SOUTH AMERICA* 



others; but this indulgeDce generally leads to an un- 

 bounded license, and a total disregard of authority. 

 In order to appease this warrior, Sarratea was recalled 

 in February, 1813, and Rondeau, who it was supposed 

 would be acceptable to him, was again placed at the! 

 head of this army. He had no pretensions, himself, 

 to the command of any thing but his guerillas; his ha- 

 bits of life and want of education, entirely disqualified 

 him for taking the command of regular troops. With 

 this measure he appeared at first, to be satisfied, and 

 once more returned to his duty; but his subordination 

 was of short continuance; every effort to procure a 

 permanent reconciliation was fruitless; possessing un* 

 bounded control, himself, over his guerillas, who idol- 

 ized him as their chief, he could not brook the idea of 

 being commanded by another. It is probable, also, 

 that at this time, he had formed the design of entire- 

 ly renouncing the authority of Buenos Ay res; chiefly 

 actuated, I have no doubt, by his impatience of con- 

 trol. An act of a most arbitrary and despotic charac- 

 ter, done by him about this time, is related by Funes.*| 



* Those citizens who loved order, labored with zeal and dex- 

 terity to extinguish a flame menacing ruin to the state. This end 

 appeared to be obtained by an Oriental congress, which general 

 Rondeau convened, in the name of the government, for the purpose 

 of nominating deputies for a national congress, and a provincial 

 governor. All was on the eve of being verified, when general Ar- 

 tigas, as chief of the Orientals, commanded, in the name of the 

 same government, that the electors should present themselves at 

 his head quarters, in order to receive instructions from him. This 

 proceeding, so strongly savoring of despotism, offended every one. 

 The electors assembled in the chapel of Maciel, and fulfilled their 

 trust. The real disposition of general Artigas then discovered 

 itselt; he annulled the congress, thus assuming absolute powerj 



