88 



PERU. 



cloak, lest he should conceal weapons'*^ — That 

 they should never be seen out of doors after the 

 vespers'' — " That no more than two should be 

 seen together and^ it is even said, a Spanish 

 woman was once actually put in the pillory for 

 speaking disrespectfully of the Patriot cause. 



The whole of these arbitrary measures were 

 carried into effect during the nominal administra- 

 tion of Torre Tagle ; and it was generally believ- 

 ed, that their offensive and cruel execution origi- 

 nated with the prime minister Monteagudo. But 

 if they be in themselves unjustifiable, and deserve 

 the imputation of tyranny, it will not avail San 

 Martin's friends to say they were the acts of ano- 

 ther ; for he was notoriously the main-spring of the 

 whole government, nor would he himself seek to 

 escape censure by any such subterfuge. 



In May the Patriot army under General Tris- 

 tan, sent by San Martin against the Spaniards, 

 was defeated : still he remained inactive. In July 

 he left Lima for Guayaquil, where he had an in- 

 terview with Bolivar. During his absence the 

 people of Lima, irritated by the arbitrary proceed- 

 ings of the minister Monteagudo, forcibly depos- 



