312 



SPANISH AMERICA. 



affected to the existing system of govern- 

 ment, dissolved the Junta, appointing them 

 to re-assemble on the 11th of the same 

 month : on the latter day they again met, 

 and delivered their opinions to the same 

 effect. The Viceroy, who had in the mean 

 time assembled a number of troops, then 

 sent them, in conjunction with a force fur- 

 nished by Abascal, the Viceroy of Peru, to 

 destroy the new government of Quito. The 

 latter being compelled to yield to superior 

 force, the government was dissolved ; but a 

 promise was made by the Spanish president 

 of Quito, the Conde Ruiz de Castilla, that 

 there should be an entire oblivion with re- 

 gard to the events which had taken place. 

 This promise, however, like many others 

 made by the Spanish authorities, was with- 

 out scruple violated ; and not only a great 

 number of the patriots were arrested, but 

 afterwards, under pretence of an alarm 

 given by the soldiers, they were massacred 



