SANGUINARY WAR. 319 



an animosity amongst the Spanish Ameri- 

 cans, not inferior to that manifested at 

 home; and it was under such circum- 

 stances, and under the influence of feel- 

 ings of this description, that the war in 

 South America commenced. The manner 

 in which the contest was carried on, too, 

 clearly and most lamentably proves the 

 exacerbation of the minds of those by 

 whom it was conducted. There can be 

 no doubt, however, as already stated, that 

 the chiefs and leaders employed by, or 

 acting in the name of, the Government of 

 Spain, gave the first examples of violating 

 capitulations, and of massacring prisoners; 

 acts which, as a natural consequence, in- 

 creased and inflamed the hatred and ani- 

 mosity of the South Americans, and added 

 fuel to that flame which was already con- 

 suming the last remnant of the edifice of 

 supremacy, so long kept up by the mother- 

 country. 



