SOUTH AMERICA. 



313 



Mr. Rodney was going to state the circumstance, and 

 the apology, when the director requested permission 

 to anticipate what he was about to say. He said he 

 was perfectly aware of the motives of the commission- 

 ers in declining to accept the guard. It was not offer- 

 ed under any idea that it was necessary for their safe- 

 ty, but that, according to the customs of the country, it 

 was one of the modes of shewing respect to distin- 

 guished strangers; who were, however, perfectly at li- 

 berty to accept or not, according to their pleasure. He 

 said, that in order to satisfy his fellow citizens, who 

 were desirous that every attention should be paid to 

 the commissioners, as well as for the purpose of gra- 

 tifying his own feelings, he was anxious that no mark 

 of respect should be omitted. He had discharged his 

 duty, and satisfied the expectations of the public. 



If I might venture a conjecture, this is one of the 

 remnants of Spanish parade; and when the guard was 

 offered, it was not expected to be accepted. There is 

 scarcely a country in the world but ours, in which this 

 practice of posting military guards for mere shew, 

 does not prevail; and if we have seen here the foot- 

 prints of liberty, it must be owned, that thefoot-prints 

 of despotism have not yet been worn out. 



VOL. f. 



40 



