78 BOGOTA'. 



for. The one was vindicating a treaty en- 

 tered into of offensive and defensive alliance 

 with the republics of Buenos- Ay res, Chili, 

 and Peru ; the other was pressing the neces- 

 sity of granting General Bolivar permission 

 to embark for Peru, to conduct the war in 

 that quarter. 



This latter was a particularly interesting 

 subject, as most fairly a great deal might be 

 said on both sides of the question. Some 

 argued thus : Is it prudent to permit the de- 

 parture of our Liberator to such a distance 

 as Peru, when a great part of Venezuda and 

 Maracaybo are still in the possession of our 

 enemies, who keep the whole district in 

 alarm? And shall we not be entering into an 

 expense which the state cannot afford ? Se- 

 nor Gual, in answer, combatted these points 

 with great effect and eloquence ; the purport 

 of his argument was : First, the honour that 

 would accrue to Colombia for taking so bold 



