whole country, in military possession ? — 

 Far different are my views. I wish to have all 

 men thinking with me, and do not choose to ad- 

 vance a step beyond the gradual march of public 

 opinion ; the capital being now ripe for declaring 



