SOUTH AMERICA, 



233 



to him much of the abuse that has appeared against our 

 leading men in your newspapers, and which has occa- 

 sioned deep regret to the people of Buenos Ayres. 

 The idea has been held out, that the Chilians were 

 conquered by their brethren of Buenos Ayres, an idea 

 the most absurd that can be imagined; but it is ne- 

 cessary that he should hold out this pretence, for if his 

 country accepts our assistance, what right has he to 

 object? No, said he, his anger has no other foundation 

 than disappointed ambition. But, said he, you will 

 judge for yourselves. Does his country require his 

 services? Can any one deny the fact, that she has 

 done better without him than with him? Let him at 

 least remain quiet as a private citizen, until the liber- 

 ties of his country are settled on a solid basis, and not 

 bo continually engaged as he is, in trying to bring 

 us into disrepute with our friends abroad.'^ My busi- 

 ness was that of a listener — I could only answer, 

 that I thought his observations worthy of being at- 

 tended to» 



During our short stay at Monte Video, I became ac- 

 quainted with several English gentlemen, from whom 

 1 collected a good deal of information respecting the 

 state of the country. With a young Irish merchant, 

 who possessed all that generosity of heart, and genu- 

 ine hospitality which characterises his countrymen, 

 I was highly pleased. I could not divest my mind of 

 the idea, that he was a countryman of my own, al- 

 though he informed me that he never had been in 

 the United States. I was not aware of our^ter- 

 taining this feeling towards the Irish when abroad, 

 but it no doubt arises from the circumstance of our con- 

 sidering them as a distinct people from the English, 

 VOL. I. 30 



