ARBITllARY POWER. 353 



are obliged to perform the orders of govern- 

 ment. For this they have no remuneration, 

 and but barely food enough for actual sub- 

 sistence. They are torn from their families 

 for a period of five or six weeks at a time, 

 and are unable to contribute to their sup- 

 port and maintenance. This arbitrary mea- 

 sure is entirely unfitting the so much boast- 

 ed liberty of the country, and at variance 

 v^ith every principle of the freedom of a 

 republic. The Alcalde added, that in con- 

 sequence of these coercive steps, the men 

 did all in their power to recompense them- 

 selves, by every trick and roguery they 

 could practise on travellers ; and that he, 

 therefore, was desirous that I should huve 

 men of the best reputation. I wrote imme- 

 diately to my friend Senor Paris concerning 

 this abuse of the liberty of these men, and 

 begged him to propose to the Congress some 

 means of ameliorating their circumstances, 

 and correcting the present ill-devised, and 



VOL. II. 2 A 



